Noah Schultz to make MLB debut on Tuesday

White Sox top pitching prospect Noah Schultz is expected to make his MLB debut Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rate Field.

The 6-foot-10 left-hander out of Oswego East High School was the organization's first-round pick at No. 26 overall in the 2022 draft.  

There are two things that came to mind when I heard this news:

1. The move seems reasonable. Fans are forever worried about "rushing" prospects to the majors, but the other school of thought says, "There's no such thing as a pitching prospect." With the high volume of arm injuries around professional baseball, it seems senseless to allow a pitcher to waste bullets dominating Triple-A.

And Schultz has been dominating Triple-A. In three games with Charlotte this season, he's 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA. In 14 innings pitched, he's allowed only two earned runs on four hits. He's struck out 19 and walked just two.

Neither right-handed nor left-handed batters have done much with Schultz. He was drafted as a sinker-slider pitcher, and those two pitches in combination with his arm angle allow him to dominate lefties. But he's added a cutter and a changeup to his mix to help him keep righties at bay.

In fact, Schultz is a five-pitch pitcher now: four-seamer, two-seamer, cutter, slider, change. I would expect to see mostly two-seamers and sliders against lefties, and two-seamers and cutters against righties. The four-seamer and the changeup are more for show than anything, based upon scouting reports I've read.

The other thing is, there's a need in Chicago. Shane Smith was sent to Charlotte to work out his problems, so somebody has to start in that spot. Schultz has earned the opportunity. It's OK to see what he does with it.

2. The hype is unnecessary and ridiculous. Yes, it's exciting news when a top prospect is called up. Fans are looking forward to seeing Schultz in a Sox uniform. But the three hours of Schulz programming on Chicago Sports Network leading into Tuesday's game seems a little excessive.

You can watch replays of a previous outing from Schultz, hear him on the Chuck Garfien podcast and watch the "Road to the Chi" special featuring him Tuesday before the game. Good grief, no pressure, kid. Let's hope he doesn't give up five runs in 2.1 innings or something like that.

It's always a little rough when a promising prospect is called up into a losing situation. The Sox are 6-10. They haven't looked great, and fans and team media are looking for anything they can clutch onto to create excitement. Sometimes that leads to a young kid being treated as Lord and Savior.

We should take a lesson from Gordon Beckham, Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech. Pump the brakes a little on the hype. Give the kid some air, and let's hope his talent shines through. 

White Sox option Shane Smith to Triple-A Charlotte

It hasn't been two weeks since Shane Smith made the Opening Day start for the White Sox, but the team optioned him to Triple-A Charlotte before the start of Wednesday afternoon's game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Smith, who made the All-Star team as a rookie last season, has been a disaster in his first three starts of the season. He's 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA, and he's covered only 8.1 innings in those outings. His control has been brutal, as he's walked nine batters already in that small sample size. Combine that with the 12 hits he's allowed, and that's simply too many guys reaching base.

Even though Smith was unscored upon Tuesday in his outing against the Orioles, you cannot say it was a good performance. He needed 99 pitches to work 3.2 innings. While he allowed only one hit, he walked five. 

To be fair, Smith struck out eight, so the outing wasn't a total bust. In a strange anomaly, none of the first 11 Baltimore batters put a ball in play -- six strikeouts, four walks and a hit batsman.

However, Smith has yet to throw a pitch in the fifth inning this season, and the Sox cannot afford such short outings from a starting pitcher who is supposed to be a mainstay.

Smith only covered 11 outs Tuesday, which left 16 outs for the bullpen to cover while protecting a slim 2-1 lead. They couldn't do it -- Baltimore scored three runs in the eighth and won 4-2.

Tyler Schweitzer was called up to take Smith's place on the roster and bolster the depleted bullpen. The lefty made his MLB debut in relief on Wednesday, allowing a run in 1.1 innings as the Sox dropped their third straight to the Orioles, 5-3.

Strangely, Baltimore has won its last 11 games at Rate Field. I don't feel as though the Orioles has been a great team during this stretch, so that's a testament to how bad the Sox have been.

But don't you worry: the next four Sox games are at Kansas City, a place where the Sox have lost 14 in a row and 19 of their last 21. It's been more than two years since the Sox last beat the Royals in Kansas City (Sept. 6, 2023).

There's nothing that says your franchise is a joke more than having multiple streaks like this going on at the same time.

The Sox are 4-8. 

White Sox snap optimistic fans back to reality

One of the strangest things about this past month has been the level of optimism surrounding the 2026 White Sox. If you looked around on social media, you found plenty of folks who seemed to earnestly believe this team could approach .500 this season -- despite 324 losses over the past three years.

Not to be a cynic, but I wasn't feeling it. My prediction for the season was 63-99, and I was just trying to be nice. It still looks like a 100-loss team on paper to me, and I don't see how any objective observer could come to any conclusion other than the Sox look like the worst team in the American League.

I look up and down the roster, and I can't find a single guy who I can point at and say, "Yes, I know what that player is going to do. You can trust him." Not even one single player.

All of the rosy projections are based on wishful thinking. There are hopes that inexperienced players will take the next step. There are hopes that cherished prospects will arrive sometime during the season and boost the team. But it's all hoping and wishing. There's nothing concrete with this team that you can put your arms around.

There isn't a single guy in the starting rotation who is proven. The outfield is full of Quad-A players, or in the case of Andrew Benintendi, a guy who is past his prime. Every major preseason publication picked the Sox to come last in the AL Central, and rightfully so.

This first week of the season has been a disaster, a slap in the face. The Sox are 1-5 after a 10-0 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. In their first six games, they've been outscored 52-21. Four of their five losses have come by five runs or more. They also had a loss where they led 7-2, only to blow it by giving up six runs in the eighth inning.

The team ERA is 8.63, which is about three runs worse than the next-worst team in MLB. With a run differential of -31 six games into the season, they are lucky they are not 0-6.

Wednesday's starter, Shane Smith, is a great example of White Sox hoping and wishing. Nothing against Smith personally, who seems like a great guy. He's just being set up to fail.

Smith was one of the best stories of the 2025 season. He was a Rule 5 pick, a long shot to make the team last year. Not only did he make the team, he ended up being the Sox's lone All-Star representative. He went 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts and posted a 2.3 WAR as a rookie. Very solid, overachieving, round of applause for Smith for that season. Can't take it away from him.

Here's the problem: The Sox were so impressed by that season that they came into this year counting on Smith to be their ace. It's an unrealistic expectation and totally unfair to him. He was on the scrap heap as recently as 15 months ago, and there's a reason for that. Last year was a pleasant surprise, and it just might have been his career year.

Instead of being happy with that, the Sox convinced themselves that they had "found something" and hyped Smith up as a "budding star." They made him their Opening Day starter, almost by default, because they didn't add any credible starting pitching during the offseason.

Welp, guess what? Smith had a bad spring. He couldn't find the plate during the entirety of the Cactus League schedule. When the bell rang on March 26, he wasn't ready. He got knocked out in the second inning on Opening Day, having given up four runs against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Sox burned through their whole bullpen and lost 14-2.

Wednesday? Even worse. Smith gave up four runs in the first inning, two more in the second and two more in the third. Eight runs allowed, and the Sox were buried -- with their bullpen once again overtaxed.

Smith is now 0-2 with a ghastly 19.29 ERA. Another couple outings like this, and there will have to be serious conversations about sending him to Triple-A.

So much for that ace hype. The Sox are guilty of this ALL THE TIME. They put unreasonable expectations on players. They ask them to perform beyond their capabilities.

That's not to say give up on Smith. He might right the ship. But if he does, he's an option for the back of the starting rotation. Former Rule 5 picks are not pitchers who should be considered the centerpiece of your staff. It's ludicrous. 

Erick Fedde returns to White Sox on 1-year deal

Veteran right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde has agreed to a one-year contract with the White Sox, sources say.

This will be Fedde's second stint with the Sox, as he made 21 starts with the team in 2024 before being traded in July of that season.

The 33-year-old has spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, going a combined 34-55 with a 4.94 ERA with the Washington Nationals, White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.

Fedde enjoyed his best success with the 2024 Sox. Here's a breakdown of that season:

• 2024 with White Sox: 7-4, 3.11 ERA, 1.142 WHIP in 121.2 innings pitched
• 2024 with Cardinals: 2-5, 3.72 ERA, 1.204 WHIP in 55.2 innings pitched
• 2024 totals: 9-9, 3.30 ERA, 1.162 WHIP in 177.1 innings pitched

Those are very respectable totals, and Fedde actually started the 2025 season well in St. Louis. He had a 3.54 ERA over his first 13 starts, but then the wheels completely fell off. Fedde pitched with three different teams before the season was over, and he ended the year in Milwaukee's bullpen. Here's a breakdown of that season:

• 2025 with Cardinals: 3-10, 5.22 ERA, 1.505 WHIP in 101.2 innings pitched
• 2025 with Braves: 1-2, 8.10 ERA, 1.843 WHIP in 23.1 innings pitched
• 2025 with Brewers: 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.125 WHIP in 16 innings pitched
• 2025 totals: 4-13, 5.49 ERA, 1.518 WHIP in 141 innings pitched

Fedde seemed to regain his form a bit in the small sample size of relief work with the Brewers, but that season was pretty brutal overall for him.

The Sox are apparently hoping he'll regain his 2024 form in a city where he's comfortable, and where he had his best MLB production.

The best guess here is Fedde slots into the No. 4 spot in the Sox rotation, behind Shane Smith, Davis Martin and Anthony Kay. As camp opens, expect the No. 5 spot to be an open competition among Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon, Tanner McDougal and David Sandlin.

As is our custom when players return for a second tour in Chicago, let's welcome Fedde back with the traditional video:

 

 

SoxFest boycott to continue in 2026

When the last weekend in January comes, I'll once again have the feeling that I ought to be doing something. Alas, we will once again be boycotting SoxFest on the grounds that team management is giving us a cheapened experience.

In years past, we were regulars at SoxFest. It used to be a three-day event at a downtown Chicago hotel. It was at the Hyatt. Then it was at the Palmer House. Then it was at the Hilton. In 2020, it was at McCormick Place, and we stayed at one of the adjacent hotels.

Somewhere along the line, it got reduced from three days to two, because "people want to watch the NFL." I'd rather poke my eyes out than watch an NFL game, but SoxFest was still a fun event even when it was two days.

Even if the team was expected to suck (which most of the time it did), you got to spend a weekend in January in the city, mingling with other baseball people and talking baseball with your friends. It was good for the soul.

And I'll be honest: Even though I'm no longer a season ticket holder, and even though I think the 2026 White Sox are going to be bad, if they had an old-school SoxFest like back in the day, I'd buy a weekend pass in a second.

But that's not what they're doing, and they haven't done it for a while. From 2021-23, the Sox canceled the event, hiding behind the COVID-19 excuse for two years longer than they should have.

In 2024, the Sox conducted a lame meet-and-greet for season ticket holders at the Chicago Field Museum. I mean, who wouldn't want to rub elbows with Pedro Grifol and the members of a team that was destined to go 41-121? I wasn't welcome because I had canceled my tickets, and frankly, I didn't want to go anyway.

Then last year, they gave fans a "reimagined SoxFest Live" at the "historic Ramova Theatre" in Bridgeport. That's the format this year, too, with the event scheduled for Jan. 30-31. Only season ticket holders are welcome on Friday, and apparently, the program is the exact same thing on both days.

I heard that last year, fans weren't allowed to ask their own questions of the GM and manager. Only "preapproved" questions were allowed, and broadcaster Len Kasper did all the asking.

No thanks, if I'm going to pay money for this, I want to ask my own questions -- not listen to Kasper ask Will Venable how he uses analytics. That's the equivalent of an interview you can hear on the pregame show every day during the season. This is supposed to be a fan event, so let the fans speak.

Right now, the list of players scheduled to appear is unimpressive. For what it's worth, quite a few of the guys who matter on the 2026 roster will be there: Davis Martin, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Luis Robert Jr., Shane Smith, Grant Taylor, Kyle Teel and Miguel Vargas. Also on the list are prospects Tanner McDougal and Sam Antonacci.

But no former players? Forgive me, but us older guys like it when the players of the past come back. They have the best stories, and no longer being in the league, they tend to be more candid and less guarded than the athletes of today. 

Honestly, what's the appeal here? You want me to spend money to hang out for three hours in a small, renovated theater with no parking to hear guys respond to canned questions and recite cliches about how they hope to improve upon last year's 60-102 record?

I'll pass. Bring back the old SoxFest, and I'll come back. I promise. 

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 finish season at 60-102

The long slog of MLB's regular season is over, and the White Sox have finished 2025 with a 60-102 record after Sunday's 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals.

The 60 wins represent a 19-win improvement from 2024. In baseball, such a year-over-year increase would normally be cause for thunderous applause. But when you're coming off a season in which you were the worst team in the 125-year history of modern baseball, perhaps that increase is only a modest step forward. The bar was set so low.

The Sox started September by winning eight of the first 10 games during the month. At that point, their record was 57-90, and fans were actively rooting for the team to avoid 100 losses. Alas, the Sox concluded the season with a dreadful final two weeks, dropping 12 of their last 15 games.

That sentenced them to their third consecutive 100-loss season. The franchise has lost 100 or more games in its 125-year existence only seven times. Four of those seven seasons have occurred since 2018. It's a huge indictment on everyone who has been in a decision-making role with the franchise over the past 10 to 15 years.

Although, let's be honest: If the Sox had finished 63-99, would that have been meaningfully better than going 60-102? I don't think so.

Either way, the Sox have the best odds of getting the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. May the lottery luck be with them, because the franchise could use a break.

The narrative around the team is surprisingly positive, with the cheerleaders on the TV broadcast and some in the podcast arena touting performances from rookie players -- including Colson Montgomery, Shane Smith, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, Edgar Quero and Mike Vasil.

Indeed, each of these players showed well enough to stick in the majors after they were called up. Nobody fell flat on their faces. Nobody got sent back to the minor leagues from that group. If you've followed the Sox through the years, you know that's something.

The question is, can they do it again in 2026 when there are more expectations placed upon them?

Many people have wondered whether the improved won-loss record and the emergence of this rookie class means 2025 was a success for the Sox.

I have two thoughts on that: First, a 100-loss season is never a success. Never. It's a catastrophe. Second, that said, the losing serves a purpose if young players learn from it, grow and get better in the years ahead.

Ask me again in two years whether 2025 was a success. If all these young guys actually form the core of a contending team down the road, then yes, this could be a year that you look back on as a building block. But if all these guys regress, and this leads to nothing in particular, then we're just circling the drain over and over again. 

White Sox trounce Royals in series opener

Maybe a different venue is all it takes? Consider these numbers:

• White Sox record vs. Royals at Kansas City: 0-7
• White Sox record vs. Royals at Rate Field: 3-1
• White Sox runs scored vs. Royals in three games Aug. 15-17: 5
• White Sox runs scored vs. Royals in the first four innings Monday: 6

The Sox were ready for Kansas City left-hander Noah Cameron (7-6) on Monday night at Rate Field, scoring three runs in the first inning and three more in the fourth. The early offense led to an easy 7-0 victory.

After Chase Meidroth started the bottom of the first with a single, the Sox stacked up three run-scoring doubles by Edgar Quero, Lenyn Sosa and Curtis Mead to take a 3-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, the Sox hit back-to-back homers. Korey Lee's two-run shot made it 5-0. Brooks Baldwin followed with a solo blast.

But perhaps the story of this game was starting pitcher Shane Smith (4-7), who needed only 80 pitches to complete seven innings of shutout ball. Smith struck out three, walked one and allowed just one hit. He threw 54 of his 80 pitches for strikes. 

After a midseason malaise, the rookie right-hander looks rejuvenated since coming off the injured list on Aug. 1. In five starts this month, Smith is 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA. He's got 24 strikeouts against 11 walks across 27.1 innings pitched. He's allowed only 16 hits, which means he's only allowing one batter to reach base per inning over that span. 

That's what you're looking for from a starting pitcher.

Tyler Gilbert pitched two innings of scoreless relief to finish off a combined two-hitter in Monday's game.

The Sox are 48-83. 

Can't anybody in Atlanta pitch?

During their three-game weekend series in Kansas City, the White Sox got swept because they had trouble scoring runs. In fact, they touched home plate only five times total in the series.

Now that the scene has shifted to Atlanta, the Sox bats have suddenly come to life. They've scored 23 runs in the first two games against the Braves.

That's good; that's great.

The problem is, that offensive explosion has only resulted in a 1-1 record. After winning 13-9 on Monday night, the Sox blew a six-run lead Tuesday, losing 11-10 to the Braves.

It wasn't starter Shane Smith's fault. Sure, he was mediocre over six innings pitched, allowing four runs on seven hits. But when Smith recorded the final out of the bottom of the sixth inning, he walked off the mound with a 10-4 lead.

You would think the bullpen could cover the remaining nine outs, but you would be wrong. Sox relief pitching blew this with a remarkable quickness, giving up five runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.

The Braves didn't even need to bat in the bottom of the ninth after trailing by six in the seventh. Pretty embarrassing for the Sox.

There were some highlights for the position players. Kyle Teel was 2 for 5 with four RBIs, a two-run double and a two-run homer included. Luis Robert Jr. had a two-out, three-run double that capped a five-run outburst in the fifth inning. Miguel Vargas was 2 for 4 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Some moral victories there, but the Sox bullpen appears to be running on fumes. There have just been too many innings to cover, with starting pitchers failing to work past five innings in too many games.

The front office realizes it, and they've been churning the bullpen to try to keep fresh arms available. One night after getting shelled for four runs in one-third of an inning, Owen White was placed on the injured list with a hip impingement, and Elvis Peguero was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.

Alas, Peguero -- along with Tyler Gilbert -- was one of the culprits in surrendering the five-run seventh inning. Peguero issued two walks and retired only one of the four batters he faced.

Tyler Alexander (4-11) and Steven Wilson combined to surrender the lead in the eighth, with Alexander earning the loss and Wilson earning the blown save.

The Sox are 45-81. Unfortunately, there are 36 games left to play in this miserable season, which is now a near-lock to end with 100-plus losses. The pitching staff still has another 300-plus innings to cover. It's going to be ugly. 

White Sox trade Andrew Vaughn, acquire Aaron Civale

The White Sox on Friday made a surprise trade, sending first baseman Andrew Vaughn to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for pitcher Aaron Civale.

The thing that's surprising about the deal is that the Sox got anything of value for Vaughn. The 27-year-old was selected third overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, but he never lived up to that pedigree with the Sox. 

In five seasons with the team, Vaughn finished with a .248/.303/.407 slash line. His OPS+ was 97, which means he was 3% below average with the bat during his time on the South Side of Chicago. That makes it tough to roster someone like Vaughn, who is a poor fielder and a slow runner.

In fact, Vaughn accumulated -0.4 bWAR in his Sox career, including an ugly -1.6 bWAR in the 2025 season. Vaughn bottomed out this year, batting .189/.218/.314 with five homers and 19 RBIs in 48 games.

That performance earned Vaughn a trip to Triple-A Charlotte. Now with the Brewers organization, he'll be playing for Triple-A Nashville.

Civale, a 30-year-old veteran right-hander with 123 career starts under his belt, asked out of Milwaukee after a demotion to the bullpen.

He missed the start of the season with a hamstring strain, and then went 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA across five starts with the Brewers.

Civale made his Sox debut on Sunday and pitched OK, giving up two runs in five innings. He was the losing pitcher as the Sox took a 2-1 loss against the Texas Rangers.

This is a good trade for the Sox because Civale will bring value to the team by covering innings at the major league level. Vaughn brings no value of any sort.

It's no secret the Sox have a thin starting rotation. Veteran Martin Perez is on the shelf with a forearm injury. Drew Thorpe, Ky Bush and Mason Adams are all out for the season after undergoing elbow surgery.

That has left the Sox to rely on a lot of inexperienced pitchers in their rotation. Shane Smith has been their best starter, but at 68.1 innings pitched, he only 26 innings short of a career high. It's only June 16.

Sean Burke is in a similar situation. His career high in innings is 108. He's at 70.2. 

What about Davis Martin? He once threw 144 innings at Single-A Kannapolis, but that was in 2019. Martin had Tommy John surgery in 2023. He's thrown 80.2 innings this season.

That's where Civale comes in. He threw 161 innings last year. With Perez being absent, Civale and Adrian Houser are the guys who can munch innings when any of the aforementioned three starters need to skip a start. It will happen.

Unfortunately, the Sox have lost five in a row after Sunday's loss. They are now 7-31 on the road after getting swept in Texas. They are 23-49 this season. 

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. 

Shane Smith leads White Sox to rare home win vs. Tigers

It had been almost two years to the day since the White Sox last defeated the Detroit Tigers in Chicago.

Coming into Tuesday's game at Rate Field, the Tigers had won the past 11 games they had played on the South Side. The last win for Chicago? It came on June 4, 2023, when Jake Burger hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 6-2 victory. 

Any Sox fan can be forgiven for not feeling optimistic about this four-game series against Detroit, especially after the first-place Tigers beat the snot out of the Sox in the opening game Monday.

However, in a pleasant surprise, the Sox bounced back with an 8-1 victory Tuesday night. 

The Chicago offense kicked into gear late in the game, scoring seven runs from the sixth inning on. Credit starting pitcher Shane Smith (2-3) with keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard until the bats woke up.

Smith tossed 5.1 scoreless innings to earn his second big league win. He allowed just three hits, all singles, while striking out six and walking two. His season ERA falls to a rotation-best 2.45.

Michael A. Taylor worked a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Sox a 1-0 lead, and that's where the score stood when Smith finished his outing.

The Sox broke it open in the sixth, when Taylor hit his third home run of the season, a 3-run shot with two outs that increased the Sox lead to 4-0.

After Detroit got one in the seventh, the Sox added two more in the bottom of the inning on a two-out, two-run double by Austin Slater that made it 6-1.

Chicago scored six of its eight runs with two outs, which was nice to see. 

RBI singles by Mike Tauchman and Chase Meidroth increased the Sox lead to 8-1 in the eighth. That set the stage for a stress-free top of the ninth, as Chicago reliever Dan Altavilla retired the Tigers in order.

The Sox improve to 19-42. Hey, they are only 20.5 games back of the Tigers now! 

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 vs. Cubs: Pitching matchups

For those who still think the crosstown series is a big deal (I don't), here are the projected pitching matchups for this weekend's three-game set between the White Sox and the Cubs at Wrigley Field. 

Since we are Sox fans, Sox pitchers will be listed first:

Friday

Shane Smith (1-2, 2.08 ERA) vs. Cade Horton (1-0, 6.75 ERA)

Saturday

Sean Burke (2-4, 4.15 ERA) vs. Matthew Boyd (3-2, 2.78 ERA)

Sunday

Jonathan Cannon (2-4, 3.60 ERA) vs. Colin Rea (3-0, 2.48 ERA)

All three games start at 1:20. This series has lost so much luster that the TV networks don't want it anymore.

Tim Elko's home run lifts White Sox to series win over Marlins

First baseman Tim Elko got his long-awaited call-up to the White Sox on Saturday. He went 1 for 6 in the last two games of the weekend series against the Miami Marlins, but it was a big one -- a 3-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning Sunday that put the Sox ahead to stay in a series-clinching win.

Elko's presence also seemed to wake up incumbent first baseman Andrew Vaughn. For the three-game series, Vaughn went an ordinary 3 for 12, but it was a big three -- two solo home runs and an RBI single.

One thing the Sox need to do better is create roster competition. There are a handful of guys -- and Vaughn is one -- who haven't had their spot on the team challenged in years.

Everyone should have a little bit of fear that they might lose their job. It's what prevents you from coasting, from going through the motions. Watching the Sox the past several years, you always had the feeling that certain guys thought they were above reproach.

Let's hope that feeling starts to dissipate. Here's a look at the games from the weekend:

Friday, May 9

White Sox 6, Marlins 2: The Sox scored three runs in the seventh to snap a 2-2 tie. Josh Rojas singled, advanced to third on a double by Lenyn Sosa and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Baldwin.

Sosa also advanced on the sac fly, and he scored on a bunt single by Jacob Amaya. Later in the inning, Matt Thaiss worked a bases-loaded walk to cap the decisive rally that put the Sox ahead 5-2. They tacked on a run in the eighth when Rojas scored on a wild pitch.

Bryse Wilson had a good five-inning start for the Sox, allowing only one run on three hits. He did not figure in the decision, however.

Saturday, May 10

Marlins 3, White Sox 1: Vaughn's home run in the first inning turned out to be the only Sox run of the game, as the South Siders wasted six shutout innings from starting pitcher Shane Smith.  

Smith fanned seven, did not walk a batter and allowed only four hits, but he once again suffered from lack of run support, and the Sox bullpen could not hold the slim 1-0 lead it inherited. 

The Marlins tied the game in the seventh and added two runs in the eighth.

Back to Smith, he has started eight games for the Sox and allowed only 10 earned runs. That's excellent starting pitching, but the Sox are only 1-7 in his starts. The South Siders have scored only 15 runs in those eight games. 

Sunday, May 11

White Sox 4, Marlins 2: Vaughn's RBI single in the first inning gave the Sox an early lead, but the Marlins tied it at 1 in the fourth.

That set the stage for Elko in the sixth. After singles by Thaiss and Joshua Palacios, the rookie hit a pitch from Sandy Alcantara 381 feet into the left-field seats to put the Sox ahead, 4-1.

That made a winner out of Mike Vasil (2-1), who tossed three innings of one-run relief in place of starter Sean Burke, who struggled through four innings with five walks.

Tyler Gilbert worked a scoreless eighth, and Cam Booser got three outs in the ninth for his first save of the season. That's only the second save the Sox have as a team.

The Sox are 12-29. They are a normal bad team at home, with a 10-11 record at Rate Field. However, they are 3-17 on the road. They'll seek to improve that this week, as they open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

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.

White Sox take 2 of 3 from Red Sox

The Boston broadcasting booth might have given the White Sox some bulletin board material before the start of this weekend's three-game series at Rate Field.

During a Thursday game between the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, play-by-play man Dave O'Brien stated, "The White Sox invent ways to lose games." Color commentator Will Middlebrooks added, "The trip to Chicago could be coming at a perfect time." 

Now we all get to laugh and point at Boston because the White Sox surprised most observers by taking two out of three games. Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Friday, April 11

White Sox 11, Red Sox 1: We're used to Chicago prospects coming up and looking terrible in their major league debuts, so it was refreshing to see Chase Meidroth make a positive first impression.

The rookie middle infielder went 1 for 1 with a single, three walks and two runs scored. It's pretty cool to make four plate appearances in your first game and come out with a 1.000 on-base percentage. Meidroth became the first White Sox player to walk three times in his MLB debut since Ray Morehart on Aug. 9, 1924. 

They should give free admission to anyone who saw Morehart play, but I digress.

Boston committed five errors in this game, leading to six unearned runs for the White Sox. Michael A. Taylor went 3 for 5 with three runs scored, and Lenyn Sosa had two hits and two RBIs to lead the South Siders' offense.

The 12-hit attack made life easy for starting pitcher Davis Martin (1-1), who worked six-plus innings and allowed just one run to pick up the victory. The right-hander struck out six and walked one.

Saturday, April 12

White Sox 3, Red Sox 2: Boston starting pitcher Richard Fitts was sailing along with a 2-0 lead through five innings, but the White Sox caught a break when Fitts departed in the sixth after experiencing pain in his pitching shoulder.

Reliever Zack Kelly walked Miguel Vargas, and one out later, Luis Robert Jr. connected for his first home run of the season to tie the score at 2.

It remained even until the bottom of the ninth, when Robert Jr. worked a leadoff walk against Boston closer Aroldis Chapman. Robert Jr. eventually stole second and scored the winning run on a pinch-hit single by Brooks Baldwin.

Four Sox relievers combined to work 4.1 innings of scoreless ball. Most of the credit goes to Mike Vasil, who pitched two innings, and Jordan Leasure who got five outs across the eighth and ninth innings. Tyler Gilbert (1-0) was awarded the victory after he recorded the final out in the top of the ninth.

Sunday, April 13

Red Sox 3, White Sox 1: Former Chicago lefty Garrett Crochet got his revenge, taking a no-hitter and a 2-0 lead into the eighth inning in the series finale.

In an interesting twist, Meidroth singled with one out in the eighth to break up the no-no. Most fans will recall that Meidroth was one of four players the White Sox acquired from Boston in the Crochet trade this past winter.

Meidroth eventually scored when Matt Thaiss singled off reliever Garrett Whitlock to slash the Boston lead to 2-1. In fact, the White Sox had runners on second and third with only one out, but they could not tie or take the lead. Pinch hitter Joshua Palacios struck out, and Vargas flew out to left to end the threat.

Trevor Story homered in the top of the ninth to restore the Red Sox lead to two runs, and Chapman got three outs in the bottom of the inning to pick up the save. Crochet struck out 11 and allowed only one hit and one walk in 7.1 innings pitched.

It was a tough-luck loss for Shane Smith (0-1), who allowed two runs over six strong innings. Smith's ERA is a respectable 2.04 through his first three MLB starts. Unfortunately, run support has mostly eluded him to this point in the season.

The White Sox are now 4-11. They'll take Monday off before hosting a three-game series against the Sacramento Athletics. I'm not sure we're supposed to call the A's that, but hey, they play their home games in Sacramento, so there's that.

First impressions of White Sox: Terrible

If you're looking for a reason to believe the White Sox will be more watchable or more tolerable in 2025, I don't think we've seen one yet.

The Sox are 0-4 in their first four spring training games, and they've been outscored 36-12 thus far. On Tuesday, they endured a vicious 14-3 pounding at the hands of the not-so-mighty Colorado Rockies. That loss came on the heels of defeats against the Cubs on Saturday (7-3), the Kansas City Royals on Sunday (4-3) and the Texas Rangers on Monday (11-3).

I guess you can give the Sox credit for being consistent: They score three runs every day.

However, looking over these losses, we see a lot of the same patterns we saw during the record-setting 121-loss season of 2024.

Against the Cubs, the Sox played a sloppy defensive inning in the second, surrendering five runs and basically taking themselves out of the game early. A two-run homer by 22-year-old shortstop Colson Montgomery provided the biggest highlight for the South Siders, but I fear that might have fooled some fans into thinking the former first-round pick is ready for the majors.

Montgomery is 1 for 7 with four strikeouts so far this spring, and after he hit just .214/.329/.381 last season at Triple-A Charlotte, I think he would be best served to repeat the level in 2025. Even if Montgomery bats .500 in spring ball, I'm likely not going to change my assessment that he needs more work in the minors.

The Sox probably should have won Sunday. They took a 3-1 lead into the eighth inning, but the Royals rallied with three runs off lefty reliever Trey McGough. It seems unlikely that McGough, a 26-year-old career minor leaguer, will make the team. However, the Sox tend to blow leads in the seventh and eighth innings of games regardless of who is on the mound, regardless of the circumstances. Even if spring ball is meaningless, around here you're not even allowed one win to feel better about this team.

The first Chicago Sports Network broadcast of the season came Monday, and the Sox greeted fans by giving up nine runs in the top of the first inning against the Rangers. Texas collected only four hits during the rally, as two Sox pitchers -- including Rule 5 pick Shane Smith -- combined to gift the Rangers four walks and a hit batsman. The less said about that game, the better.

Perhaps it's for the best that Tuesday's loss to the Rockies wasn't on TV anywhere. Reports indicated that starting pitcher Davis Martin was sharp, needing just 18 pitches to record six outs in his two scoreless innings. However, two relievers who are expected to make the team -- Gus Varland and Justin Anderson -- were charged with 10 runs. Anderson allowed eight runs (seven earned) without recording an out in the eighth inning. Woof.

Really, Sox fans are looking for some reason -- any reason -- to believe this team isn't going down the same path it did in 2024. So far, sad to say, they are picking up right where they left off.

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.