The White Sox are moving Luis Castillo to the bullpen and giving David Sandlin a deserved opportunity in the starting rotation.
It's a long-overdue move for the Chicago White Sox. But it's better late than never.
Prior to the upcoming four-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field, manager Will Venable announced that right-handed pitcher Luis Castillo is being removed from the team's starting rotation. Castillo will move to the bullpen, with his spot in the rotation being taken by David Sandlin.
I don't just think this is a wise move by the White Sox. It's the only move they could make if they were serious about winning in 2026.
Even with their poor play recently, the White Sox still have a fighting chance in the AL Central and could easily retake first place with a strong final 10 games. There's also an American League Wild Card spot up for grabs.
Sandlin inarguably gives Chicago a better chance to win than Castillo does.
David Sandlin Deserves the Opportunity
In his most recent outing against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sandlin made it through five perfect innings but ultimately took the loss despite not giving up a single earned run.
Out of his six MLB appearances for the White Sox in 2026, half of them have been really strong, and Sandlin has shown a clear ability to get deep into games and handle the normal workload of a starting pitcher.
Luis Castillo has not.
Sandlin has also earned this opportunity with his performance in Triple-A Charlotte. Over 14 starts for the Knights this season, the right-hander has gone 4-0 with a 2.22 ERA, consistently giving the White Sox reasons to bring him back to Chicago.
Between what he's accomplished in the minor leagues and the flashes he's shown at the MLB level, Sandlin has done more than enough to earn another opportunity in the starting rotation.
Castillo's 7.76 ERA since being acquired by the White Sox at the trade deadline is inexcusable. And out of his seven appearances for the team, he's made it through five innings just once.
41 hits and 11 walks over 29 innings just isn't playable for a team in a division race.
White Sox Have to Prioritize 2026
The White Sox still have Luis Castillo under contract for 2027, and they'll be paying him a pretty penny. But that's a concern for another day.
For now, it's about giving the 2026 team the best chance to win possible. And perhaps Castillo can be more productive in the bullpen than he has been as a starting pitcher.
Castillo's regularly scheduled start would have come Friday night against the Tigers, but Sandlin is now listed as the probable starter in his place, with one more outing likely coming after that before the end of the regular season.
