GLENDALE, Ariz. — Chicago White Sox pitcher Drew Thorpe took a positive step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, throwing 20 pitches Tuesday during his first bullpen session of the spring.
“It’s been a long time — feels like I almost forgot how to pitch,” Thorpe joked Thursday at Camelback Ranch. “It was very good.”
Thorpe had another bullpen session scheduled for Friday. “Just keep stacking good days,” the right-hander said.
Thorpe’s progress is one of five takeaways from Sox camp.
1. Drew Thorpe described Tuesday’s bullpen session as a ‘good sign.’
Thorpe underwent Tommy John surgery last spring, missing the entire 2025 season. The return process slowed a little bit earlier this spring after hitting some speed bumps.
“Feeling good,” he said. “Now it’s just feeling normal TJ-rehab stuff versus anything extra. Bullpen was good on Tuesday, just continue to build on that.
“I think looking at the next day was more beneficial, just seeing where I was at. (Wednesday), pretty sore. Which is to be expected. But yeah, I feel a lot better (Thursday) than I did (Wednesday).”
Thorpe has kept in mind that when it comes to recovering from Tommy John surgery, “everybody’s different, that’s kind of what you learn going through the process.
“Have ups and downs throughout the whole thing,” he added. “I don’t think (the slow down earlier in camp) set me back too much, maybe a couple of weeks here and there, we can make it up throughout the year.”
Thorpe, Ky Bush and Prelander Berroa are among the pitchers making their way back from the same surgery. They are hoping at some point to be in a position to aid the Sox.
“It was nice having them all around the same timetable, just being able to rehab with all those guys,” Thorpe said. “And being able to go through it, whatever they were feeling. Just hoping we can all get back healthy.”
2. Shane Smith received instant feedback in an intrasquad game.
White Sox starter Shane Smith smiles during a spring training workout at Camelback Ranch on Feb. 18, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Smith pitched three innings during an intrasquad game on the backfields Thursday at Camelback Ranch.
Afterward, he made a trip to the other dugout for instant feedback of the outing.
“It’s nice being able to talk to guys after,” Smith said. “I just ran over to that dugout and tried to get a good feel for were they picking anything up, what do you see for spin. Is it predictable? Whatever it is.
“It’s one thing to look at the Trackman and the numbers, is stuff moving right. But what are guys seeing in real time? Did they think something was coming in, but it actually went down or whatever it is.”
As he continues to build up, Smith wants to keep feeling good and make sure he finds a rhythm during each outing.
“Sometimes it’s different, sometimes it’s the same — at the end of the day, you’re just trying to get a guy out,” Smith said.
3. Sean Burke bounced back after a rough start.
Burke surrendered four runs in the first inning Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians, including a two-run homer to CJ Kayfus.
He bounced back to retire seven of the final eight batters he faced.
Photos: An inside look at Chicago White Sox spring training
“We talked in between innings, stay on that game plan of trying to attack these guys,” Burke said. “Maybe a year ago, or maybe in the middle of season last year if that happens to me in the first inning, I try to maybe nibble or not stay in the heart of the zone.
“Tonight, I was super competitive, trying to attack these guys still over the plate and things started going my way later in the game.”
Burke allowed the four runs on five hits with three strikeouts and no walks in three innings during the 12-3 loss at Camelback Ranch.
Erick Fedde, another option for the rotation, followed with three scoreless innings. Fedde allowed one hit and struck out one.
Prospect Hagen Smith pitched the ninth inning, and allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts in his first appearance of the spring.
4. Chris Murphy had ‘everything working’ in his most recent appearance.
Murphy had one of those outings Tuesday in which everything was working. The left-hander allowed one hit, struck out four and walked one in three scoreless innings against the San Diego Padres.
“Everything went really well that outing,” Murphy told the Tribune on Thursday.
Murphy recalled a conversation he had with coaches that proved to be helpful.
“I had told (pitching coach Zach) Bove and (assistant pitching coach) Bobby (Hearn) and (bullpen coach Matt) Wise after my last outing, ‘Hey, I’m done working on stuff. I’m just going to go out and pitch the way I know how to pitch. Go out and compete and show you what I can do that way,’” Murphy said.
It was a different approach from the first couple of appearances.
“(I was) beating up on myself, like pitching to (Dodgers catcher) Will Smith (in the Feb. 26 game) with weaknesses of mine instead of strengths of mine,” Murphy said. “‘OK, that’s dumb pitching. I’m done trying new things. Let’s go to what I know works,’ and that was that outing there.”
Murphy has allowed three runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in eight innings during his three outings (one start). Venable said Murphy has been “outstanding.”
“Really good fastball,” Venable said Thursday. “Early on, we saw some of the breaking stuff in zone getting hit. Really the only hits he’s giving up is soft in zone stuff. Thought his last outing, he had everything working, with the fastball and offspeed stuff.
“Really impressed with him and all his pitches. He’s looked really good.”
5. The Sox announced 10 roster moves Friday.
The club optioned right-handed pitcher Duncan Davitt to Triple-A Charlotte. The Sox reassigned nine players to minor-league camp: pitchers Mason Adams, Adisyn Coffey, Tyler Davis, Zach Franklin, Jairo Iriarte and Shane Murphy, catcher Michael Turner and infielders Tim Elko and Jacob Gonzalez.
With the moves, the Sox have 57 players remaining in camp: 30 pitchers, five catchers, 11 infielders and 11 outfielders.