The White Sox have put themselves in position to chase the AL Central, but the path forward is going to run through pitching. Chicago sits at 44-39 with a one-game edge over the Cleveland Guardians, and that’s come despite being without their best power hitter, Munetaka Murakami, for the last month. It’s also happened while the pitching staff and bullpen have been uneven all season.
That matters because the White Sox’s 4.22 team ERA ranks 17th in the majors, and if they’re serious about making noise in October, that number has to get better. There’s a clear sense that Chicago will need at least one or two starting pitchers and one or two bullpen arms if it wants to make a real playoff push. How aggressive the front office gets at the deadline isn’t certain, but moves are expected.
Any addition to the rotation would create a ripple effect, and that could leave either Eric Fedde or Anthony Kay without a spot, unless the White Sox decide to go with a six-man setup. Kay, though, may not be the odd man out so much as a piece who fits better in a different role.
He has been solid this season and has had some very impressive starts, but he’s also been inconsistent. The numbers suggest there’s another lane for him: the bullpen.
Kay has been especially effective against left-handed hitters, who are batting .181 against him with a .284 on-base percentage. He’s walked just seven lefties while striking out 27, which is exactly the kind of production that can play in leverage spots.
The split is much rougher against right-handers. They’re hitting .294 off Kay and reaching base at a .378 clip, which points to a real platoon issue. Lefties haven’t had the same read on him, and that gap could make him a weapon in the right matchup.
That kind of usage would fit a playoff environment, where pitching changes come fast and lefty-on-lefty decisions become a regular part of the script. If Will Venable is looking for outs in those spots, Kay could be part of the answer.
The broader case for the move is simple enough: Kay hasn’t been a disappointment, especially after coming back from Japan, but his profile may be stronger in relief than in the rotation. On the year, he has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.425 WHIP. If the White Sox land another starter, shifting Kay to the bullpen could be one of the cleaner ways to strengthen the staff.
Sean Newcomb has already given Chicago a boost in that kind of role, and adding Kay to the mix could give the White Sox a deeper bullpen at exactly the right time.
In Other News...
White Sox Suddenly Have A Jacob Gonzalez Problem They Wanted
Munetaka Murakami has been out with a hamstring injury since May 29, and Jacob Gonzalez has used the opportunity to get a much longer look at first base than the White Sox probably expected. Gonzalez did not make the easiest early impression, but the recent production has been enough to change the tone around his spot on the roster and give the club something to sort through as Murakami inches closer to a return.
Gonzalez has gone 8-for-19 over his last five games entering Tuesday, driving in 13 runs and giving the White Sox a fresher, more useful version of a player they were still trying to evaluate. Murakami has not started a rehab assignment yet, so the clock is not exactly urgent, but the front office still has to decide what this stretch means for Gonzalez once the everyday first baseman is ready again. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Suddenly Tied To The Rotation Help Fans Keep Begging For
Sonny Gray has become one of those familiar names that keeps circling back into rotation conversations, and for a White Sox club that has spent plenty of time looking for stability on the mound, the fit is easy to understand. USA Todays Bob Nightengale recently reported that Boston is expected to pay Grays $10 million mutual option and then move him before the 2026 MLB trade deadline, keeping alive the idea that a veteran arm could become available again after a strong season.
What makes the situation more interesting from Chicagos perspective is Grays no-trade clause, which means any next stop would still be up to him. The Braves are also in the mix, but the White Sox remain one of the teams attached to the conversation, and that alone is enough to keep fans watching a little more closely as the calendar moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
First Place White Sox Just Earned A Massive Midseason Stamp Of Approval
A season that began with more questions than answers has turned into a genuine first-place run, and the White Sox are starting to get some external validation for the progress they have made. With a one-game lead in the division entering Wednesdays games, the improvement has been driven by more than just one hot stretch. Colson Montgomery, Jacob Gonzalez, Miguel Vargas and Chase Meidroth have all helped supply offense, while Davis Martin has become a stabilizing presence and the bullpen has held up its end.
Even with Munetaka Murakami sidelined, the bigger takeaway is that Chicago has built something that looks more sustainable than a short-lived surge. That is why some midseason reviews have turned so sharply in the White Soxs favor, with the younger core drawing particular attention as the kind of group that could matter well beyond this summer. The standings say one thing, but the broader evaluation suggests the organization may be further along than many expected. [Read more 🡒]