Earlier this month, the White Sox traded relief pitcher Gregory Santos to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Zach DeLoach, pitcher Prelander Berroa, and the 69th overall pick in the 2024 draft. The trade happened unexpectedly, and many immediately wondered why the White Sox decided to pull the trigger on this deal. After all, Santos is young, under team control for the next five seasons, and put up elite numbers across the board last season, both in terms of his actual stats and percentiles. Injury issues were one of the reasons why I speculated that the White Sox decided to trade Santos, and it did not take long for my theory to have merit.
Santos' New Injury
Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, Santos has been shut down from throwing after "feeling some discomfort in his teres major muscle, which runs lateral to the scapula in the back of his shoulder, after throwing a bullpen session." It is unclear how long Santos will be out, but he will likely not be ready for Opening Day at this rate and could also miss significant time beyond that. Shoulder injuries are always concerning, especially for pitchers like Santos who throw extremely hard and have devastating off-speed pitches.
Lingering Injury Issues
Injury concerns are a big part of the calculus when considering Santos' current situation and future trajectory. This new shoulder issue is not the first significant injury Santos has dealt with recently, as he went on the injured list last September for right elbow inflammation. Before the trade, Chris Getz expressed doubts about Santos' availability for the start of spring training because of this elbow issue, and a new shoulder injury has now popped up.
Having both elbow and shoulder issues within a couple of months is not ideal to say the least, and Santos' recent inability to stay healthy could be a significant reason why Getz decided to part with him. Relievers in general are volatile, especially ones with elbow and shoulder problems. The White Sox current situation as an organization also likely played a factor, as there is a logical argument to sell high on a reliever with injury issues given how bad the team is at the moment. Getz was able to turn Santos into an outfielder and a pitcher who will likely be on the South Side at some point this season, as well as a draft pick that will add another young player to the farm system. Those three players will likely be more beneficial to the White Sox moving forward than just Santos, even though he is an elite reliever when healthy.
Final Takeaway
Santos' talent is undeniable, and he was easily the best player in the trade. Should he stay healthy, he will be an integral part of the Mariners bullpen for years to come. However, his health is becoming a bigger "if" by the day. Hopefully, this is only a minor bump in the road for Santos, as no one wants to see a player sidelined with injury. But given these recent developments, Chris Getz might have traded him at the right time.
