GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Drew Thorpe threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Tuesday on the White Sox backfields at Camelback Ranch, marking the first time the right-hander has thrown off the mound in his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
The real test for the right-hander came on Wednesday, when he determined how he felt after pushing himself. And the answer was a net positive.
“Looking at the next day was more beneficial, just seeing where I was at,” said Thorpe before Thursday night’s 12-3 Cactus League loss to the Guardians at Camelback Ranch. “Yesterday, pretty sore, which is to be expected. But I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday. So it’s good that I’m bouncing back pretty quickly.
“It’s kind of what we hoped for going into it when I saw [Dr. Keith] Meister last. Now it’s just feeling normal TJ rehab stuff versus anything extra.”
Thorpe had his surgery on April 9, 2025, performed by Meister. It came around the same time as Tommy John surgeries for White Sox right-handers Prelander Berroa and Mason Adams and left-hander Ky Bush.
But that trio worked ahead of Thorpe, rehab-wise, as he dealt with ongoing tendinitis pain. Thorpe visited Meister before the start of Spring Training and received a clean bill of health as far as the ligament is concerned.
“Obviously it was great, knowing nothing was wrong in there,” Thorpe said. “Peace of mind, and then just being able to build from there has been good.
“Everybody’s different, that’s kind of what you learn going through the process. Have ups and downs throughout the whole thing. I don’t think it set me back too much, maybe a couple of weeks here and there. We can make it up throughout the year.”
That first bullpen session featured all fastballs, and Thorpe will throw a second bullpen Friday, with potentially a slightly higher pitch count. If he continues progressing, Thorpe could be a solid in-season addition with Berroa and Bush without the White Sox giving up anything in return.
“We’ve got a good group. It was nice having them all around the same timetable, just being able to rehab with all those guys and being able to go through it, whatever they were feeling,” Thorpe said. “We’re all pretty close to the same timeframe, and just being able to plug in if they need and just hoping we can all get back healthy.
“Yeah, it felt good. It’s been a long time. Feels like I almost forgot how to pitch. It was very good.”
Intrasquad information
Shane Smith worked three innings during his start Thursday at Camelback Ranch, and when he was done, he walked over to the opposing dugout to glean information from those hitters.
To be clear, the presumptive White Sox Opening Day starter was pitching on the backfields during an Intrasquad game, making it easier to find help.
“No, they don’t tend to give you that insight,” said Smith with a laugh of doing the same in Cactus League games. “It’s nice being able to talk to guys after. I just ran over to that dugout and tried to get a good feel for, ‘Were they picking anything up? What do you see for spin? Is it predictable?’
“Whatever it is, it’s nice to be able to go over, talk to them and get a good feel. And not, ‘Hey, I punched you on this, can you see it?’ Obviously not. Things get predictable or anything like that sequencing, it’s good to know.”
Third to first
Carlos Quentin visited Camelback Ranch on Thursday with some of his son’s youth baseball team in town for a tournament. Quentin was an All-Star for the 2008 White Sox, when he hit 36 homers, with 100 RBIs and a .965 OPS during his first year in Chicago. That season ended for Quentin prematurely on Sept. 1 when he fractured his right wrist punching his bat in frustration after fouling off a pitch
Right-hander David Sandlin, who was acquired from Boston as part of a deal on Feb. 1, has been on a slower plan toward the regular season, according to manager Will Venable.
“Early on, there was some back stuff when we got him that he just hadn’t had the [bullpen sessions] up front, so he’s been up on the slower game plan here,” Venable said. “Just building him up slowly and giving him time to work everything out.”