The injury bug has already bitten, sidelining Andrew Benintendi, Colson Montgomery and others

The Chicago White Sox’s Spring Training has been less about fine-tuning and more about damage control, as a series of injuries have hit the team hard, particularly in the outfield and pitching departments. With Opening Day looming, the South Siders are already facing tests of their depth.

One of the more significant blows is the non-displaced right-hand fracture by outfielder Andrew Benintendi. The veteran will be sidelined for four to six weeks. The injury leaves uncertainties about who will handle left field. Benintendi had a strong second half in 2024, and many fans hoped he could pick up right where he left off. Historically, Benny has struggled mightily when returning from injury, and one would expect the same is likely to happen in this situation.

Adding to the outfield woes, Michael A. Taylor is dealing with right elbow inflammation, with his return uncertain and potentially delayed until the end of the week. Then, in a late scratch yesterday, the Sox removed Austin Slater from the lineup due to a left oblique strain, with no set timetable for his return.

The outfield options now look quite thin. The remaining choices are Luis Robert Jr., Oscar Colás, Corey Julks, Mike Tauchman, Zach DeLoach, and Dominic Fletcher. Refreshingly, La Pantera has been tearing it up so far in his six spring games, slashing .429/.500/.929 with a 1.429 OPS and two dingers. I guess he’s really looking to play his way out of Chicago. The other players, not so much. The best of the bunch is Colás, who is hitting .273/.273/.455. with a .728 OPS and two doubles over seven games.

Top prospect Colson Montgomery hasn’t played in a game since last Tuesday. The shortstop is listed as day-to-day with back spasms. The 23-year-old also had a back injury during Spring Training in 2023, which kept him out of action until June of that season. While it doesn’t sound like the spasms are severe, it does, unfortunately, disrupt his crucial spring development.

The pitching staff hasn’t been spared, either. As reported prior to camp starting, Ky Bush will miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Righthander Drew Thorpe is still battling residual inflammation from a September elbow surgery to address a bone spur, though he has recently thrown a side session, suggesting some progress. Prelander Berroa’s Grade 1 elbow strain turned out to be good news as, initially, there was concern it was a UCL tear. Berroa, who impressed with a 1.80 ERA in September, was being considered for high-leverage bullpen roles. His availability is now uncertain, further weakening the bullpen prospects.

Amidst the injury chaos, there’s a glimmer of positive news. Bryan Ramos has returned to action, going 1-for-4 with a double and a walk in two games. His presence provides a much-needed boost to an infield with just as many question marks as the outfield.

Of course, here’s hoping for a swift recovery for all the injured players, but it’s now time for the next-man-up mentality to kick into high gear. Each player should come to the park daily, fighting hard for a roster spot because plenty are up for grabs on this team’s 26-man. The moment is here for some of these young players and prospects to step it up in a big way.