As the MLB trade deadline creeps closer, the White Sox keep sounding more and more like a team ready to act.
That doesn’t mean anything is done. Chicago still has to go from talking about upgrades to actually landing them, and those are two very different things. But with the White Sox surprising the baseball world and sitting atop the AL Central, the sense is that Chris Getz may be willing to push harder than he has in a long time.
Starting pitching has been near the front of the line on the club’s shopping list. Reid Detmers of the Angels has already been linked to Chicago, and now the search appears to be widening. Russell Dorsey of Yahoo Sports added two more veteran names to the mix that White Sox fans know well: Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber and Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers.
"The Sox are casting a wide net in their search for playoff-caliber rotation reinforcements, with the hope of getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2021," Dorsey wrote.
"The White Sox have been scouring the market in recent days, and sources tell Yahoo Sports that Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Shane Bieber and Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers are two names on Chicago's radar."
Neither pitcher is the sort of headline-grabbing target that would dominate every deadline board, but that may be exactly why they make sense for Chicago. Both carry upside, both could come at a lower acquisition cost, and both are headed for unrestricted free agency this winter.
If the White Sox are looking to make a loud splash, there are other starters they could chase first. But if they feel comfortable with the way their rotation and bullpen are trending, this is the kind of move that could fit. The team also could have several pitching prospects ready to be called up, which adds another layer to how they might approach the deadline.
Bieber is the bigger name of the two, and White Sox fans know why. He was a Cy Young winner in his Cleveland Guardians days, but Tommy John Surgery in 2024 has changed the conversation around him.
He made only seven starts in 2024 and just reached that same total on July 28. In that latest outing, he lasted only 0.2 innings and allowed 4 earned runs, pushing his ERA to 5.64 this season.
That kind of line makes him a risky bet at this deadline.
Still, the track record is impossible to ignore. The White Sox would be hoping they can help him find his old form in time for October, and that gamble could make sense if the price stays low enough.
Rogers offers a different kind of appeal. His 4.27 ERA in 20 starts this year gives Chicago a more stable option on paper, even if he is not the same ace he was in 2025.
The left-hander leans on a mid-90s four-seamer and a strong change-up, uses his command well, limits walks and makes hitters work. He is not built to pile up strikeouts, but he does keep the ball in play.
His career has had its peaks and valleys, but he has generally settled in as a reliable mid-rotation arm. The timing may be right for a move, too: Rogers is 6-2 over his last eight starts with a 1.99 ERA, and in that stretch he went fewer than 6.0 innings only once.
He would likely cost more than Bieber, especially with the Orioles possibly considering an extension for him. Even so, Chicago should have the kind of prospect capital that lets it stay competitive in the market, since Baltimore has been one of the most discussed sellers this year.
The real takeaway is simple. The White Sox are digging into the market and leaving no stone unturned.
For a team still building toward the future, a cheaper rental or a controllable arm would probably be the cleanest path. Bieber or Rogers could fit that mold.
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The return gives Toronto a pair of young pieces to work with in outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene, a sign the front office is balancing present needs against future value. For a club trying to thread that needle in a deadline market that rewards urgency, this is the kind of decision that can look smart in one light and hard to stomach in another, depending on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]