The Chicago White Sox acknowledged a bullpen need, but the additions haven’t followed in free agency.
An upgrade to the bullpen was the most obvious move for the Chicago White Sox to make this winter.
Fans projected it months in advance. Before free agency even opened, there was widespread discussion about the White Sox targeting an established closer for the 2026 season.
The team’s lack of high-leverage relief arms was glaring in 2025. It consistently put the manager in difficult situations and directly contributed to the White Sox’s inability to win close games.
The blueprint seemed clear. The Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox had just watched future Hall of Famers Kenley Jansen and Aroldis Chapman deliver productive seasons on one-year contracts. The expectation was that the White Sox would follow suit — sign a proven closer to a short-term deal, likely in the $10 million-per-year range.
Instead, it quickly became apparent that the market for experienced closers was far more expensive than anticipated.
I started to worry the White Sox might get priced out altogether. And while it became increasingly likely that Jordan Leasure would enter 2026 as the team’s primary closer, it still felt like a given that Chicago would add veteran bullpen help as a fallback option.
General manager Chris Getz essentially confirmed that plan.
“We’re looking to help our bullpen,” Getz said in early December. “And there’s different ways of doing that. I wouldn’t say it’s a set closer, so to speak.
“It would be nice to get someone who has closer experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a ninth-inning guy, or even an eighth-inning guy. Someone that can help in higher-leverage situations is something that we’re set out to add.”
Since then, the White Sox have made just one move to address the bullpen: signing left-hander Sean Newcomb. And now it’s come out that Newcomb’s goal for 2026 is to work as a starting pitcher — a plan the organization is willing to entertain during spring training.
In my opinion, that’s a questionable call.
Newcomb is not an innings-eater the White Sox can reliably count on to protect young arms. He hasn’t topped 100 innings pitched since 2018 and has dealt with repeated injuries throughout his career.
But even if we assume everything breaks right — even if Newcomb earns a rotation spot and thrives — I still find myself asking the same question:
Where is the bullpen help?
So far this winter, 47 relief pitchers have agreed to MLB contracts for the 2026 season. The White Sox have not signed a single one.
That’s difficult to reconcile for an organization that has openly acknowledged its need for bullpen reinforcement — especially after trading away Steven Wilson, one of its higher-leverage relievers, earlier this offseason.
To be clear, this isn’t a critique of the Wilson trade itself. I wasn’t particularly high on him based on his underlying metrics. But it’s worth noting that Getz made his public comments about needing bullpen help after that move, and after the White Sox acquired Chris Murphy in a trade with the Boston Red Sox.
Since the general manager deliberately outlined a need for bullpen depth, the White Sox have been largely idle. And the lone relief addition they’ve made is now being stretched out as a starter.
So far, it’s another example of Getz somewhat contradicting himself this offseason. I still believe a notable veteran reliever will eventually be added. I still believe the White Sox want help in high-leverage situations.
But with every day that passes and pitchers and catchers inch closer to reporting, the lack of activity becomes harder to ignore.