White Sox right-hander Mike Vasil left today’s Spring Training game with elbow soreness, the team announced. He is set to undergo further testing. Vasil started the game with 3 2/3 scoreless innings before issuing two walks, calling for the trainer, and ultimately departing. That continued his effort to build up as a starter after working mostly in relief in 2025. In 101 innings over 47 appearances (three starts), he posted an excellent 2.50 ERA, albeit with less-shiny peripherals including a 4.32 FIP. On the plus side, Vasil induced groundballs 51.4% of the time and provided plenty of value by eating innings. Though he proved himself in the bullpen last year, he had an outside shot at joining the rotation in 2026, according to manager Will Venable.
The Sox open their season on March 26 on the road against the Brewers, so Vasil may not have time to fully build up if he is anything more than day-to-day. If he misses time, the club will roll with Davis Martin, Sean Burke, Anthony Kay, and Erick Fedde in the rotation behind 2025 All-Star Shane Smith. Given that he’s stretched out for multiple innings, Vasil could return to long relief at first then join the rotation later if there’s an injury.
A few other injury updates from around the league:
- Angels shortstop Zach Neto injured his left hand on a head-first slide into home in today’s game against the Mariners. He was set to undergo tests after the game, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Neto ended the 2025 season on the injured list with a left hand strain, and he underwent surgery in 2024 to fix a right shoulder injury that he incurred from a head-first slide. Today’s injury doesn’t seem nearly as serious, with manager Kurt Suzuki saying “it was a little more optimistic” after he spoke to Neto in the dugout. If Neto misses time, one of Vaughn Grissom or Oswald Peraza could draw some early starts at shortstop for the Halos.
- Rangers third baseman Josh Jung took six plate appearances on a back field today, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. He’ll take a few more tomorrow, then play against the White Sox on Monday. Jung has been out of action since February 24 due to a Grade 1 adductor strain, though manager Skip Schumaker downplayed the severity of the injury. Jung batted .251/.294/.390 with a 91 wRC+ in 131 games in 2025. He stayed healthy outside of a minimum IL stint at the start of the year, but it marked his first below-average offensive campaign since his 26-game debut in 2022. Both Jung and Shumaker seem confident that the former will be ready for Opening Day.
- Phillies ace Zack Wheeler threw a live batting practice session today, his first time facing hitters since undergoing thoracic outlet surgery in September. He will throw a bullpen session on Tuesday, manager Rob Thomson told reporters including Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. That could set him up to appear in at least one game before the end of Spring Training, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Granted, this is more of an expected progression in Wheeler’s rehab than a sign that he will make an early return. Wheeler himself emphasized that “We’ve still got a long way to go,” while Thomson said last month that Wheeler could be back in action not “too far beyond” Opening Day.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Hopeful news regarding Zack Wheeler. He’s a class act, and one of the best free agent signings ever.
Not many pitchers have returned to their previous form after TOS surgery.
It’s not the same kind of TOS as the disaster cases, so hopefully he’s ok.
This news isn’t any more hopeful than what was already known in the offseason. Wheeler’s age works against him here. There’s only 20 or 30 cases ever and only 2 of them involved a player over the age of 33. He will come back this season. That’s not a question. How consistent he will be remains to be seen. Most pitchers lose 1-3 mph on average in their first season back. Even with this being the “good kind” of TOS, it still prematurely ends careers far more often than not due to its effect on feel and command of breaking pitches. He’ll either stabilize in year 2 or completely collapse and be a shell of his former self.
It’s silly that a great shortstop like Neto gets injured running the bases. We need the universal designated runner, so we can avoid pointless injuries like this.
#UniversalDR
Or feet-first slides.
Or tell players not to slide into home. Running thru HP is about as effective as sliding. During the season, sure.
In contrast to Tommy John surgery, which often leads to full recoveries, TOS has historically been much more volatile and career-threatening. TOS won’t be friendly to Wheeler’s longevity as a TOR starter.
Uh … He’s already 35. What kind of longevity you taking about? At least he can end his career on his own terms. Maybe he turns into a high leverage bullpen arm if he prefers.
As far as longevity, I’m talking about whether Wheeler has 1-2 seasons of inconsistency left before he’s forced out of the game or 4-5 seasons of average to slightly above average seasons before he retires on his own terms.
Wheeler has already stated he’s retiring after this contract.
Yes and no.
He did say previously that he planned to retire after his contract ends in 2027. But during interviews since then, he has indicated he might reconsider depending on how he feels and how things go. During interviews since then, he has said “never say never” about playing beyond 2027, suggesting he isn’t 100% locked into retiring anymore.
The longevity issue is legit. He was an ace before the TOS. Even with a good recovery, it could take him a year before he gets back to normal. And he’ll be 37 at that point. Hope for the best.
Not all TOS is the same. Like Merill Kelly (surgery in 2020), Wheeler underwent surgery for venous (blood vessel-based) TOS which has a better prognosis.
The pitchers you may be thinking about like Straburg, Harvey, and Archer all had the much more challenging neurogenic (nerve-based) TOS to recover from.
You’re not telling me anything I don’t know or didn’t already address in my other comment. Wheeler is 4 years older than Kelley was at the time of his surgery.
We pay doctors millions. You’d think they’d come up with different names for different surgeries. Fantasy players need this differentiation.
Question: If Vasil isn’t projected to be a starting pitcher this season, why was he out there for four innings in the middle of March?
He was a multi-inning reliever last year and often tossing 50+ pitches an outing. He threw 46 pitches against the Dodgers yesterday and was cruising along before the two walks.
Thank you for the information. I think moving forward, they should limit relievers to two innings, unless they plan to be spot starters. It’s possible that they were thinking of that role for Vasil, which would make a lot more sense than to unnecessarily push a middle reliever on March 14th.
BTW, it’s not just the pitch count that takes a toll, it’s also the number of times getting up and down. Shoulders and elbows tend to cool off when sitting in the dugout.
Cubs had an injury too
Entertainment is not to be taken seriously. Why didn’t he get a better lead in game 7. Because if he did, Toronto wins the series. It was obviously for the dodgers. If he ran through home plate, Toronto wins. If he slides head first, Toronto wins. Think it’s fixed?
Earth is not to. E taken seriously. Betrayal is not to. E taken seriously.
I don’t care if farte sells the team or not. Good bad and ugly, the angels are sure entertaining.
What???
Even though they aren’t playing in it, all of these injuries should be blamed on the WBC because that’s the trendy thing to do
Pulling for Wheeler to make it back.
I think Vasil had some luck last year, his underlying metrics (FIP and SIERA) weren’t that great.