White Sox reliever Evan Marshall will undergo Tommy John surgery next month, reports James Fegan of the Athletic (Twitter link). He missed the final few months of the season with a flexor pronator strain in his right arm and had been trying unsuccessfully to rehab the injury without going under the knife. He’s almost certain to miss the entire 2022 season.
It’s a very unfortunate development for both Marshall and the club, as he had been enjoying a late-bloomer breakout with the Sox over the past few seasons. After a solid debut in 2014, Marshall became a stereotypical journeyman for a number of years. From 2015 to 2018, he played for Arizona, Seattle and Cleveland, never logging more than 15 1/3 big league innings in a season and never having an ERA that started with a number lower than six. However, after the 2018 season, the righty was signed to a minor league deal by the White Sox that turned out great for both sides. The club selected his contract May 1st, 2019, about two weeks after Marshall’s 29th birthday. Over 2019 and the shortened 2020 campaign, Marshall logged 73 1/3 innings with an ERA of 2.45. In 2019, he succeeded mostly as a ground ball guy, as his 19.6% strikeout rate was subpar. But in 2020, he shot that up to an outstanding 32.3%, while marginally improving his grounder rate at the same time.
Unfortunately, that trajectory didn’t continue into 2021. He went on the IL June 30th and never returned to the majors, although he did make five Triple-A appearances as part of a rehab attempt that ultimately proved unsuccessful. Before hitting the shelf, he threw 27 1/3 major league innings in 2021, with an ERA of 5.60. Perhaps owing to the injuries, his strikeout and ground ball rates went down, while walks and homers went up.
Marshall has logged just over five years of service time thus far in his career. The White Sox could control him for another year via arbitration, but that seems unlikely given that he’ll probably miss the entire campaign and would be owed a raise on his $2MM salary from 2021. More likely, he’ll be designated for assignment or released soon, or perhaps some kind of extension could be worked out that would cover the rehab process as well as a future season or two. Those contracts have been given out in recent years to pitchers such as Ken Giles and Tommy Kahnle, to name just a couple.
Even without Marshall, the White Sox bullpen should be in good shape. In 2021, the team bullpen produced 7.8 fWAR, the second-highest tally in the majors. They also fared well in terms of strikeout rate (2nd), walk rate (8th) and ERA (12th). The only notable member that will be departing via free agency is deadline-acquisition Ryan Tepera. Craig Kimbrel has a $16MM club option, although it was reported last week that the club’s plan in that regard is to pick it up and then shop Kimbrel around in trades. Even without Marshall, Tepera and Kimbrel, the unit would still feature a strong core of Liam Hendriks, Aaron Bummer, Garrett Crotchet and Ryan Burr.
Fever Pitch Guy
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
TLB2001
I’ve been following his career as one of the few K-Staters in the league over the last decade (Carlos Torres, Nick Martini). Hope he’s able to bounce back.
GO CATS!
The Mets "Missed WAR"
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
There. I’ve said it enough times @Fever pitch guy doesn’t have to say it anymore. At least maybe he might say it in a different way. He won’t though. That would actually require real “thought” which he claims he has. If he really did he wouldn’t just cut and paste the exact same phrase every single time. That involves zero “thought” whatsoever.
The sad thing is that all the times I copied and pasted that doesn’t even come close to the amount of times he has. Why not occasionally say something even slightly different. “I hope this guy gets better soon.” “I really feel for this guy because being injured this way must hurt.” Nope. Always the same 7 words that involve no thought: “Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.” That’s all the thought he ever puts into it for anyone.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Prayers & thoughts for a blessed recovery
Any better?
dave frost nhlpa
@The Mets “missed war”
I’m with you.
1-Do fans really think players or management read the comments?
2-Has anyone ever wished anyone a long,painful,non religious(pray) recovery? Or how about I hope you never make it back and you can’t even hug your kids or give your daughter away on her wedding day.
Even a Philly fan (I love them) wouldn’t disrespect an athlete like that.
I’m a Yankee fan. I like baseball as it gives me a break from hockey. I’ve never had anyone tell my clients I hope you are in pain.
Love it Mr Met
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Does anyone like twist or hug or placate snakes in your church?
tstats
Screw off
ChiSox_Fan
The Mets guy – Go away!
Mute him if u don’t want to read it!!
tstats
I’m ok with the text vomit cause most of it is coherent but mocking another user isn’t ok
Dumpster Divin Theo
He went to Northwestern?
homegrown
Great kid. I wish him the best and a speedy recovery!!
Mi Casas es tu Casas
Kopech had TJ surgery before so he can help him get thru it.
realsox
I hope the Sox and Marshall can work out an extension. In the me@ntime, I’d rather see the club re-sign FA Tupera rather than pick up Kimbrel’s option.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Or both
ChiSox_Fan
It’s “Tepera”!!
tstats
Typos exist?
ChiSox_Fan
You have 5 minutes to edit your post,
Just do it!
pinstripes17
Stop crying
king joffrey
That degree in business management he earned this year may serve him well.
notagain27
Pick up Kimbrel’s offer and trade him?? What team would spend 16 million and trade prospects for Kimbrel?
maximumvelocity
Kimbrel could bring back another vet on a suspect contract at a position of need. Like getting a Will Myers from SD to play RF.
But not, they aren’t getting a prospect.
ChiSox_Fan
Sox should alternate days between Kimbrel and Hendriks in 2022.
Closing situations with fresh 9th inning only!!
Each should get maybe 35-40 saves!!
jhomeslice
All the more reason they Sox had better freaking sign Tepera.