Chicago White Sox Pitcher Earns Another Opportunity After First Major League Start

CHICAGO –– Yoendrys Gomez stepped up in a big way on Tuesday to help a taxed White Sox pitching staff. And in turn, he helped himself out and earned another Major League opportunity down the road.

The White Sox called up Gomez from Triple-A Charlotte to start Tuesday's game against the Detroit Tigers, and he pitched five innings with just one earned run.

"It was special because it was my first start in the majors," Gomez said. "And I'm just glad that the organization gave me the chance and also because I was able to take advantage of it."

The starting rotation has been shorthanded since trading Adrian Houser to the Tampa Bay Rays and demoting Jonathan Cannon to Triple-A. Those absences have been amplified by the fact that a White Sox starter has not pitched more than five innings since Aaron Civale's 6.1-inning outing on Aug. 2.

That's led to several roster moves this week to refresh the staff, so it was important or Gomez to provide length in the 9-6 victory. He said postgame he focused on attacking the Tigers with his fastball and thought his curveball performed very well while also effectively mixing in his cutter, slider and sinker.

Gomez took a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Riley Greene broke it up with a double. Still, he was able to record the longest outing of his career and strike out a career-high five batters with a career-high 89 pitches.

"Gomez was outstanding," White Sox manager Will Venable said. "I think you look at organizationally, for us to have claimed him and then gets back in the minor leagues, gets to work. Our [player development] group there in Triple-A did an outstanding job. For him, as somebody who had struggled with command to find that. He's got a lot of different pitches, and for him to command them like he is now, you see the results. It's huge, a big win for our group down there and really nice to see a guy go to work and get positive results."

It's been a hectic 2025 season for the 25-year-old Venezuelan. He was designated for assignment by the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, then claimed him off waivers by the White Sox on May 10.

After allowing three earned runs across 3.1 innings and three appearances out of the bullpen, the White Sox optioned Gomez to Triple-A. In Charlotte, Gomez was stretched out into a starting role and made notable strides. Across 11 starts, 14 appearances and 46.2 innings in the minor leagues, he recorded a 2.12 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 21 walks.

Looking like a significantly improved pitcher now compared to his first stint with the White sox, Gomez is in line for more big-league innings.

"I think he's earned another opportunity," Venable said. "To your point, we take this kind of a day at a time with where we're at. But I think absolutely, with what he did today, how he's progressed, I think he's earned another opportunity in some form."