The White Sox bet on Lucas Sims, hoping to unlock his dominant 2023 success after a rough 2025. Can Chicago reignite his pitching?
The Chicago White Sox are continuing to find ways to improve their bullpen for the 2026 season.
After signing hard-throwing right-hander Seranthony Dominguez to a multi-year deal earlier this month, general manager Chris Getz said the team would remain active over the next few weeks to improve the roster.
On Friday morning, the White Sox made another signing to potentially bolster their bullpen for this upcoming season. They signed relief pitcher Lucas Sims to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
Chicago is taking a chance on Sims after a career-worst year in 2025. He had a 13.86 ERA, a 2.270 WHIP, 14 walks, and 13 strikeouts across 12 ⅓ innings pitched with the Washington Nationals.
Nothing went right for Sims in his 18 appearances with Washington last season. He allowed multiple runs in six of 18 games and ranked in the bottom half of the league in chase rate (19.4%), strikeout rate (18.1%), walk rate (19.4%), and barrel rate (10.5%).
Even once the Nationals released him in mid-May, more struggles continued for him down in Triple-A when the Phillies signed him to a Minor League deal. Sims had a 5.56 ERA and a 1.529 WHIP across 34 innings pitched with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Despite those struggles in 2025, the White Sox are hoping the 2023 version of Sims shows up. That year saw the right-hander finish with a 3.10 ERA and 72 strikeouts across 61 innings pitched with the Cincinnati Reds.
The South Siders are simply hoping to unlock that version of him this year.
Some of that 2023 form was on display last season. It didn’t show up often, but there were signs that he could be fixed with the right team.
His whiff rate (35.3%) still ranked in the upper half of the league, and his average exit velocity (86.7 mph) was elite. His sweeper -- which contributed to his 2023 success -- also remained a top pitch for him. Opposing hitters had an expected batting average of .153 on that sweeper, and that pitch had a 40% whiff rate.
Therefore, it’s up to the White Sox to help him rediscover that 2023 form. He was a reliable bullpen arm for that Reds team that year and could make his mark on Chicago’s bullpen this season.
Sims will compete for a bullpen spot out of Spring Training. How he performs during the spring will determine whether the 31-year-old makes the White Sox’s Opening Day roster.