Another White Sox Trade Chip is Injured Again

In some of the least surprising news for the Chicago White Sox, right-handed reliever Joe Kelly is back on the injured list.

The White Sox announced that Kelly has been placed on the 15-day injured list prior to Wednesday’s double-header against the Toronto Blue Jays at Guaranteed Rate Field. The 35-year-old has right-elbow inflammation. The team has added two pitchers to their roster today for the double-header, Jimmy Lambert as the additional 27th man and Nick Padilla, who will take Kelly’s spot.

The White Sox signed Kelly to a two-year, $17 million contract and like several players on the roster during the past two years, the veteran reliever has been a huge disappointment. In 2022, the right-hander had a 6.08 ERA, the highest in any of his 13-year career and Kelly was only able to throw 37 innings, the fewest amount in any full season of his career that started in 2012.

Kelly’s 2022 season was cut short because of injuries, as he missed nearly a month to begin the year with a biceps issue and then another injury stint popped up in the middle of the season, when Kelly had a hamstring strain. While Kelly has had better moments in 2023, the injuries have still plagued him. He missed time in April with a groin strain and now he’s out again with elbow inflammation.

As the White Sox continue to lose ground in the American League Central Division, the team is headed toward being sellers at the trade deadline. Even if the front office doesn’t make any blockbuster moves the roster is filled with several players with expiring contracts that could be useful for contending teams. Kelly is in that category, as he’s been pretty damn good since the end of April.

From April 30 through the end of June, Kelly made 23 appearances for the White Sox and only gave up 7 earned runs in 22.1 innings, which is a 2.82 ERA, while striking out 28 batters during that stretch. He was great then, having 19 scoreless outings during the 23-game period. Unfortunately, this elbow issue that led to the latest injury stint did affect Kelly in his last two outings in huge spots.

On Saturday, Kelly came in to pitch the eighth inning against the Oakland A’s trying to protect a 6-4 lead. He couldn’t, giving up two runs in a game that the White Sox ended up losing 7-6 in extra innings. Then on Tuesday night Kelly surrendered the game-winning, two-run home run to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the eighth inning as well, in a 4-3 loss.

Overall this season, Kelly has a 4.82 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 28 innings, with 37 strikeouts and 10 walks.

Along with Kelly, the White Sox currently have Michael Kopech, Mike Clevinger, Liam Hendriks and Garrett Crochet on the injured list as well as Yoan Moncada. Romy Gonzalez was also recently moved to the 60-day injured list.