Davis Martin Faces Crucial Test in White Sox Return

Needing to bounce back from his recent struggles and prove he can still be a reliable go-to arm for the Chicago White Sox, right-handed pitcher Sean Burke was up to the task on Tuesday night, tossing 5.2 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit against the Houston Astros.

It's the kind of outing that goes a long way, both for the team's success in a 5-1 victory and for Burke's confidence. And with a White Sox team desperate for pitching reinforcements in September, it was reassuring to know that Chicago's best starter was still capable of shutting down an opponent in a "must-win" game.

On Wednesday night, Davis Martin returns to the mound for Chicago and looks to follow in Burke's footsteps.

At the start of 2026, Martin was one of the biggest surprise performers in all of baseball. He looked not just like an All-Star, but like a potential AL Cy Young candidate for the White Sox. Over his first 11 starts, he went 8-1 with a 2.00 ERA. He'd struck out 71 batters in 67.2 innings, a rate that was particularly impressive compared to his career norms, and the White Sox were 10-1 when he took the ball.

June was an up-and-down month. There were some dominant starts and some blow-up outings as Martin ultimately pitched his way off the AL All-Star roster. But ever since, it's been a slow regression into a pitcher who simply can't be trusted to make a start.

Since the beginning of June, Martin has a 7.06 ERA, allowing 74 hits and 25 walks over just 57.1 innings. Over his last five starts, his ERA sits at 9.95.

The primary issue for Martin recently has been his inability to pitch deep into games. He's also put the White Sox behind early nearly every time he's taken the mound.

On July 29, Martin gave up four runs in the first inning against the New York Yankees. The White Sox were fortunate enough to storm back in the late innings and secure a 6-5 win in the 12th, but Martin's struggles out of the gate presented an additional challenge.

On August 4, he allowed six runs in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox in a 14-2 loss. On August 9, Martin surrendered two runs in the first inning before being pulled following a rain delay. That turned out to be the best possible outcome for the White Sox, who went on to beat Cleveland 5-3.

His last start came on August 13, when he allowed three runs in the top of the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds and was ejected in the third after hitting Reds rookie star Sal Stewart in the head with a pitch. That once again forced the White Sox to empty their bullpen just to get through the game, and they ultimately lost 9-8 despite a strong showing from the offense.

Following that performance, the White Sox placed Martin on the 15-day IL with a blister on his right middle finger, an issue that had bothered him during the outing against Cincinnati. And perhaps the benefits of an IL stint go beyond simply getting healthy. It's given Martin an opportunity to rest his arm, reset mentally, and prepare to bounce back for the homestretch of the 2026 season.

Chicago doesn't need him to be the AL Cy Young candidate he was for the first two months of the year. If Martin can simply be a reliable No. 2 starter, you'd feel a lot better about this White Sox rotation as the postseason approaches.

Martin made one rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte and looked like his old self, pitching five innings while allowing just one hit and one walk and recording five strikeouts. The scoreless rehab outing was an encouraging sign. Now, the White Sox are returning Martin to the active roster and giving him the ball on Wednesday against the Houston Astros.

Needless to say, it's a big start for Martin. If he pitches well, there will be plenty of confidence that he's up to the task for the rest of the season. The White Sox will breathe a sigh of relief. But if Martin has some of the same issues, including an inability to find the strike zone, giving up runs early, and failing to pitch deep into the game, the White Sox may have to accept the reality that he won't give them much for the rest of the 2026 season.

That's not a fun thought when picturing this pitching staff in a postseason scenario.

On the heels of Burke's big-time outing for the White Sox, one that answered a lot of questions, it's Martin's turn on Wednesday night as Chicago takes on the Astros at 7:10 p.m. Central Time.