The White Sox are leaning hard into the lefty life this offseason - and their latest move might be their most intriguing yet.
Chicago has signed veteran left-hander Sean Newcomb to a one-year, $4.5 million deal, continuing a clear trend of stacking southpaws on the pitching staff. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated fellow lefty Ryan Rolison for assignment. Newcomb now joins a growing group of left-handed additions, including Chris Murphy (via trade from Boston) and free agent Anthony Kay.
But this isn't just another bullpen depth move - not entirely, anyway. While Newcomb was arguably the best lefty reliever still on the market, the White Sox reportedly plan to give him a shot at starting again. That’s notable, considering he hasn’t been a regular part of a rotation since 2018, when he posted a 12-9 record and a 3.90 ERA across 30 starts (31 appearances).
Fast forward to last season, and Newcomb quietly put together the best year of his career - albeit out of the bullpen - splitting time between Oakland and Boston. In 48 appearances totaling 92.1 innings, he posted a 2.73 ERA and racked up 1.7 fWAR.
Among left-handed relievers across the majors, he finished fifth in ERA and tied for seventh in innings pitched. And he got stronger as the year went on - after June 18, he allowed just a 1.15 ERA.
So how did he do it?
Newcomb’s success came from a revamped approach and a deep, six-pitch mix. His four-seam fastball, slurve, sinker, and cutter are his go-to weapons, with the latter two playing a big role in his 2025 resurgence.
The reintroduction of the cutter and increased sinker usage helped him limit hard contact - his Barrel% ranked in the 87th percentile - and induced ground balls at a 47.5% clip. That’s the kind of profile that puts pressure on your infield defense, and it’s something the White Sox will need to be ready for, especially with both Newcomb and Kay now in the mix.
Strikeouts weren’t his calling card last year - he posted a league-average 23.3% K-rate - but he made up for it with command, deception, and soft contact. He’s not overpowering hitters, but he’s keeping them off balance and off the barrel. That’ll play in any role.
Right now, the White Sox pitching staff is shaping up to be a mix of youth, reclamation projects, and upside plays. The projected rotation includes Shane Smith, Anthony Kay, Sean Burke, Davis Martin, and Jonathan Cannon - a group long on potential but short on proven MLB innings. Newcomb could slot in as a swingman or even compete for a back-end starting role, depending on how things shake out in spring training.
In the bullpen, Newcomb joins a group that includes Jordan Leasure, Grant Taylor, Jedixson Paez, Alexander Alberto, Mike Vasil, Chris Murphy, and Wikelman Gonzalez. Once Drew Thorpe finishes rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, he’s expected to re-enter the starting conversation. The same goes for Ky Bush and Prelander Berroa, who are also recovering from TJ, while Tanner McDougal could be the first of that trio to make an impact based on health and 2025 performance.
The addition of Newcomb also creates a bit of a roster crunch among the White Sox’s other left-handers. Tyler Gilbert, Brandon Eisert, and Bryan Hudson all saw time with the club in 2025, but only Eisert has minor league options remaining. That could leave Gilbert and Hudson in limbo unless the team opts to use Chris Murphy’s final option year to shuffle the deck.
Bottom line: Newcomb gives the White Sox flexibility, experience, and a proven arm coming off a career year. Whether he starts or comes out of the 'pen, he’s the kind of pitcher who can eat innings, miss barrels, and give you a chance to win - and for a White Sox team still figuring out its identity on the mound, that’s a valuable piece to have.