This would definitely be a much bigger gut punch for the Chicago White Sox if they had not started the 2023 season as one of the worst teams in baseball, but nevertheless you hate to see players get injured and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery isn’t easy. On Wednesday, the White Sox announced that right-handed starting pitcher Davis Martin underwent Tommy John surgery, ending his 2023 season.

The 26-year-old made three starts at Triple-A this season with the Charlotte Knights and he was showing why he was considered the organization’s top depth starter. Martin had a 2.81 ERA in 16 innings pitched, posting a 1.06 WHIP, while striking out 20 batters and walking seven in his three outings. Martin had not pitched since April 14, and was eventually placed on the injured list on April 30, prior to the season-ending elbow surgery.

In 2022, Martin made his MLB debut with the White Sox, ending the year with 14 total appearances. His overall 4.83 ERA obviously looks bad, but that was mostly due to Martin’s final start of the season, when he gave up nine earned runs in 1.2 innings against the Minnesota Twins. Leading up to that game, the rookie had a solid 3.65 ERA in 61.2 innings. In 42.2 innings in nine starts, Martin posted a 4.01 ERA before the Twins game.

Some White Sox fans made the case this past offseason that Martin should have beeb given the opportunity to compete for the fifth spot in the starting rotation, but that possibility quickly went away when the team signed Mike Clevinger.

Looking ahead, Martin’s loss will really only take a toll on the White Sox if they can get back into contention. They’ve been fortunate enough to have their starting pitchers remain healthy, but you know something can pop up at any minute. The White Sox already didn’t have much depth to back up their starting rotation and with Martin out for the rest of 2023, it only gets worse.

As for 2024, the White Sox can’t go into next year counting on Martin either as an option for their rotation, as he’ll begin the season on the 60-day injured list, as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery.

Eloy Jiménez Update

White Sox DH Eloy Jiménez last played against the Cincinnati Reds on May 5, and then had an appendectomy that has kept the right-handed hitting slugger sidelined since. Jiménez spoke to reporters on Wednesday and said he hopes to return soon.

Despite a slow start and an earlier trip to the injured list with a hamstring injury in April, Jiménez was starting to get hot. Beginning with the Tampa Bay Rays series on April 27, Jiménez was 14-for-33 at the plate, slashing .424/.472/.636, with two home runs in 36 plate appearances in eight games.

Prior to that stretch, Jiménez was only hitting .172 with a .555 OPS in his first 70 plate appearances of the regular season.

His original timetable to return was set between 4-6 weeks. So, we’ll see how many rehab games the White Sox set aside for Jiménez before they activate him back from the injured list.