The White Sox Are Not Done Adding Starting Pitchers

A two-year deal for left-handed starter Anthony Kay marked the first move of free agency for the Chicago White Sox.

He brings balance to a rotation that should be a competitive mix of young arms looking to establish themselves at the big-league level — and GM Chris Getz has already told us as much.

Shane Smith, a 2025 All-Star and by all measures the White Sox’s best starting pitcher, is a lock for a rotation spot and is likely to be the club’s Opening Day starter and conventional “ace” next year.

Davis Martin’s 256 career MLB innings make him the most experienced arm in the group. He posted a 4.10 ERA over 142.2 innings in 2025 and can be safely penciled into the rotation as well.

Then there’s the recently signed Kay — a low-risk, high-reward addition for Chicago. His six-pitch mix should give Brian Bannister and new pitching coach Zach Bove plenty to work with when he arrives at Spring Training.

But Getz has already said that pitchers like Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon — young right-handers who have flashed occasional big-league success — will both be competing for rotation spots in 2026. Neither is viewed as a lock.

Tanner McDougal will also be a factor after being added to the 40-man roster. Shane Murphy could force the issue if he survives the Rule 5 Draft, and young pitchers Drew Thorpe and Ky Bush will be hard to ignore once they return from Tommy John rehab early in the season.

Clearly, there’s a lot still to be decided… and, by the way, the White Sox are still not done adding to their rotation.

If this team is going to take another step toward contention in 2026, they need to improve the pitching staff beyond what they got in 2025. You don’t do that by simply swapping out Martín Pérez for Anthony Kay and running it back. Getz knows that — and the White Sox aren’t done shopping.

“Look for the White Sox to add another starter to the mix, as well as a late-inning leverage presence or two,” wrote Scott Merkin of MLB.com with the Winter Meetings just days away in Orlando.

Chicago isn’t expected to be in negotiations with top-tier arms like Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez, but a starter in the $10–12 million range could go a long way.

Maybe it’s a reunion with Adrian Houser, a multi-year deal for Zack Littell, or another lefty on a prove-it contract like Nestor Cortes. All three carry estimated AAVs in the $10–13 million range.

That’s the tier of free agent I expect the White Sox to target.

Regardless, White Sox fans worried about the rotation mix can rest easy. Chicago is going to make another notable move to improve that group before Opening Day.