GLENDALE -- The worst news for the White Sox on Friday was not the temperatures in the high 40s, or the non-stop rain canceling their Cactus League contest with the Cubs at Camelback Ranch.
Instead, the team announced that pitchers Prelander Berroa and Juan Carela will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery in the coming days, performed by Dr. Keith Meister.
¡°It's a tough one,¡± White Sox manager Will Venable said. ¡°These guys were fighting all offseason to come into camp in great shape and certainly did a great job of working hard. And it's just tough to see.
¡°But we know that they'll attack their rehabs the right way. They'll be back before you know it.¡±
Berroa suffered the injury in the first Cactus League game of this season, leaving mid-inning at Sloan Park. Rest was the original recommendation for the right-hander before undergoing new imaging this week. Losing Berroa cuts into the team¡¯s late-inning relief plans, as he was in the mix after a strong finish to the 2024 season when he posted a 1.80 ERA over 12 September games.
¡°So it's a tough blow, but like we said, hopefully these guys get back on track here sooner than later,¡± Venable said. ¡°There's opportunity for guys. ¡ We talked about that all camp with these guys. We know that there will continue to be opportunities. There's one more spot for somebody to step into.¡±
Mike Clevinger, who has been discussed as a possible closer option since joining the White Sox via a Minor League deal on February 21, will make his 2025 Cactus League debut on Sunday against the Guardians in Goodyear. But Venable didn¡¯t sound close to declaring any one pitcher as his set ninth-inning option, partially because they don¡¯t really have a clear-cut favorite with that sort of experience.
¡°I don't know what the benefit of that is for right now,¡± Venable said. ¡°There's potential for our best reliever to pitch in the seventh or eighth inning, depending on how the game unfolds.
¡°We're going to lean on all these guys to get outs, and how their roles kind of organically formulate during the year, so be it. But I don't think, really at any point, we'll be declaring a closer.¡±
Adams ready to start
After posting a 2.92 ERA in 23 games (22 starts) for Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte last season, No. 12 prospect Mason Adams is trying to build off that strong showing within his first Major League camp.
¡°Just keep trying to refine what I¡¯m good at and work on the stuff I¡¯m not good at,¡± Adams said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m pretty good at being able to locate all my pitches in the zone. Being able to expand when I get to two strikes.¡±
Where does Adams need improvement? The 25-year-old right-hander laughed and said there¡¯s always room to work on everything. Adams, who will start Sunday against the Guardians with Sean Burke pitching in a Minor League game, added a cutter to his vast repertoire this offseason and has been dialing in that pitch as best as possible.
¡°I like where it¡¯s at,¡± Adams said. ¡°Thought it would be a good idea, being able to get in on lefties and front hip too. Opens up a lot more options.¡±
Leasure moves on from ¡®24
Jordan Leasure went through the highs and lows of his rookie 2024 season, finishing with a 6.32 ERA over 33 games. He has pretty much put that past season behind him as he competes for a bullpen spot in ¡®25.
¡°I took what I could from it, a lot of good, a lot of bad and now I¡¯m just focused on this year. I haven¡¯t thought too much about it,¡± Leasure said. ¡°Kind of learned a lot about how I can succeed in the big leagues and learned about how I can fail in the big leagues and how to deal.
¡°There¡¯s a lot that happened. Most importantly I learned how to stay healthy and what I need to do to be able to pitch every night if I get called on.¡±
Getting stronger and getting his body into a spot for the whole season was Leasure¡¯s priority going into Spring Training.
¡°Then, it¡¯s really honing in on command of all my pitches,¡± said Leasure, who has fanned five in three hitless innings so far this spring. ¡°Mostly the fastball and just keep attacking hitters.
¡°Last year I got away from attacking hitters a little, trying to avoid getting hit. So far this spring I¡¯ve been trying to make them hit it and attacking with my stuff.¡±