White Sox reliever Jordan Leasure had UCL surgery a few weeks ago, the team announced, and the procedure will keep him out for all of the 2027 season. He is expected to be ready by the start of Spring Training in 2028.
For Leasure, that amounts to a nearly two-year absence. The 28-year-old right-hander was limited to 18 appearances this season after trying to work through elbow discomfort before being shut down in late May. At the time, the White Sox initially called it a flexor strain, but the issue also included ligament damage that ultimately required reconstructive surgery.
Leasure has now spent three seasons at the MLB level. He broke camp in 2024 and stayed in the White Sox bullpen throughout last season, then turned in 64 1/3 innings of 3.92 ERA ball in 2025 while leading the club’s relievers with 80 strikeouts.
That performance earned him work in leverage spots and seven saves. This year was a different story, as he gave up 14 runs in 18 2/3 innings and spent a couple of weeks on optional assignment to Triple-A.
The injury doesn’t change much in the short term for Chicago, since it was already clear Leasure wasn’t going to return this season. He’ll finish the year on the 60-day injured list, and then the White Sox will have to decide whether to reinstate him to the 40-man roster or put him on waivers at the start of the offseason.
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