The White Sox may be getting a little more out of the Dylan Cease trade after all.
For a while, that deal looked like one of those returns that never quite landed. Cease was still out there making the All-Star Game, and White Sox fans were left waiting to see a payoff. Now there’s at least a chance that one of the key pieces from that trade can still matter in Chicago before this season is over.
Drew Thorpe, who came over with outfielder Samuel Zavala and right-hander Jairo Iriarte, is trending toward a return in late August or early September, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. That would give the White Sox a shot at seeing the right-hander on a major league mound before the year ends.
Thorpe’s path back has been a long one. His 2024 season was cut short in September after just nine starts, and he later had surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow.
Then his comeback attempt hit another wall in spring training this year, leading to Tommy John surgery. He finally got back on the mound in Arizona last week, where he threw two scoreless innings, and he worked again Friday night with High-A Winston-Salem.
Thorpe laid out the next steps in his rehab earlier this week. As James Fegan reported on July 21, 2026, Thorpe said he’s scheduled for a rehab outing this Friday at High-A Winston-Salem and expects to go 3 IP, then have two more outings at 4 IP, then up to 5. He added that some of those appearances would likely come with Triple-A Charlotte, and he believes he can pitch in Chicago this year.
When Thorpe last pitched in the majors, the results were uneven but encouraging enough to keep the White Sox interested. His six strong starts and three rough ones tell the story.
In his best stretch, he went 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA over 35.1 innings, allowing 16 hits and 12 walks while striking out 24 and posting a 0.79 WHIP. In the other three starts, he went 0-3 with a 21.00 ERA in nine innings, giving up 19 hits and nine walks with three strikeouts.
Thorpe brings a four-pitch mix, headlined by a changeup that stands out and helps him work around a low-90s fastball that doesn’t overpower hitters. He also throws a slider and a cutter.
If he makes it back, he could give the White Sox another option in the bullpen or a spot start down the stretch, and he should be in the conversation for a rotation job in 2027. Best of all for Chicago, his return wouldn’t cost the club anything.
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