Tim Elko’s future with the Chicago White Sox could be in jeopardy.
On Wednesday, White Sox beat writer James Fegan reported that Elko underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ACL in his right knee — the same knee he injured during his college career at Ole Miss in 2021.
That earlier injury occurred in a collision while running to first base. At the time, Elko was primarily a third baseman and outfielder and had just been named the NCAA Player of the Month for March after a scorching start, hitting .434 with nine home runs.
Rather than opting for immediate surgery, then, Elko chose to rehab and return to action. After a month of recovery, he rejoined the Rebels’ lineup as a designated hitter and first baseman, finishing the season strong with a .296 average and seven homers over 21 games despite the injury.
The following season, he set a single-season home record for Ole Miss and helped guide the Rebels to the college World Series championship. His standout senior performance was one of the reasons the White Sox selected him in the 10th round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
Since getting drafted, Elko has performed well in the minor leagues, hitting .289 with 77 homers and 265 RBIs across four seasons. The 26-year-old finally made his MLB debut on March 10th. But despite the White Sox having a hole at first base, Elko struggled to stick in the major leagues.
He appeared in just 23 games, slashing .134/.194/.328 with four homers and eight RBIs during the limited sample size. It’s unclear how Elko suffered the ACL tear. However, he did spend the bulk of July on the IL with what was categorized as a right knee sprain at the time.
He is now looking at an eight-month recovery time.
Missing the entire offseason is a tough blow for a player the White Sox already seemed hesitant to trust at first base. Elko’s calling card has always been his power at the plate, but recurring issues with the same knee could sap some of that pop.
Elko’s lengthy recovery process could significantly diminish his chances of getting another meaningful opportunity with the White Sox before the 2026 season concludes.
