The Chicago White Sox will have to fight for a playoff spot with a key player on the injured list.
Shortstop Tim Anderson, the heart and soul of the lineup, will be sidelined for approximately a month-and-a-half with a finger injury he suffered over the weekend.
He already went under the knife and is in rehab mode.
“Tim Anderson underwent successful surgery this morning in Chicago to repair a sagittal band tear on the middle finger of his left hand. His expected return to the active roster remains approximately six weeks,” the White Sox’s Twitter account reported on Thursday.
Tim Anderson underwent successful surgery this morning in Chicago to repair a sagittal band tear on the middle finger of his left hand. His expected return to the active roster remains approximately six weeks.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 11, 2022
Anderson got hurt while trying to check his swing.
There is a chance he is not back before the end of the season, but according to his timeline, he could potentially be back in late September.
If the White Sox are still in the race, he could help in the last few games of the season and potentially in the playoffs.
It will all depend on his progress, though.
Losing Anderson Is A Significant Blow For The Sox
It’s a significant loss for a team that has disappointed in 2022.
Anderson is hitting .301 with 50 runs, 25 RBI, six home runs, and 13 stolen bases.
His OPS stands at .734.
The 56-55 White Sox were expected to run away with the AL Central division before the season.
Yet, injuries and some underperforming stars have resulted in a down season overall.
They are still 2.5 games behind the division leaders, the Cleveland Guardians, and 1.5 games behind the second-placed Minnesota Twins.
They can still make the playoffs, but losing Anderson, who is one of the spiritual leaders of the clubhouse, will undoubtedly hurt.