Chicago White Sox Provide Update On Martín Pérez's Shoulder Injury

CHICAGO –– The White Sox placed starting pitcher Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a left shoulder strain and recalled left-hander Cam Booser from Triple-A.

Pérez suggested after his start on Wednesday that his season would be over, especially since just nine games remain going into Friday's 6:40 p.m. CT matchup with the San Diego Padres at Rate Field. MRI results confirmed that and provided a more specific timeline.

"He’s going to be done for the season. It is a shoulder strain. Puts him more at the eight-week mark," manager Will Venable said before Friday's game. "Obviously that pushes him past this season. But I think he did avoid a major injury there where there is plenty of optimism that he’ll rehab and get back to form for next year."

The White Sox turn to starting pitcher Davis Martin for Friday's game, followed by Yoendrys Gomez and Sean Burke to wrap up the season's final home stand on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Shane Smith's spot in the rotation would come after Burke on Tuesday against the New York Yankees, though the White Sox have not officially announce starting pitchers past Sunday.

Pérez's turn would have come Wednesday in New York, but that is now to be determined.

"It depends on how these next couple of days go as we get there," Venable said. "Obviously guys on our roster, Owen White and Cannon will be available, see how it lines up with them. We’ve got to see who we use in these coming days before we make any kind of decision. Put us in a day to day spot here."

Pérez said Wednesday that he felt something in the second inning, and he wound up lasting until two outs in the third inning before calling for the trainer.

"I just feel sore. And I don’t want that moment, I’m not going to force anything," Pérez said. "I don’t want to get hurt again and have surgery or something. I was trying to be smart because if I keep pushing I’m going to hurt my elbow too. It was a great time for me to tell them to take me out. I was not feeling good."

Pérez finished the day with 3.2 innings, five hits, three earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts. He allowed an RBI single to Jeremiah Jackson, whose sharp ground ball was deflected by third baseman Miguel Vargas and ruled a hit. The game-winning hit turned out to be a two-run home run by Dylan Beavers off Pérez's sinker in the fourth inning."

A left flexor tendon strain sidelined Pérez from April 18 to Aug. 13, but he was a meaningful presence on and off the field when healthy. He recorded a 3.54 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 56 innings and 11 appearances, and provided valuable leadership as a 14-year MLB veteran on an otherwise young pitching staff.

"Really special is how I would describe it," Venable said of Pérez's season. "I remember week one –– first of all, just knowing Martín and knew the impact he was going to make. Great at Spring Training, and then we started the year and started to hear him really vocally talk about how much he thought about our group. There was some playoff talk in there, which I love. And it was genuine and he believed in this group and believed in these guys and really took on that responsibility of being the dude everyone looks to, including myself."

"I don’t think anyone in there has as much experience as Martín and has been through what he’s been through. He was just an incredible leader for us on and off the field. To go through what he went through and to be an example for these guys to go through that adversity and come back and pitch like he did, just a special guy and we were lucky to have him here."

Pérez and the White Sox have a decision to make moving forward. They have a mutual option worth $10 million for the 2026 season, which includes a $1.5 million buyout, per Spotrac.

Pérez has expressed a desire to return to the White Sox next season, and general manager Chris Getz shared that sentiment prior to Pérez's start on Wednesday, though the injury could complicate that decision.

"When he’s taken the ball he’s done a really nice job," Getz said. "Beyond what he does on the field, in the clubhouse, the pro that he is. He really embodies the leadership role. We’ll have those conversations. We like Martín, we really do and would be happy to have him come back here. But it’s my understanding that he’d be open to it as well, obviously there’s more time and conversations that need to be had."

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