The Chicago White Sox have made headlines this offseason with the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, a move that signals the franchise is looking to turn the corner from rebuild to resurgence. But while Murakami’s arrival is the splashy headline, the Sox have also been quietly piecing together a roster with some intriguing depth moves-none louder than Sunday’s addition of veteran left-hander Ryan Borucki on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.
Borucki isn’t a household name, but he brings eight seasons of big-league experience and a skill set that could earn him a spot in Chicago’s bullpen. Last season, split between the Pirates and Blue Jays, Borucki posted a 4.63 ERA with 32 strikeouts over 35 innings. Not elite numbers by any stretch, but the underlying splits tell a more nuanced story-particularly when it comes to his effectiveness against left-handed hitters.
In 2025, Borucki held lefties to a paltry .117 batting average and a .379 OPS across 60 at-bats. That’s the kind of left-on-left dominance that managers crave late in games, especially with the three-batter minimum rule still in play. His ability to neutralize lefty bats could make him a valuable situational weapon, assuming he shows well in camp.
The challenge for Borucki will be consistency-especially against right-handers. Opposing righties hit .338 with four homers off him in 65 at-bats last season, a clear vulnerability that could limit his role if it doesn’t improve. That said, if the White Sox can deploy him strategically, there’s a path to meaningful innings.
Borucki will be competing with Brandon Eisert and Tyler Gilbert for what’s likely one of the final bullpen spots. Spring training will be the proving ground, and the lefty trio will be under the microscope as the Sox look to solidify a bullpen that needs more reliability heading into the season.
Turning 32 in March, Borucki debuted with Toronto back in 2018 and has since carved out a journeyman career defined by flashes of potential and stretches of inconsistency. But in a bullpen role-especially one that leans into his success against lefties-he could offer real value to a White Sox team that’s quietly building a more competitive roster.
It’s not the kind of move that grabs headlines, but it’s the type that can pay dividends over a long season. If Borucki finds his groove, he could be one of those under-the-radar signings that ends up playing a bigger role than anyone anticipated.