Chicago’s revolving door of pitchers continues, with Jonathan Cannon getting the call despite recent struggles in both the majors and Triple-A.
Just a few days ago, the White Sox turned to pitching prospect Duncan Davitt, calling him up to make his MLB debut and seemingly fill the vacant spot in the starting rotation.
With Shane Smith being sent down to Triple-A after struggling to find the strike zone in his first three outings, the White Sox found themselves with a taxed bullpen and a clear need for innings. That also left an opening in the rotation.
So it made sense when the White Sox started cycling through arms. Lefty Tyler Schweitzer was called up to make his MLB debut on Wednesday, and by Thursday afternoon, he had already been sent back down to Charlotte while Davitt was brought up in his place.
Now, the White Sox are doing it again.
Before Sunday’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals, the team optioned Davitt back to Charlotte and recalled right-handed pitcher Jonathan Cannon.
Grant Taylor will serve as the opener on Sunday afternoon, with Cannon expected to handle the bulk of the innings. That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Cannon has struggled in Triple-A to start the season, posting an 8.31 ERA across 8.2 innings in his first two outings.
Those numbers come on the heels of a 5.82 ERA with the White Sox last season, along with a 5.40 ERA in seven minor league starts. Cannon simply hasn’t looked like the same pitcher who showed real promise at the big league level in 2024, and that trend has carried into the early part of 2026.
From my perspective, it’s a strange decision to go with Cannon over Davitt for one game. Davitt is stretched out as a starter just like Cannon, so why use him out of the bullpen over the weekend when he could have filled the same role Cannon is taking on Sunday?
Either way, it’s unlikely Cannon sticks around for long. His role on this 2026 team appears to be that of a spot starter—someone who can be called up to eat innings when needed.
And that role may become even more limited soon. With the reported call-up of top pitching prospect Noah Schultz, the White Sox should have a full rotation in place while Smith works things out in the minor leagues. Schultz has been dominant to begin 2026, posting a 1.29 ERA with a 3-0 record in his first three outings. He’s also striking out 12.2 batters per nine innings and looks fully back to form now that he’s healthy.
We’ll see Cannon take the mound on Sunday, but if I had to guess, he’ll be back in the minor leagues by the time the White Sox open their next series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.