White Sox’ Yermín Mercedes fractures hand, out 6-8 weeks

Mercedes to undergo surgery on fractured hand originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

Yermín Mercedes has a hamate fracture in his left hand and will undergo surgery, the White Sox announced Friday.

A CT scan confirmed the fracture, the White Sox said, adding Mercedes’ projected recovery time is 6-8 weeks. His surgery is scheduled for Monday.

Mercedes quickly emerged as a fan favorite last season during a breakout April at the plate in which he became the first player in history to tally hits in his first eight plate appearances of a season.

He provided a huge boost to the White Sox lineup that month, hitting .415/.455/.659 with five home runs and 16 RBIs, before falling into a slump. Following a July demotion to the minor leagues, he temporarily mulled walking away from baseball.

The 29-year-old entered Sox camp this spring with a fresh mentality while trying to put last year’s controversies behind him. He’s been learning a new position: left field.

“I have a new mentality. I have the teammate mentality. To play for my team,” Mercedes told Chuck Garfien on the White Sox Talk Podcast. “Everything I’m doing right now, I’m doing it for the White Sox. I do it for my teammates.

“They are my family. I’m a new baseball player now because I had a good experience in the major leagues. Right now I just need to be focused and do the best I can do for my teammates, for my team, for everybody here at the White Sox.”

RELATED: How Yermin Mercedes changed his mentality heading into 2022

Mercedes was expected to open the season at Triple-A before the injury.

Click here to follow the White Sox Talk Podcast.

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