Garrett Crochet is ‘excited to get a ball in my hand’ as the Chicago White Sox reliever’s Tommy John rehab progresses

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Chicago White Sox drafted Garrett Crochet in June 2020, and the No. 11 pick found himself making big pitches in the big leagues that September.

The left-hander didn’t allow a run in five 2020 appearances spanning six innings. He continued to be one of the more dependable members of the bullpen last year.

Crochet, 23, was ready for an expanded role in 2022 and looked sharp in spring training before suffering an injury that required season-ending Tommy John surgery.

He provided an update during the weekend while with the Sox for their series against the Texas Rangers.

“Things are going well,” Crochet said Friday at Globe Life Field. “(I’ve) been training back in (Arizona). Kind of going about my business the way I have the whole rehab process. Just taking it one step at a time.

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“(I’m) playing catch at the end of the month. Really looking forward to that. But in the meantime, working on shoulder strength and stability with the arm.

“Everything is progressing as we expected it to, so I’m excited to get a ball in my hand.”

Crochet has a 2.54 ERA in 59 career relief appearances, striking out 73 in 60⅓ innings.

He began the eighth inning of a March 31 Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds with a strikeout. He went to a 3-1 count on the next batter before being looked at by the training staff and exiting the game.

The next day, Sox general manager Rick Hahn said the “preliminary MRI reading is not great,” and Crochet underwent surgery in early April.

“He’s feeling good,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said Thursday. “Just a reminder of what he has waiting for this organization and our fans. He’ll be better than ever when he comes back. And that’s saying something.”

Injuries have forced the Sox to do some shuffling in the bullpen this season. Crochet and Aaron Bummer were penciled in as the top left-handed options. Bummer has been limited to 20 outings because of injuries. He was on the injured list May 7-22 with a right knee strain and went back on the IL retroactive to June 9 with a left lat strain. He last pitched June 7.

Jake Diekman, acquired in a trade last week from the Boston Red Sox, is the only left-hander in the bullpen after the Sox optioned Tanner Banks to Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday. Diekman has allowed one run and struck out five in his first three appearances with the White Sox.

Even though he couldn’t be on the mound, Crochet tried to aid the team in other forms.

“Rejoining the team this time of year, the energy is high and I love being in this environment any way I can to add to the positive energy,” he said.

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He has been able to lean on teammates who previously were sidelined.

“Seeing my teammates having gone through it before, I kind of know the path that I have to follow,” Crochet said. “It’s on me to follow it at this point.

“I’m staying present in the moment and being there for my teammates. I feel like that’s the main thing that I want to take from this. I’ll have time to focus on throwing when I’m throwing. I’m just trying to really be selfless.”

Crochet worked on smoothing out his mechanics before the injury. He anticipates continuing that process when he gets clearance.

“I broke that down pretty big over the past offseason,” Crochet said. “I look forward to resuming all the work I was working on and picking right up where I left off.”