A White Sox sweep? Ha! Too much to ask

We didn't really think the White Sox could sweep a three-game series from the Cincinnati Reds, did we? Of course not!

The Reds clobbered the Sox, 7-1, on Thursday in the final game of the series at Great American Ball Park. The South Siders saw their modest three-game winning streak come to an end.

It was not a good day for Sox starter Bryse Wilson. Three batters into the bottom of the first inning, Cincinnati had the bases loaded with nobody out. The Reds ended up scoring three runs, highlighted by a two-out, two-run single by Will Benson, and the outcome was never much in doubt after that.

Wilson (0-2) lasted 5.1 innings and allowed seven runs on 10 hits. He struck out three and allowed three home runs.

The Sox didn't get their first hit until the top of the fifth inning off Cincinnati starter Nick Martinez (2-4), who allowed only two singles over seven shutout innings.

Miguel Vargas had two of the Sox four hits and drove in the lone Chicago run with a two-out single in the eighth.

Say this for Wilson: He covered 16 outs on a day where he did not have good stuff. The Sox only had to use two relievers to get through this game. Jared Shuster used 17 pitches to get five outs. Yoendrys Gomez used 14 pitches to get three outs.

Honestly, the Sox bullpen came away relatively unscathed given that it was a blowout loss, and they shouldn't be in bad shape for their next game.

I saw some complaints on Twitter/X today about Wilson, a veteran placeholder who doesn't have a future with the Sox beyond this season. Some fans want him to lose his spot in the rotation to a younger pitcher from Triple-A. I saw both Nick Nastrini and Jairo Iriarte mentioned.

It would be a mistake to recall either of those two pitchers. Nastrini has a 6.61 ERA in Triple-A Charlotte, and he was recently moved to the bullpen. He doesn't have a reliable out pitch against left-handed batters. His future in the majors, if there is one, will be as a right-on-right relief specialist. 

Iriarte is averaging fewer than three innings per start at Charlotte. He's made five starts, thrown 14 innings, walked 14 batters and posted a 7.71 ERA.

If you call either of these two pitchers up, they will not be able to handle the task. They'd routinely get knocked out in the second or third inning. The Sox bullpen is not a strength. You don't want to get in the habit of asking relief pitchers to cover 17, 18, 19 or 20 outs per game.

Wilson is going to get into the fifth or sixth inning, even on his worst day -- like Thursday. There is value in that.

It's important to remember what we saw in 2024. There were a lot of short starts and long days for the bullpen. That's how you get those soul-sucking losing streaks that last 10 or more games. That's how you lose 121 games in a season.

The Sox are 14-30 as it is. Let's not make it any worse by calling for the team to bring up pitchers who are unqualified for the job.

Sean Burke's April: It's not going well

The White Sox raised some eyebrows at the beginning of the 2024 season when they named Garrett Crochet their Opening Day starter.

Prior to that, Crochet had never started a game in the big leagues. Turns out, making Crochet a starter was a rare good decision in a historically terrible season. Crochet made the All-Star team and established himself as a clear top-of-the-rotation arm. 

He pitched so well that he got himself traded to the Boston Red Sox for four prospects, and Boston has since given him a lucrative six-year, $170 million contract extension.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the Sox once again raised some eyebrows when they announced Sean Burke would be their Opening Day starter. 

Burke made three strong September starts last season, winning two of them, but it was still curious that the Sox decided to trust a pitcher with only 19 major league innings under his belt with a high-profile start.

That said, the Sox lacked options, and perhaps they earned the benefit of the doubt after their bold decision on Crochet last season came up aces.

Initially, Burke rewarded the Sox for their faith. He fired six scoreless innings on Opening Day and picked up the win. But man, in the three starts since then, it has been rough. Here are Burke's most recent pitching lines:

April 2 vs. Minnesota: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 K, 0 BBs

April 9 at Cleveland: 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 Ks, 4 BBs 

Tuesday vs. Sacramento: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 Ks, 2 BBs

Fourteen earned runs in 10.2 innings over three starts isn't going to cut it. Burke is now 1-3 with a 7.56 ERA after taking the loss in Tuesday's 12-3 defeat to the Athletics.

Three batters into the game, Tyler Soderstrom hit a 3-run homer to put Sacramento up 3-0. The Sox got that back in the bottom of the first when Andrew Vaughn answered with his second home run of the season, a 3-run shot that tied the score.

But Burke continued to struggle, giving up a run in the second and another run in the third, before he failed to make it through the fourth inning. The Athletics pounded lumps on the Sox bullpen, and this was never much of a game.

My initial thought is to send Burke back to Triple-A Charlotte to work out his problems. Unfortunately, the Sox are lacking in starting pitching options with Drew Thorpe, Ky Bush and Mason Adams all done for the season with elbow injuries.

Thorpe was projected to be part of the major league rotation this season, but he's not available. Bush and Adams were supposed to be the top two guys in the Charlotte rotation this season. Coming into the year, I figured we would see both in Chicago at some point. Because of injury, we will not.

So what other options are there in Charlotte? None, frankly. Jairo Iriarte has walked nine batters in nine innings, and he's got an 8.00 ERA. Nick Nastrini has a 6.17 ERA, and he has nothing that can get left-handed batters out. I think his future is in the bullpen. Justin Dunn (7.11) is a 29-year-old journeyman who hasn't distinguished himself.

Those are the top three in the Charlotte rotation. Pitching struggles are the reason the Knights are 6-10. Despite Burke's issues, there may be no other choice than to let him work his problems out in the Chicago rotation.

The Sox are 4-12.

10 candidates for White Sox starting rotation

When I heard the White Sox were signing veteran left-handed pitcher Martin Perez to a one-year contract, my reaction was, "Ha! He's going to be the Opening Day starter!"

Perez, 33, is getting a guaranteed $5 million, according to reports. His salary for 2025 will be $3.5 million. The contract includes a $10 million mutual option for 2026, with a $1.5 million buyout.

What does the Sox rotation look like now that former ace Garrett Crochet has been traded to the Boston Red Sox for futures? Well, here are 10 pitchers we might see:

1. Perez. As ridiculous as it sounds, Perez is going to be the most accomplished starter on this team, which puts him in line for a potential Opening Day nod. His career record is 90-87 with a 4.44 ERA over 314 games, including 269 starts. He struggled the first half of 2024 with Pittsburgh, going 2-5 with a 5.20 ERA. But after a midseason trade to the San Diego Padres, Perez discovered new life over 10 starts. He went 3-1 with a 3.46 ERA. The lefty has a long track record of being a league-average starter, which makes him the top option on this Sox team.

2. Jonathan Cannon. The 24-year-old, former third-round draft pick was an afterthought coming into 2024, but he ended up making 23 appearances (21 starts) with the Sox and put up a 1.9 WAR season as a rookie. He went 5-10 with a 4.49 ERA. Among the younger pitchers who are candidates for the rotation, Cannon starts 2025 on the firmest ground.

3. Drew Thorpe. The 24-year-old righty was the centerpiece of the return in the Dylan Cease trade. After tearing up Double-A Birmingham, he was promoted to Chicago last season and made nine starts. Results were mixed, as he went 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA before elbow trouble sidelined him for the last two months of the season. If Thorpe is healthy, it's hard to envision him not being in the rotation.

4. Bryse Wilson. This 27-year-old veteran made 34 appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, mostly in relief. But he did make nine starts in 2024, and I think he signed with Chicago believing he would get an opportunity to crack the rotation. I like his odds, just because it's hard to see the Sox going with Perez and four kids. There probably has to be one other veteran in there, and Wilson is probably that guy.

5. Davis Martin. The former 14th-round pick surprised everyone by giving the Sox about 60 respectable innings across 14 games (9 starts) in 2022, but then Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the entire 2023 season. He returned to mixed results in the second half of 2024. He made 11 appearances (10 starts) and tossed 50 innings with 47 strikeouts, going 0-5 with a 4.32 ERA. He just turned 28 years old, so there's not much upside left, but he probably enters spring with an inside track for a rotation spot.

6. Sean Burke. Another former third-round pick, the 25-year-old was another guy who was off the grid coming into 2024. He's been injured for a good chunk of his professional career, but he pitched himself back into the picture by making the most of his September call-up last season. He appeared in four games, three of them starts, and went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA. He struck out 22 guys in only 19 innings. This is a staff that needs strikeouts. We'll see how Burke looks in spring.

7. Ky Bush. The 25-year-old lefty, acquired in 2023 in the trade that sent Lucas Giolito to the Los Angeles Angels, had a strong showing in Double-A Birmingham and earned an August look with the Sox. Alas, he struggled with his control, walking 16 guys in just 17.2 innings in the majors. He finished 0-3 with a 5.60 ERA. I would expect Bush to start the season in Charlotte, but it's not unreasonable to think he'll get another chance sometime in 2025.

8. Nick Nastrini. Speaking of control problems, Nastrini made eight starts and one relief appearance for the 2024 Sox. He walked 36 guys in 35.2 innings. That was enough to give him an 0-7 record with a 7.07 ERA. Ouch. The 24-year-old will probably get one more kick at the can to make the rotation this spring. It isn't as if the Sox are bursting at the seams with proven options, so there's still a chance for Nastrini to move up this list. But right now, I'm thinking whatever future he has might be in the bullpen.

9. Jairo Iriarte. Another pitcher who came to the Sox in the Cease trade, Iriarte got a late-season look in 2024 with six relief appearances. There's nothing wrong with his 1.50 ERA, but he walked eight guys and struck out six in six innings. Iriarte has a power arm, and he's never going to have great control. But he can't be *that* wild and expect to hold down a rotation spot. He's probably destined for Triple-A Charlotte to start the season, but a pitcher on the 40-man who has had a look in the majors can't be completely discounted.

10. Shane Smith. How about a Rule 5 pick? Smith made 32 appearances and 16 starts across two levels in the Milwaukee Brewers organization last year. He was 6-3 with a 3.05 ERA in those outings. He has to make the club out of spring training, or be offered back to the Brewers. So, that helps his odds, but the most likely scenario is he grabs a spot in the bullpen.

We'll leave top pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith off this list for now. They will start the season in the minor leagues, but I'll mention them here just to acknowledge that a 2025 debut isn't out of the question for either of them. I just don't expect it to occur in March or April.

When 'just play the kids' doesn't work ...

White Sox fans have been screaming into the void on social media, calling for the team to discard veterans and "just play the kids."

It's understandable, because the team is 20 games below .500 on May 22. The Sox are going nowhere fast in 2024, and it's time to look ahead to 2025 and beyond.

Nobody wants to watch dead-end veterans such as Mike Clevinger, Chris Flexen and the recently DFA'd Brad Keller start games for the Sox. Hell, I don't want to watch these guys, either.

Those types of pitchers are short-timers. They won't be in the majors much longer, and they are just here to eat innings and cross days off the calendar.

Those players are here because "the kids" aren't ready. Fans who wanted to see rookie right-hander Nick Nastrini pitch got their wish Wednesday night, and boy, that did not go well.

Nastrini gave up seven runs in the second inning, plus two more in the fourth, in a 9-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

His final line was brutal: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 6 BB, 0 K, 1 HR. 

Six walks and no strikeouts? My goodness, it was like the Blue Jays knew what was coming. This is the type of performance that can kill a young pitcher's confidence. 

It sounds as though Nastrini will get another start next Monday, against Toronto once again. Let's keep in mind, the Blue Jays are in last place in the AL East. It's not *that* difficult of an assignment. If Nastrini gets bombed again, I'm not going to be able to make a case for him to stay in the bigs.

If he has to go back to Triple-A, get ready for more Michael Soroka in the rotation, like it or not. That's what happens when you don't have any "kids" who are ready to pitch in Chicago. 

Nick Nastrini makes solid White Sox debut, loses anyway

Here's some positive White Sox news for a change: Rookie right-hander Nick Nastrini had an encouraging big-league debut on Monday night.

Nastrini retired the first 11 Kansas City Royals batters he saw. He got his first career strikeout out of the way quickly, as he fanned Bobby Witt Jr. for the second out in the top of the first inning.

Unfortunately for Nastrini, he gave up a solo home run to Vinnie Pasquantino with two outs in the top of the fourth inning to fall behind 1-0. The game was essentially over at that moment, since the incompetent Sox position players are incapable of scoring runs.

Sure enough, the Royals went on to defeat the Sox, 2-0.

Final line for Nastrini: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 Ks, 2 BBs

You will take that every time from a rookie starter.

However, the Sox have now been shut out six times in their first 16 games this season. They managed only four hits (all singles) and six total baserunners against Kansas City starter Seth Lugo (3-0) and two relievers.

Really, the only reason to follow the Sox this year is to see what kind of records they will set for futility. The Sox are 2-14. There are 146 more games of this crap remaining.

Former Dodgers get rude introduction to White Sox system

Trayce Thompson

So far, so bad for the three players the White Sox acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers last week in exchange for pitchers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly.

Trayce Thompson is back for his third stint with the Sox. Longtime fans will recall the Sox drafted him in the second round in 2009. He made it to the majors in 2015 before being traded to the Dodgers the following offseason. He was with the Sox briefly in 2018, and like a cat with nine lives, he's back on the South Side again.

The 32-year-old outfielder went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in his first game back with the Sox on Thursday, a 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers. 

Thompson is a good defensive player who can handle all three outfield spots competently. He's also reportedly a good guy in the clubhouse. That's probably why he keeps getting opportunities in the majors. It certainly isn't his skill at the plate. He's a lifetime .215/.302/.426 hitter.

To be honest, I'm not sure why Thompson is here. What purpose does he serve? Your guess is as good as mine. He's in the twilight of a journeyman career, trying to hang on to a roster spot in the majors.

The two guys who matter most to the Sox in this deal are pitchers Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure.

Nastrini, a 23-year-old right-hander, was the No. 9 prospect in the Dodgers system. He is now the No. 4 prospect in the Sox system. Reports say he could be major league ready as soon as next year. Let's hope so, because the Sox have plenty of holes to fill in the starting rotation.

However, Nastrini's first start at Double-A Birmingham went poorly. He gave up seven runs, five earned, on six hits over 4.2 innings. But hey, at least he struck out six. That's an indication that some swing-and-miss stuff was there. This season, Nastrini has fanned 91 batters over 78.1 innings. We can hope that his bad outing was just a matter of getting acclimated to a new team. After all, it can be jarring for a young player after he gets traded.

Speaking of jarring, Leasure is 0-2 with a 40.50 ERA through his first two relief appearances at Triple-A Charlotte. He gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning in his first outing, and gave up a two-run walk-off homer in his second appearance. That's rough.

The 24-year-old throws 98 mph, and I've heard some people say he might get a look in Chicago in September. I wouldn't mind that, but first he'll need to stabilize his performance with Charlotte.