Chicago pivots its bullpen strategy after a flexor strain sidelines Jordan Leasure, giving Tyler Gilbert another opportunity.
The Chicago White Sox made a small roster move before Friday’s series opener against the Detroit Tigers.
The White Sox placed right-handed pitcher Jordan Leasure on the 15-day injured list and recalled left-handed pitcher Tyler Gilbert from Triple-A Charlotte. Leasure goes on the IL due to a right flexor strain.
The South Siders recently promoted Leasure to the big league roster in the wake of Jordan Hicks landing on the 15-day IL with a right lat strain on May 23. However, the right-hander allowed runs in each of his two appearances over the past week.
He allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout across 1 ⅓ innings against the Giants on May 23 and gave up one run across one inning pitched in Thursday’s win over the Twins. Leasure obviously didn’t feel right after Thursday’s relief appearance and lands on the IL with a flexor strain one day later.
Gilbert will now take his spot on the active roster.
This will be Gilbert's third time up with the White Sox this season. He made the team’s Opening Day roster before being optioned to Triple-A just two days later, and then was recalled from Charlotte in mid-April for two games against the Rays.
The southpaw really struggled in those two separate Major League stints earlier this year. He allowed six total runs across 2 ⅔ innings and was allowing a ton of hard contact on the mound (50%).
Since being optioned on April 17, Gilbert has spent the last six weeks down at Triple-A. He had a 2.45 ERA across 11 innings pitched this month, and tossed a scoreless outing in five of his last six relief appearances with the Charlotte Knights.
The White Sox are hoping that the 2025 version of Gilbert shows up in the majors this time around. The six-year veteran finished with a respectable 3.88 ERA and 49 strikeouts across 46 appearances last season.
Although another reliever went down with an injury, the South Siders have once again decided not to promote rising prospect Ben Peoples to the Major League roster.
Peoples has arguably been the most impressive reliever down in the White Sox’s farm system to start the season. He has a 1.40 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 25 ⅔ innings pitched and has a fastball that hits 97 mph.
The problem with Peoples is that he is not on the White Sox’s 40-man roster, which means a spot would have to be cleared for him. Chicago’s front office is likely not ready to designate a player for assignment yet.
Peoples’ time, though, is coming. There’s a strong chance he could be called up sometime in June/July.
