White Sox’s Thorpe nearing return from Tommy John surgery

After about two years without touching the mound, Drew Thorpe returned to action.

The White Sox set up a rehab assignment for the right-handed pitcher in the Arizona Complex League, where on Saturday he pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three batters with no walks and allowing one hit.

It was his first time in front of live batters since July 31, 2024.

“It felt good. It’s obviously been what feels like forever,” Thorpe said Tuesday.

Thorpe moved from the New York Yankees to San Diego in the December 2023 Juan Soto deal, then transitioned to Chicago three months later in the Dylan Cease trade.

He opened the 2024 season with Double-A Birmingham, going 7-1 with a 1.35 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 11 starts. He was later added to the 40-man roster and called up to the majors for the first time. He debuted that same night against the Seattle Mariners, fanning four and giving up one run over five innings in a 4-3 loss.

Across nine starts for the White Sox that season, he finished 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 44.1 innings. However, his rookie season was cut short due to an elbow bone spur, leading to Tommy John surgery in April last year that eventually ended his entire 2025 season.

“It’s definitely been a longer process than I expected. Some of the things are out of my control,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I just got to take it day by day and keep pushing forward.”

Thorpe also credited Arizona teammates Kai Bush and Mason Adams, who he believed were “the most helpful part” in persevering.

Thorpe said there was a slight change in his touch after the surgery, but his adept changeup remained. Meanwhile, he added a sinker to his arsenal.

“The sinker has been a good work in progress, so I’m excited to see how it plays,” he said.

Thorpe expressed his excitement about the team’s surprising start while leading the AL Central, and his confidence in returning return this season.

Thorpe is now with the White Sox’s High-A Winston-Salem Dash. He’s scheduled to pitch Friday when the team plays Greensboro in a six-game series.

“I’m just doing what I can,” he said. “But I feel like I’m in a really good spot right now.”