Chicago White Sox Spring Training Storylines: Pitchers

The top of the rotation feels close to set, even if Venable won’t say it directly. Shane Smith, Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, and Fedde all profile as near locks to take regular turns early. The real competition begins behind them.

Smith’s name has surfaced early as an Opening Day favorite, and the setting would be fitting. The White Sox open the season in Milwaukee against the organization that left him unprotected before Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft.

A year ago, he arrived fighting for his roster life. Now he enters camp with an All-Star rookie season on his résumé and the look of a rotation tone-setter. It is not about the ceremonial nod. It is what his rise has done to the staff’s hierarchy. Chicago still lacks a clear-cut ace, and Smith is the closest thing it has to a default No. 1.

Martin is now the longest-tenured White Sox by debut date, which says as much about where the organization is as it does about him. His value goes beyond innings. He has become the culture carrier for a young group that competes hard while staying connected. Martin is also the one most willing to speak openly about the pressure that comes with the job.

Whether he embraces the “dean” label or not, he carries himself like someone responsible for setting the daily standard.

Kay’s role has been clear from the jump. Chicago did not bring him back from Japan to float. They sold him on a rotation opportunity, and that runway mattered in his decision to return despite interest elsewhere.

If the NPB version holds, he gives the Sox a stabilizing left-handed starter with a groundball lean and a mix that fits what Brian Bannister and Zach Bove tend to prioritize. The contract structure also keeps him movable if he performs, which helps explain why this fit made sense for both sides.

Fedde rounds out the near-lock tier. His return is as much about familiarity as it is about need, and the Bannister dynamic showed up immediately. In Fedde’s first bullpen back, Bannister was already pointing out a mechanical checkpoint he believes can bring him closer to his 2024 form.

The 2025 results were messy, but the organization views this as a controllable reset on a short deal with the pitching voice he trusts.

From there, the “Seans” should be first in the pecking order for the final rotation spot.

Sean Burke has the cleaner starter lane. His 2025 season line was uneven, but he finished with momentum. Over his last 10 starts, he posted a 3.83 ERA with a 3.66 xFIP, and he flashed his ceiling with 10 strikeouts over 4.1 innings in Washington.

Sean Newcomb is the wild card, and his value is that he does not need one role. His ability to cover innings gives Venable options. However, the cleanest version of Newcomb is an impact bullpen piece. He is a left-hander who can handle leverage and take length when the game bends.

If Burke claims the final rotation chair, Newcomb can still end up as one of the staff’s most important arms.

Behind them, Jonathan Cannon and Mike Vasil fit more as the next layer. While Vasil will get a real rotation look, his versatility keeps him relevant. Cannon profiles more cleanly as a Charlotte rotation depth arm who can be recalled quickly if innings open. A nice spring could change that for him.

Chris Murphy belongs in this conversation, too, even if the early signals point toward multi-inning relief. He has starter traits, a real breaking ball foundation, and an option remaining, which makes him one of the more flexible structure arms in camp.

If the strike-throwing stabilizes as he gets further removed from surgery, he is the type who can move from bulk relief into spot-start consideration without squeezing the roster for the last rotation spot.

Venable said his coaching staff views roughly 10 arms as being stretched out for starting consideration, not counting Noah Schultz or Hagen Smith. Once you stack the obvious names, that could pull in Austin Voth as a non-roster depth starter after his NPB return. Keep an eye on Rule 5 selection Jedixson Paez to claim a role and enter the rotation conversation as well.

This also keeps the door open for the 40-man righties who could force their way into the mix with a strong first half in Charlotte. Tanner McDougal, David Sandlin, and Duncan Davitt all have starter-shaped traits, and all are close enough that a hot April or May could change the rotation picture quickly.

McDougal and Sandlin are two names to keep an especially close eye on as camp unfolds. They are the arms closest to the majors in the organization’s eyes, and could also be within those names to be “stretched out.”

Schultz and Smith are not being penciled into the early competition, but they still loom over the season’s rotation math. The organization has been direct that both are expected to open in Triple-A as part of a deliberate buildup, not because they are out of the picture.

For Schultz, 2025 was uneven after a promotion to Charlotte and a season shortened by right knee tendinitis that impacted his consistency and release. He has said the knee “feels great” after an offseason focused on rehab and body control, and the stuff remains that of a top-50 prospect. The goal now is sustaining command and rhythm over a healthy stretch.

Smith’s year followed a different arc. He struck out hitters at a high rate in Double-A but battled walks and timing issues, then finished stronger, including a sharp Arizona Fall League showing. He has spoken openly about holding himself to a higher standard and spent the offseason refining his changeup and lower-half mechanics.

Venable has made clear neither is breaking camp, but also emphasized they are expected to help the club this year. If the big league group falters and either left-hander strings together consistent starts in Charlotte, the timeline can accelerate quickly. When that happens, the question will not be whether they are part of the plan, but who makes room.

One final note on the lefty depth: Shane Murphy and Tyler Schweitzer feel more bullpen-oriented in the near term. Murphy’s 2025 performance earned real attention even without 40-man protection, and Schweitzer’s role remains open with shorter stints still on the table. If either pops in camp, the early path could become the spot-start track.

In other words, get a couple of looks and earn trust, then see if it turns into something more permanent. The Tanner Banks model is still there, and the first step is simply getting on the mound in the right moments, along the lines of a Jake Palisch last year.

Right-Handed Bullpen Arms

The right-handed side of the bullpen has more structure than it did a year ago.

Seranthony Domínguez sits at the top. His two-year, $20 million deal was a bet on late-inning stability and a defined high-leverage spine. He’ll depart for the WBC soon as well, to compete for the Dominican Republic.

Domínguez remains an elite bat-misser, and the splitter he added in 2025 is a big part of the closer case. The pitch gives him a cleaner way to handle left-handed hitters and raises his floor as a full-inning option.

That splitter matters beyond Domínguez. Jordan Leasure has been developing a splitter for multiple seasons, and Domínguez provides a plan for what the pitch can become when it is trusted in high-leverage spots.

Leasure took a step forward in 2025 and finished with a 3.92 ERA in 68 games. The walk and home run totals still need to come down, but the confidence improved as the year progressed.

It also matters that he stayed out of the Hicks deal. Boston reportedly pushed for packages that included Leasure before pivoting elsewhere, and Chicago kept a controllable right-hander who looks poised to hold a meaningful role.

Jordan Hicks brings the pure velocity element that the bullpen lacked. The fit trends toward late innings, where his fastball can end at-bats and his groundball profile can erase mistakes. If the health and execution return, he gives Will Venable another power option who can change innings.

Grant Taylor projects as the multi-inning lever. The club has emphasized volume, and that approach should allow Taylor to bridge the middle innings or take high-leverage opportunities when matchups call for it. Added bullpen depth gives Chicago more freedom to build his workload without forcing him into one inning by default, with eyes towards making him a starter next year.

Wikelman González is one of the more interesting depth arms. He posted a 2.66 ERA in 20.1 innings during his first major league look before elbow discomfort shut him down late. The team signaled there was no major long-term concern, but the priority was protecting him.

At 23, he still profiles as an upside leverage option. He likely opens in Charlotte, and he looks like one of the first right-handed calls if the bullpen needs help.

Tyson Miller and Lucas Sims are the non-roster right-handed invitees. Miller offers experience and an interesting arm angle, though he is coming off an injury-shortened year. Sims is a rebound candidate with a swing-and-miss sweeper when his command cooperates. The roster math is tight, especially right-handed depth.

Still, spring performance can change the picture, and recent years have produced contributors through a similar scenario, like Dan Altavilla last year, who didn’t break camp with the team but still contributed a fair amount.

The prospect layer rounds out the group. Zach Franklin forced his way into the conversation with a dominant 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A, posting a 2.40 ERA. He fits as a Charlotte late-inning option and could surface quickly if it holds.

Ben Peoples remains the high-variance power arm. The fastball can touch 98, but command and a third pitch will determine how quickly he becomes more than depth.

Tyler Davis and Adisyn Coffey offer steadier organizational innings, while Jairo Iriarte will try to get back on track after a difficult Triple-A season and a waiver clearance that sent him back to Charlotte with a non-roster invite. Most of this group opens in Triple-A, and performance will decide who forces the issue first.

Left-Handed Bullpen Arms

Sean Newcomb and Chris Murphy will likely head the lefty group in the pen for Chicago, but the competition between left-handers Ryan Borucki and Brandon Eisert underscores how thin the margins are at the back of the bullpen entering camp.

Eisert brings familiarity. He appeared in 72 games last season and posted a 4.39 ERA across 69.2 innings. That workload, however, does not guarantee security. Recent history shows how quickly bullpen roles can turn. Justin Anderson led the club with 56 appearances in 2024 and did not log a major league inning the following season.

Eisert also has two minor league options remaining, giving the club flexibility if roster math or performance points elsewhere.

Borucki enters camp from a different position. He is out of options, arrives as a non-roster invitee, and fits more cleanly within the pitching model the organization has emphasized. His arsenal leans more toward sinkers and sweepers than Eisert’s, and he operates in a different velocity band.

Borucki regularly works his sinker in the 92-94 mph range, while Eisert rarely reaches 90. On the surface, the results are similar. Borucki posted a 4.63 ERA in 39 appearances last season, but the underlying indicators are more encouraging. His pitch run values are stronger, and the sinker-split combination offers a clearer path to optimization.

Viewed side by side, Borucki resembles a longer and more experienced version of Eisert. Both rely on contact management rather than pure swing-and-miss, but Borucki generates more groundballs and presents more shape for refinement.

With Bove overseeing day-to-day pitching work and Bannister guiding the broader direction, the organization has already shown it can restore and sharpen sinker-based profiles.

Context adds another layer. Borucki is an Illinois native with no options remaining and eight seasons of major league experience, carrying a 4.28 career ERA compared to Eisert’s 4.36 mark across two seasons. For a roster looking to support a young core with steadier veteran depth at the margins, Borucki’s profile fits the mold. Internally, that reality has shaped early attention.

After conversations with Getz, multiple beat outlets have pointed to Borucki as an arm to watch closely as camp opens, making this one of the more revealing bullpen battles of the spring.

Another name worth monitoring is Tyler Gilbert, who quietly put together a solid season after arriving from Philadelphia in a trade for Aaron Combs. Gilbert posted a 3.88 ERA last year and offers a different visual profile with an 11-degree arm angle that creates a look the bullpen lacks, especially after Bryan Hudson was lost on waivers.

His fastball and breaking ball both graded out well, and he showed comfort working in shorter bursts or as an opener, a tactic Venable leaned on to ease pressure on the rotation. With no options remaining, Gilbert enters camp in a strong position.

He is not a traditional late-inning arm, but his versatility and distinct release point make him a valuable structural piece in how the staff can be deployed over a long season.

Role Floaters

Newcomb fits more naturally in relief at this stage, where his stuff carries more impact in shorter bursts, though the club intends to stretch him out this spring. Murphy aligns similarly. He has the mix to navigate lineups, but the early expectation places him in a multi-inning bullpen role as he continues refining command following surgery.

Both provide length and remain movable pieces depending on how the rotation settles.

On the right-handed side, the pecking order appears clearer. Burke seems to enter camp positioned ahead of Cannon and Vasil in the rotation competition and is expected to receive a legitimate opportunity to secure a spot. Taylor’s workload is being managed with extension in mind, as the long-term objective centers on building him into a starter by 2027.

Vasil may hold the strongest case for the final bullpen role if he does not land in the rotation. His versatility last season and the organization’s willingness to evaluate him as a starter give him roster value that translates to multiple roles. If that path narrows, Cannon profiles more cleanly as rotation depth in Charlotte and would stand as a logical early call if innings open during the year.

Rule 5 Picks

Carrying a Rule 5 arm all season is rarely straightforward, and the current roster construction makes it difficult to project a clean path for either selection.

Jedixson Paez presents the more realistic scenario. The organization has been clear that it views him as a long-term starter, though his limited 2025 workload requires careful handling. An opener or multi-inning role could protect his innings while keeping him active on the major league staff.

If the final rotation spot remains unsettled deep into camp, Paez could at least enter that conversation as a measured upside play rather than a traditional back-end option.

Alexander Alberto faces a steeper climb. His raw velocity and power arsenal are evident, but the bullpen already includes arms with more upper-level experience and defined roles. It is difficult to map out a clean fit today, though taking a shot on premium traits aligns with how this front office has operated.

The bullpen picture often reshapes itself over the course of camp, and added young competition is rarely a negative.

There is also a layer of roster flexibility still unresolved. The Hicks acquisition from the Boston Red Sox remains interesting. The players to be named later in that deal add further uncertainty. Depending on how those additions are finalized, a 40-man move or injured list placement could create temporary space.

Paez could be the player to be named later from Boston in the trade. Until those mechanics play out, both Rule 5 cases remain fluid.

Injured List

Several arms are already ticketed for extended absences, which quietly shapes the 40-man picture entering the season.

Ky Bush has officially been placed on the 60-day injured list following the signing of Fedde. Bush continues working back from Tommy John surgery and, along with Mason Adams and Prelander Berroa, he threw a bullpen session last week in Arizona.

Of that group, Berroa appears the closest to returning. The 25-year-old right-hander has already been on the mound multiple times and remains confident he can recapture the power arsenal that made him a potential late-inning option before his elbow injury last spring. A bullpen role could allow for a slightly quicker runway once he is fully cleared. Berroa has also reportedly added a changeup.

Drew Thorpe’s timeline is less certain. He has been dealing with elbow soreness during his rehab and has slowed his throwing progression. Medical feedback has reportedly been encouraging regarding the integrity of the ligament, but the recovery clock for Tommy John surgery typically spans 12-18 months.

That range makes mid-to-late 2026 the more realistic window, and at the moment, he appears furthest from a return among the group. Thorpe remains a key long-term piece, but the organization will prioritize a clean recovery.

Davis Martin was similarly forgotten about during his rehab back in 2023 and put himself back on the radar in ’24 and ’25. Could see a similar path for Thorpe in ’26 and ’27.

Berroa and Thorpe are also candidates for the 60-day IL, which could create additional short-term 40-man flexibility. Thorpe’s progress has been steady, and his brief major league showing in 2024 demonstrated the kind of swing-and-miss potential that still gives him a defined bullpen path once healthy.

Juan Carela is also rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and is targeting a mid-2026 return. He rejoined the organization on a minor league deal after being removed from the 40-man roster strictly due to injury-related roster rules. Carela had positioned himself as upper-level rotation depth before the setback and remains part of the broader pitching pipeline once healthy.