How does White Sox pitching staff look at start of 2026?

When people say the White Sox could get back to .500 in 2026, my standard response has been, "With what pitching?"

I think the Sox are lacking in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Granted, the offseason is far from over, and there is still time to make additions before spring training begins in February. But as the calendar turns to 2026, let's take a look at where the pitching staff stands.

Starting rotation

If the season were to begin today -- and of course it does not -- here are the pitchers who would be most likely to land in the five-man rotation:

1. Shane Smith. The Rule 5 draftee made the All-Star Game in his rookie season, going 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts. On most teams, Smith would slot in as a No. 3 or No. 4 starting pitcher. However, on this Sox team, he looks like a reasonable bet to start on Opening Day. 

2. Davis Martin. The 28-year-old was mostly healthy for the first time since 2022 last year. He went 7-10 with a 4.10 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). Given that Martin was drafted in the 14th round in 2018, it's a development win for the Sox that he looks like a league-average pitcher when he's out there.

3. Anthony Kay. The 30-year-old lefty was added on a two-year, $12 million contract earlier this offseason. He hasn't pitched in the majors in two years, but he had a great year in Japan in 2025 -- 9-6 with a 1.74 ERA in 24 games. The Sox are hoping he's a sequel to Erick Fedde.

4. Sean Burke. The Opening Day starter in 2025 had an uneven year, going 4-11 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 games (22 starts). In fact, Burke was demoted to Charlotte for a time in 2025 before finishing the season in Chicago. That 1.444 WHIP is going to have to come down. Burke is not guaranteed a spot.  

5. Jonathan Cannon. Speaking of not being guaranteed a spot, if the Sox make another addition, Burke and Cannon might be fighting for the No. 5 spot in the rotation in spring. Cannon had a disastrous 2025. He went 4-10 in 22 games, and his ERA ballooned to 5.82. But he thinks he can bounce back.  

Other names to know include prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, both of whom remain in top-100 lists. Right-hander Tanner McDougal was added to the 40-man roster during the offseason. Righty Drew Thorpe and lefty Ky Bush are expected back sometime this season after Tommy John surgery.

Bullpen 

There should be heavy competition for the eight bullpen spots, but let's take a best guess:  

1. Grant Taylor. The hard-throwing 23-year-old appeared in 36 games as a rookie. He was impressive at times, recording six saves, and erratic and unlucky at other times. It all added up to a 4.91 ERA and 1.418 WHIP. The Sox say he will receive "multi-inning" opportunities in 2026.

2. Mike Vasil. The Rule 5 pick was one of the surprises of the 2025 campaign, totaling 101 innings in 47 appearances. He went 5-3 with a 2.50 ERA and totaled four saves while pitching in every role imaginable -- from starter to closer. Being versatile is one way to stick on a roster.

3. Sean Newcomb. The lefty signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Sox earlier this offseason. There's been talk of letting him compete for a starting rotation spot. Sure, why not? But it's worth noting that Newcomb hasn't been a full-time starter since 2018. Of his 223 career appearances, 158 have been in relief.

4. Jordan Leasure. Somebody had to lead the 2025 Sox bullpen in saves, and it was Leasure with seven. He appeared in 68 games and went 5-6 with a 3.92 ERA. Notably, his WHIP in the second half of last season was 0.791, a drastic reduction from 1.618 in the first half. The Sox are hoping he pitches like he did late in the season. 

5. Brandon Eisert. Congratulations if you selected Eisert to lead the Sox in appearances in 2025. The lefty pitched 72 times, which I did not see coming. The results were mediocre, 3-8 with a 4.39 ERA. There's nothing remarkable about Eisert's platoon splits. He wasn't that great at getting lefties out. But availability is a skill, and Eisert was available.

6. Chris Murphy. This 27-year-old lefty has options left, but I figure the Sox didn't trade for him to bury him in the minors. He was 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 23 relief appearances with Boston last season. He was equally effective against both lefties (.597 OPS against) and righties (.598 OPS against).

7. Wikelman Gonzalez. The "fourth piece" of the four-player return from Boston in the Garrett Crochet trade pitched in 16 games with the Sox last season, going 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA. He totaled 20.1 innings in those games and seems suitable as a multi-inning reliever.  

8. Duncan Davitt. The Sox acquired Davitt from Tampa Bay in the Adrian Houser deal last summer, and then added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from Rule 5 last month. He started 28 games in the minors last year, but I don't think that's his role long term. Somebody has to be the long man, right?

It's worth noting that left-handers Tyler Gilbert and Bryan Hudson remain on the 40-man roster. Both are out of options, but how many lefties do you need? I see a competition brewing among Eisert, Murphy, Gilbert and Hudson for perhaps two roster spots. Prelander Berroa is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Rule 5 draft selections Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto will also get a look in camp.

So, basically, I'm naming 13 guys for eight bullpen spots. I'd like to see another veteran added in both the rotation and the bullpen before spring training begins. If you listen to Sox podcasts, there's a lot of talk that more signings are coming. 

Let's hope so.

White Sox call up RHP Grant Taylor

The White Sox on Tuesday called up one of their best pitching prospects, right-handed relief pitcher Grant Taylor.

Taylor, 23, was chosen in the second round of the 2023 draft. He was widely considered a first-round talent out of LSU, but he slipped to the Sox in the second round because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery during his draft year.

This is the right-hander's first full healthy season in professional baseball, and in 15 games in Double-A Birmingham, Taylor was 0-1 with a 1.01 ERA. He struck out 37 and walked 11 in 26.2 innings.

The first six of those 15 outings were starts. Someone controversially, the Sox recently moved him to the Birmingham bullpen. The prospect guys in the media and blogosphere objected, arguing that Taylor should continue his development as a starter.

No matter how you feel about that, Taylor was overpowering in nine Double-A relief appearances. He did not allow a run, while striking out 18. Only four batters reached bases against him -- three singles and one walk.

The Sox wasted no time throwing Taylor into a game. He worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh inning in Tuesday's 4-2 victory the Houston Astros. Taylor got his outs on 12 pitches, six of which were over 100 mph. He is still looking for his first strikeout after inducing a flyout to center and two grounders to the shortstop.

The Sox got a big game from Luis Robert Jr., who went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and his sixth home run of the season. Edgar Quero had perhaps the biggest hit, a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded that staked the Sox to an early 3-0 lead in the third inning.

Shane Smith (3-3) perhaps didn't have his best stuff, as he allowed seven hits and two walks across six innings pitched. But he surrendered only one run and benefited from three double plays turned behind him. He struck out four and has now won his past two starts. 

Brandon Eisert worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save of the season. The Sox are 23-44. 

Andrew Benintendi powers White Sox to win over Mets

Worth noting: The White Sox scored nine runs on Wednesday with neither Andrew Vaughn nor Luis Robert Jr. in the lineup.

Vaughn and Robert were supposed to be the leading run producers for the Sox in 2025. Vaughn and his .189 average and .531 OPS have been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Robert and his .190 average and .583 OPS have been stapled to the bench the past two days because of knee soreness.

They were not missed in Wednesday's series finale against the New York Mets, a 9-4 Sox victory. Andrew Benintendi had one of his best games of the season, going 3 for 5 with four RBIs. He was a double short of the cycle.

Benintendi's two-run single to left-center opened the scoring in the first inning. He added an RBI triple in the sixth inning to increase a Sox lead to 6-3. His homer in the eighth, his sixth of the season, capped Chicago's scoring and made it 9-3.

Mike Tauchman went 2 for 5 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs, and Lenyn Sosa went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI single to add to a 12-hit Chicago attack.

Starting pitcher Shane Smith entered this game with a 2.36 ERA in 10 starts, but he has only one win to show for it because of lack of run support. This time, it was the Sox offense who bailed out a struggling Smith, who allowed three runs and walked five over 3.2 innings in a no-decision. Smith struck out five, but he ran up 86 pitches in a short start. 

One thing Sox fans should keep in mind about Smith: He's never thrown more than 94.1 innings in his career. This season, he's logged 57 innings, and we aren't even to June 1. It wouldn't be a surprise if we see some regression and fatigue from the rookie right-hander.

As a Rule 5 pick, Smith's production has been a pleasant surprise through 11 starts. Imagine going for a walk in your neighborhood and finding $1,000 on the ground. You'll gladly accept the good fortune, but it wouldn't be wise to bank your financial future on that every happening again.

That's how I look at Smith: He's found money. Your delighted by what's happened so far, but you can't be certain he's going to have another run of good starts like he's had this early season. I'm not sure what Smith will provide the rest of the way. You just keep pitching him, and see what he does.

Brandon Eisert (2-0) got four outs to earn the win in relief Wednesday. Another Rule 5 pick, Mike Vasil, tossed three scoreless innings with five strikeouts for the Sox, who are now 18-38.

Tim Anderson designated for assignment

Former White Sox All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

In 31 games, Anderson batted .205/.258/.241 with no homers and three RBIs. His three doubles were his only extra-base hits of the season. As a matter of fact, Anderson has only homered once in the last three seasons combined. He hasn't played well since the first two months of 2022.

So, no, the Sox should not "take a flyer" on Anderson, who will turn 32 on June 23. He's cooked.

White Sox opener strategy works ... sort of

Give White Sox manager Will Venable credit for trying something new. 

The Athletics have a left-handed-dominant top of the batting order, and the Sox have nothing but right-handers in their starting rotation. 

It's a matchup made in hell, so Venable used a left-handed reliever to pitch the first inning of all three games in Sacramento this weekend, and then he went to his regularly scheduled right-handed starter in the second inning.

Even though the Sox lost two of three games, it mostly worked. Tyler Gilbert pitched a scoreless first inning Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Brandon Eisert allowed one run in the first inning Sunday. 

The right-handers who followed them pitched well. On Sunday, Davis Martin tossed six shutout innings. Jonathan Cannon got his first win of the season Saturday when he allowed three runs over 7.2 innings. Sean Burke on Friday allowed three earned runs over 5.1 innings, which wasn't great, but it was an improvement over his previous outings.

Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Friday, April 25

Athletics 6, White Sox 5: The Sox took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but Burke got in trouble. With two on and two outs, Jacob Wilson singled to center, and Luis Robert Jr. booted the ball, allowing both runners to score and tie the game at 3.

The A's tacked on two in the seventh and one in the eighth to take a 6-3 into the ninth. The Sox rallied against closer Mason Miller. Lenyn Sosa singled and scored on a two-run homer by Brooks Baldwin. Miguel Vargas lined out to center, and Edgar Quero just missed tying the game on a fly ball to right that was caught at the wall.

Four good ABs in a row, and then Robert Jr. struck out on three pitches, the last of which was nowhere near a strike. It was a tough game for Robert Jr. overall: 1 for 4 with three strikeouts and the crucial error that flipped the game in the Athletics' favor.

Saturday, April 26 

White Sox 10, Athletics 3: Robert Jr. redeemed himself with a solo home run in the top of the first that started a four-run rally. Quero walked, and then there were three straight RBI doubles by Sosa, Michael A. Taylor and Baldwin.

The Sox added two more in the second inning and jumped out to an early 6-0. Cannon (1-3) made it work from there with his best outing of the season. He struck out five and walked two, while allowing six hits over his 7.2 innings.

Taylor finished 3 for 5 with three doubles. Quero and Vargas also had two-hit games.

Sunday, April 27

Athletics 3, White Sox 2 (10 inn.): The Sox had 14 men reach base in this game -- nine hits, four walks and a hit batsman. You would think that would be a recipe for more than two runs, but you'd be wrong.

Joshua Palacios hit a solo home run to start the game, but the Sox didn't score again until the top of the 10th when Robert Jr. plated the ghost runner with an RBI single to put the South Siders ahead 2-1.

Quero then singled, advancing Robert Jr. to third with only one out. It looked like the Sox might break the game open. Alas, Andrew Vaughn grounded into a double play to drop his average down to .157 and kill the inning.

That proved really costly because the Sox needed another run. Jordan Leasure (0-2) gave up a homer to Luis Urias in the bottom of the 10th with the ghost runner aboard, and that provided the winning margin for the Athletics.

The Sox stranded 10 runners, went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position and hit into two double plays. Woof.

The 10-game road trip is over. The Sox went 3-7 and are now 7-21 for the season. They start a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night at Rate Field.

Rain-shortened wins count just the same

Raise your hand if you expected Brandon Eisert to record the first White Sox save of the season.

Rain-shortened games can be strange like that, but with the way the Sox have been struggling, they'll be happy with Thursday's 3-0, seven-inning victory over the Minnesota Twins.

At long last, that ridiculous 14-game losing streak at Minneapolis is over, and at long last, Shane Smith (1-1) has his well-earned first career victory. 

The rookie right-hander has a 2.30 ERA through his first five starts, and he's pitched well enough to win any or all of them. Alas, run support and bullpen support have been hard to come by with this team.

But Smith is finally on the board in his career after tossing five shutout innings. He struck out seven, walked only one and scattered four hits.

Jordan Leasure allowed the first two Minnesota batters to reach in the sixth, but he worked his way out of the jam. The aforementioned Eisert gave up one hit but nothing more in the seventh before the umpires called for the tarp.

The Sox got solo home runs from Lenyn Sosa, his second of the season, and Miguel Vargas, his first. The other RBI came on a bases-loaded walk by Joshua Palacios.

The Sox are 2-5 on the road trip and 6-19 on the season. Next up, three games in Sacramento against the Athletics.