White Sox Reliever Out Indefinitely

The Chicago White Sox will be without one of their bullpen arms for an undetermined amount of time due to a forearm strain. Fourth-year right-hander Matt Foster has already missed a huge chunk of spring training.

Matt Foster, who has been out of action for a while, is dealing with a right forearm strain, per the White Sox. The team says they hope to have a recovery timeline for him by the end of camp.

— James Fegan (@JRFegan) March 20, 2023

 The 28-year-old Foster has had his ups and down through his first three years on the South Side. His rookie year of 2020 was excellent, as he pitched to a 2.20 ERA in 28.2 innings, with a 0.87 WHIP and a 31:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

His sophomore effort brought him crashing to earth, as he posted a 6.00 ERA in 39 innings, with a 1.43 WHIP, and started to ride the shuttle between Triple-A and the bigs. 

He settled in somewhere in the middle in 2022, notching a 4.40 ERA across 45 innings with a 1.33 WHIP. His walks have gone up marginally in his three seasons, while his strikeout rate has ticked down a bit each year. Both trends are a bit concerning. 

Overall, Foster has an ERA+ of 97, just a notch under major league average. 

No word on when he might be able to return to the mound, but a forearm strain is certainly an area of concern for any pitcher.

Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports