In what has been a really busy day for the Chicago White Sox, they received some bad news on Friday afternoon.
Left-handed reliever Garrett Crochet will have to go under the knife and will miss the next 14-16 months with Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery.
“Meanwhile, the #WhiteSox expect high-powered reliever Garrett Crochet to be out for the season. The preliminary MRI reading is that he will need Tommy John surgery,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale tweeted on Friday, the same day in which they chose to trade fellow reliever Craig Kimbrel to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Meanwhile, the #WhiteSox expect high-powered reliever Garrett Crochet to be out for the season. The preliminary MRI reading is that he will need Tommy John surgery.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 1, 2022
Crochet was drafted as a starting pitcher back in 2020, in the first round, but the White Sox needed him in the bullpen that season and he answered the call with a 0.00 ERA in six regular-season innings.
He Will Be Missed
He was an integral part of their bullpen last year, too, with a 2.82 ERA (2.80 Fielding Independent Pitching, or FIP) in 54.1 innings for the pale hose.
In fact, he had become one of the White Sox’s best and most dependable relievers, but will now have to go under the knife and rehab for more than a year.
His absence will be felt by Chicago, especially if we consider the fact that he is a lefty, and dominant southpaws don’t grow on trees.
However, the team is actually well-equipped to cope with his absence, even after trading Kimbrel.
Liam Hendriks is the closer, and Aaron Bummer, Joe Kelly, Reynaldo Lopez, and Kendall Graveman are very dependable setup men and middle relievers.
Here is hoping Crochet can have a smooth recovery and return at some point in the 2023 season, likely in the second half.
NEXT: White Sox Reportedly Targeting A Top Starting Pitcher