Chicago White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko will undergo surgery to remove a floating bone fragment from his left hand after the season is over, according to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago. It wasn't initially clear whether the surgery would be necessary, but the veteran says that he's opting to have the surgery rather than try alternatives.
It's been an up-and-down year for Konerko, who has hit .296/.368/.482 with 22 doubles and 25 homers over 521 plate appearances. As the team has blown its lead in the AL Central standings over the past few weeks, he's largely struggled to produce at the plate.
Since his numbers peaked in early June, the 36-year-old has finally shown some signs of his age, hitting .250/.317/.402 with just 13 homers over his past 85 games. Next season, Konerko will make $13 million in the final season of his three-year contract.