Davis Martin delivered five scoreless innings in his first rehab start, offering hope that he can provide stability for the White Sox rotation down the stretch.
For the first two months of the Major League Baseball season, nobody was more valuable to the Chicago White Sox than right-handed pitcher Davis Martin.
Questions about Chicago's starting rotation entering the year were quickly answered by Martin, who did not merely improve upon his previous form, but looked like a legitimate All-Star and potential AL Cy Young contender.
Over his first 11 starts, Martin posted an 8-1 record. The White Sox were 10-1 when he took the ball, and his ERA sat right at 2.00 at the end of May.
As the season progressed, Martin endured the occasional blow-up start, but he generally gave the White Sox a good chance to win whenever he took the ball. But as the calendar turned to July, his innings count climbed and the stakes grew for a first-place White Sox team, Martin started to fall apart.
Over his last eight starts, Martin has an 8.16 ERA. His season ERA has risen all the way to 4.32, and he has regularly been hit hard in the first inning, often putting the White Sox behind from the jump.
On August 13, Martin was ejected from a game against the Cincinnati Reds after losing command and throwing multiple errant pitches. The White Sox revealed after the game that Martin had been battling a blister, which ultimately landed him on the IL and gave him an opportunity to reset his body and mind before the final stretch of the season.
But the reality is that it has become difficult for the White Sox to count on Martin for anything the rest of the way. He is only 17.2 innings away from his career high. Whether it is a dead arm, mental fatigue, or something wrong with his mechanics, it has been a long time since Martin looked dependable enough to be counted on as a member of the starting rotation.
This week, however, the White Sox received their first encouraging sign, with Martin looking like his old self in his first rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte.
He completed five innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while surrendering no runs and recording five strikeouts. Martin also worked efficiently, getting through five innings on just 59 pitches, 40 of which went for strikes.
The big question remaining for the White Sox as September call-ups approach is what the roster, and specifically the starting rotation, will look like for the home stretch of the season. Chicago has been operating with too many "TBA" starters recently. The White Sox have run multiple bullpen games and have not been able to rely on anyone in the starting rotation to consistently provide innings.
Even if Martin returns and does not resemble the All-Star version we saw during the first few months of 2026, it would still provide a huge lift for the White Sox pitching staff if he can be stable enough to produce quality starts, throw strikes, and look like the Davis Martin we came to know in 2024 and 2025.
His rehab outing on Thursday was an encouraging sign, and it should not be long before Martin is activated from the IL and rejoins the White Sox with a fresh start.
