Boasting a 2.04 ERA and elite strikeout metrics, the White Sox right-hander has transformed into a dominant ace.
The Chicago White Sox have been one of the more dramatic teams to start the season.
The White Sox currently sit at .500 on the year (27-27) and second in the American League Central through the first two months. Part of the reason for their early-season success has been the unexpected play of several players.
Munetaka Murakami leads the American League with 19 home runs, Miguel Vargas has a 2.1 WAR across 53 games, and Grant Taylor continues to break out with a 2.36 ERA and a 34.8% strikeout rate.
However, no White Sox player has been more impressive to begin the season than Davis Martin.
Martin has been nails on the mound in his fourth Major League campaign. He owns a 2.04 ERA, a 1.022 WHIP, and 66 strikeouts across 61 ⅓ innings pitched, ranks first in WAR (2.9) among all American League pitchers, and the White Sox are 9-1 in his 10 starts this season.
There’s no denying just how dominant Martin has been in 2026. He has allowed one run or fewer in six of his last seven starts and has struck out at least seven batters in six consecutive outings.
His elite numbers to start the season have fully put him into the early-season Cy Young conversation. His 2.04 ERA ranks third, his 1.02 WHIP ranks sixth, and his 66 strikeouts rank ninth among all American League pitchers.
So, where does Martin rank in the current American League Cy Young conversation?
Well, MLB.com provided White Sox fans with an inside look at where Martin might rank. A panel of 36 MLB.com experts voted on which pitchers would win the Cy Young Award in both leagues if the season ended today.
The White Sox right-hander came in at the No. 4 spot in MLB’s latest Cy Young poll. Only New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease, and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jose Soriano were ranked higher on this list.
It’s nice to see Martin finally gaining some recognition from around the league. He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season, and his improvement in the swing and miss department has been at the forefront of his breakout campaign.
Last season, Martin had a below-average chase rate (28%), whiff rate (21.6%), and strikeout rate (17.3%). This season, those metrics are massively up. The 29-year-old ranks in the 89th percentile in chase rate (35.4%), 70th percentile in whiff rate (28%), and 81st percentile in strikeout rate (27.4%).
He’s getting it done with a six-pitch mix and a devastating slider that has a 54.5% whiff rate in the early going. Martin has also done a good job limiting free passes, as he has walked just 12 of the 241 batters he has faced this season (5% walk rate).
Martin looks like a completely different pitcher from a season ago and has emerged as an ace for the White Sox. Every time he steps on the mound, it feels like the South Siders have a chance to win.
