Martin has emerged as a rare bright spot in White Sox rotation

Chicago White Sox pitcher Davis Martin. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Davis Martin has emerged as a rare bright spot in White Sox rotation

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated May 15, 2026 11:29 AM ET

The Chicago White Sox have one of the most underrated arms in their pitching staff, and he has emerged as a rare bright spot in the rotation.

29-year-old Davis Martin is off to a hot start with a 5-1 record, 1.62 ERA and 52 strikeouts across 50 innings pitched.

He's demonstrated a dominant form by striking out at least seven batters in four consecutive starts, illustrating his consistency.

Coming into Friday, the White Sox were one game above .500 for the first time since 2022 and could be contenders this season.

What has made Davis Martin one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2026? He is the definition of "never let them know your next move"

A 6-pitch arsenal with differed usage from start to start has led to very soft contact and a lot of swings outside the zone

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— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) May 15, 2026

Unloading the success of Davis Martin

Martin's dominance comes from his 5.2 percent walk rate (92nd percentile), 27.1 percent strikeout rate (80th percentile) and 35.7 percent chase rate (89th percentile). He's also sustained himself as a steadying force by only giving up two or fewer runs in seven of his eight starts this season.

His dominance also stems from his durability, as he pitches on average 5-7 innings. Additionally, he has bestowed leadership on younger arms in the rotation, acting as a mentor. He was once recognized as a back-end starter, but has now transformed into the anchor of the rotation.

His performance on May 4 against the Los Angeles Angels had his mastery on display, as he delivered seven scoreless innings along with a career-high 10 strikeouts.

He's transformed his arsenal by vastly increasing the usage of his cutter from 1.8 percent in 2025 to 16.6 percent this season. Also, his slider has been a huge threat as it's limited batters to a .077 batting average and generates a high whiff rate of 53.3 percent.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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