Chicago White Sox right-handers’ ERA is the lowest by a starter since 2021

Houser has dominated through his first eight starts since signing with the White Sox in May, going 4-2 with a 1.60 ERA in 50.2 innings. According to the White Sox via their X account, Houser’s 1.60 ERA is the lowest ERA by a White Sox starting pitcher since Lance Lynn had a 1.32 ERA in his first eight starts in 2021.

“King of the hill.”

Lynn , who retired before this season, was an All-Star for the White Sox in 2021. The White Sox ended up trading Lynn the to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 along with reliever Joe Kelly for Jordan Leaure, Nick Nastrini, and Trayce Thompson. The White Sox essentially lost the Lynn trade, as Leasure is the only player to stick around and is a current member of the White Sox bullpen, Nastrini recently getting claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins, and Thompson currently playing in Triple-A with the Boston Red Sox.

The White Sox need to land on Houser if they trade him

If the White Sox are to trade Houser and maximize his value, they need to do better than they did when they traded Lynn. The White Sox are looking for “close to big league-ready talent”, which makes sense as most of their prospects are up and gaining experience.

The White Sox could be competitive in the next few seasons, with players like Chase Meidroth , Kyle Teel, Grant Taylor, and Colson Montgomery being cornerstone players, and guys like Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith being the next to join them. Houser could be a part of that success, but with how the White Sox like to operate, and him being a free agent at the end of this year, it makes sense to trade him now and maybe look to bring him back in the offseason.