White Sox Must Answer Tough Question Before Free Agency

The Chicago White Sox have a handful of internal starting rotation options that will complicate the upcoming offseason.

We know the White Sox need to improve their rotation. Chicago probably needs to add at least two reliable starting pitchers, with at least one being a frontline arm who can be paired with Sean Burke at the top.

Free agency and the trade market are both viable avenues for pursuing these arms. And the White Sox should have plenty of ammunition, both in terms of prospect capital and financial flexibility, to make a splash.

Before they do that, though, the organization may need to answer some internal questions about the players already in a White Sox uniform.

Noah Schultz, David Sandlin, and Drew Thorpe are three young starting pitchers who are all ready for extended MLB opportunities in 2027. Schultz and Sandlin each had some hiccups during their debut seasons in 2026, but they also showed flashes of brilliance. Both should improve as they continue to develop and learn what it takes to get MLB hitters out consistently.

Thorpe had some great moments when he first debuted in 2024, but he's spent the last two seasons recovering from injury. He finally looked ready to return after making rehab appearances in August and September of 2026.

While I'm bullish on each of these arms for different reasons, I'm not sure any of them should be guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation without first earning it in spring training. Chicago shouldn't simply pencil Schultz and Sandlin into the rotation and refuse to make additions out of fear of blocking young players.

The White Sox need to add. Pour gasoline on the fire. Bring in proven veteran talent and All-Star-caliber pitching, even if that means filling out the rotation without leaving room for their young starters.

It may take trading a young starting pitcher or two to acquire the right veteran on the trade market, but it's also never a bad idea to maintain organizational depth and force young talent to earn their spots.

If you look at 2026 World Series teams like the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, that's exactly what they've been doing for years.

But this also means the White Sox need to answer a difficult question, one that has stumped them up to this point. What does the future look like for Hagen Smith and Grant Taylor? Are they members of the starting rotation? Or will they remain in the bullpen for the time being?

GM Chris Getz said during his end-of-season press conference that the White Sox had not yet made a decision on either pitcher's role moving forward.

It's another dangerous trap Chicago could fall into if the organization banks on one or both of these young pitchers successfully making the transition to the starting rotation.

Hagen Smith was magnificent after being called up in 2026. He pitched 28 innings out of the White Sox bullpen, posting a 1.29 ERA. Chicago also gave him the ball four different times in its seven playoff games, and Smith responded by throwing seven innings while allowing just one run in the postseason.

Grant Taylor was one of the best closers in baseball last season. While he wasn't a traditional closer for the majority of the year, he was one of only three relief pitchers in baseball to post an ERA of 2.25 or lower, make at least 60 appearances, and record over 100 strikeouts.

When the White Sox were cruising in the playoffs, it was because Taylor was dominating opposing hitters and shutting the door with multi-inning saves.

Two lights-out relief pitchers, each with the ability to throw multiple innings. So, of course, there's a natural temptation to see if the White Sox could maximize the value of Smith or Taylor by moving them into the starting rotation.

I'm not opposed to it. The White Sox shouldn't be either. But I will say that Chicago needs to approach the offseason as if both Smith and Taylor will remain in the bullpen.

I'd much rather see the White Sox aggressively pursue starting pitching, even if that forces Smith and Taylor back into relief roles, than watch Chicago have an underwhelming offseason while hoping Smith and/or Taylor can successfully make the transition.

My concerns about relying on young pitching, or even unproven pitchers taking on new roles, were on display in 2026.

Let's say the White Sox put Hagen Smith in their starting rotation. Then let's say it goes well, and Smith has a dominant start to the year. What does Chicago do when August rolls around, Smith is at 120 innings, and he's clearly laboring because he's never thrown that many innings in a single season in his professional career?

As the White Sox approach the end of the regular season and, hopefully, another postseason run, the last thing they need is starting pitchers who don't have enough left in the tank to be at their best when it matters most.

That wouldn't be nearly as much of a concern if the White Sox went out and signed an established starting pitcher like Michael King or Freddy Peralta.

It's one of the many questions the White Sox front office needs to answer. What will the roles of Hagen Smith and Grant Taylor look like moving forward? And it's a decision that can't wait until spring training, because it will likely impact Chicago's approach once free agency opens in an offseason when the market is expected to move quickly.

I explored this debate surrounding Taylor in greater detail a few weeks ago, but I still believe the bullpen should be his home moving forward.