As the 2026 season winds down, the Nationals are making a move that should catch the White Sox’s attention. Washington is reportedly nearing an extension with Cade Cavalli, a young starter whose rise has put him in position for a long-term deal. For Chicago, that kind of move may offer a useful template for Sean Burke when his own time comes.
Burke has already become one of the most important pieces of the White Sox’s future rotation. The 25-year-old opened the 2025 season on Opening Day, then followed a rocky stretch with a stronger showing in 2026 that pushed him into clear frontline territory for Chicago’s staff.
His path hasn’t been smooth. Burke debuted in 2024 and posted a 1.42 ERA across four appearances. He then started 2025 with six scoreless innings, only to run into inconsistency for much of the year and finish with a 4.22 ERA, including a return trip to Triple-A.
This season followed a similar early script before Burke found another level in the summer. From June through August, he trimmed his ERA from 4.15 to 2.99 over a 10-start stretch.
There have been some bumps since then as he’s moved past his previous career-high in innings, but he still leads White Sox starters with a 3.47 ERA and 3.0 fWAR. With eight games left, he’s the likeliest choice to start Game 1 of a postseason series, and he looks like a safe bet to be in the 2027 rotation as well.
Cavalli’s case is close enough to Burke’s that the comparison makes sense. At 28, Cavalli is two years older and has had two fewer years on his contract, but his career arc has some familiar twists.
He debuted in 2022 and started just one game that season, then missed all of 2023 and 2024 because of injuries. In 2025, he posted a 4.25 ERA over 10 outings.
The difference came in 2026, when Cavalli entered the Nationals rotation for the first time and delivered a 3.12 ERA over 164.2 innings. He’s also nearing 200 strikeouts, which explains why Washington wants to keep him around.
Burke may be a year or two away from that same kind of extension discussion, but the White Sox can already see the shape of it. His production lines up closely enough with Cavalli’s that a similar deal could make sense down the road, especially if he keeps trending upward and settles in with more innings and experience.
For now, the immediate extension focus in Chicago is likely to center on Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas. But if the White Sox turn their attention to the pitching staff in the next few years, Cavalli’s agreement could serve as a straightforward blueprint for getting something done with Burke.
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Former White Sox Infielder Just Hit Another Rough Turn
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The move closes another difficult chapter in what has been a frustrating season for Sosa, who struggled at the plate and also battled injuries along the way. For the White Sox, it is another reminder of a once-promising infield piece whose progress has stalled, leaving his next step unclear. [Read more 🡒]