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GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Chicago White Sox rotation is coming into shape.
Veteran free-agent addition Martín Pérez will be joined by returning starters Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin and Sean Burke.
The Sox still are determining their fifth starter, with Shane Smith and Bryse Wilson among the options. It also remains to be seen which starter will be on the mound for the March 27 season opener against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field.
“We have a lot of good options,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said Tuesday of the opening-day assignment. “We’ll see how it plays out.”
Martin has been one of the most consistent pitchers in camp, surrendering just one hit while striking out five in four innings during his two Cactus League starts. The right-hander pitched three hitless innings Thursday against the independent Asian Breeze, striking out five.
“I feel like every outing we are getting a little bit sharper,” Martin said Thursday. “Learn some different stuff every outing. Just trying to do different sequences with the sinker and do different things with some pitches.”
He has continued to expand his repertoire, which now includes the sinker.
“I threw a sinker in college so it wasn’t like a crazy change for me,” Martin said. “And just with how the kick-change(up) worked, I was like maybe we can repeat it with the sinker.
“Just going back to college, same thing we threw then so it was a pickup and get the feel for it and now we are rocking and rolling with it.”
Katz has been impressed with Martin’s progression for a long time.
“I’ve always been a big Davis Martin fan since the day he stepped foot in Kansas City (in 2022) and had to make a spot start for us,” Katz said. “But last year, coming back from Tommy John, he added the cutter. We added the kick-change right before a start.
“And then this year, he’s been able to put all that together and we asked him to add a sinker to kind of just round out his arsenal. He’s got six (or) seven lead weapons, and he could do a lot with the baseball. So expectations are really high for him.”
Martin made 10 starts (11 appearances) last season after returning from Tommy John surgery. Cannon made the most starts in 2024 among returning Sox pitchers (21 in 23 outings).
“(Cannon) got thrown into some tough situations last year, but he passed them with flying colors,” Katz said. “Obviously we are looking for him to take bigger steps this year and we asked him to do certain things this year to prepare for this season (during) this offseason.
“He’s really taking it in stride. He’s honing in on his stuff. We are looking for him to give us major innings this year.”
The right-hander isn’t getting too high or low with his spring results.
“Stay even-keeled and work on what you need to work on,” Cannon said Tuesday.
Cannon has allowed 10 runs on 16 hits — including four home runs — in three Cactus League starts. He has six strikeouts and has hit two batters. Cannon is slated to start Monday against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch.
“The last couple starts (of spring training), the number one thing is execution and getting ahead in the count,” Cannon said.
Pérez made his fourth Cactus League start Saturday in a split-squad game against the Colorado Rockies at Camelback Ranch, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks in four innings during a 2-1 win. Burke started the road split-squad game, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 3 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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Pérez made an adjustment Saturday, moving his hands from his chest to down to his belt.
“I got better rhythm, got more timing,” Pérez said. “I feel better and was trying to get back to 2022 with that rhythm on the mound. Today was really nice to feel what I feel.”
Pérez is preparing for his 14th big-league season.
“Guys with that kind of pedigree, his voice is heard amongst players,” Katz said. “We have a very young group who ask a lot of questions. So they are going to pick his brain. He’s been great in our pitcher-catcher meetings, the way he conducts himself, the way he talks about certain situations.
“Not only the performance on the field, but in the clubhouse, it’s going to be huge.”
Manager Will Venable said Thursday that it “will not be long” before the Sox finalize their opening-day plans.
“There’s a lot of good candidates right now,” Katz said. “We’re looking for somebody that will go out there and give us a really great start to the season.”
Infielder Josh Rojas left Saturday’s game against the Rockies with soreness in his right big toe.
He got tangled up with Brenton Doyle after catching shortstop Jacob Amaya’s throw and applying a tag at third base in the third inning. Rojas remained in the game and batted in the bottom of the third before exiting.
Rojas signed a one-year deal with the Sox during the offseason.
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Veteran free-agent addition Martín Pérez will be joined by returning starters Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin and Sean Burke.
The Sox still are determining their fifth starter, with Shane Smith and Bryse Wilson among the options. It also remains to be seen which starter will be on the mound for the March 27 season opener against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field.
“We have a lot of good options,” pitching coach Ethan Katz said Tuesday of the opening-day assignment. “We’ll see how it plays out.”
Martin has been one of the most consistent pitchers in camp, surrendering just one hit while striking out five in four innings during his two Cactus League starts. The right-hander pitched three hitless innings Thursday against the independent Asian Breeze, striking out five.
“I feel like every outing we are getting a little bit sharper,” Martin said Thursday. “Learn some different stuff every outing. Just trying to do different sequences with the sinker and do different things with some pitches.”
He has continued to expand his repertoire, which now includes the sinker.
“I threw a sinker in college so it wasn’t like a crazy change for me,” Martin said. “And just with how the kick-change(up) worked, I was like maybe we can repeat it with the sinker.
“Just going back to college, same thing we threw then so it was a pickup and get the feel for it and now we are rocking and rolling with it.”
Katz has been impressed with Martin’s progression for a long time.
“I’ve always been a big Davis Martin fan since the day he stepped foot in Kansas City (in 2022) and had to make a spot start for us,” Katz said. “But last year, coming back from Tommy John, he added the cutter. We added the kick-change right before a start.
“And then this year, he’s been able to put all that together and we asked him to add a sinker to kind of just round out his arsenal. He’s got six (or) seven lead weapons, and he could do a lot with the baseball. So expectations are really high for him.”
Martin made 10 starts (11 appearances) last season after returning from Tommy John surgery. Cannon made the most starts in 2024 among returning Sox pitchers (21 in 23 outings).
“(Cannon) got thrown into some tough situations last year, but he passed them with flying colors,” Katz said. “Obviously we are looking for him to take bigger steps this year and we asked him to do certain things this year to prepare for this season (during) this offseason.
“He’s really taking it in stride. He’s honing in on his stuff. We are looking for him to give us major innings this year.”
The right-hander isn’t getting too high or low with his spring results.
“Stay even-keeled and work on what you need to work on,” Cannon said Tuesday.
Cannon has allowed 10 runs on 16 hits — including four home runs — in three Cactus League starts. He has six strikeouts and has hit two batters. Cannon is slated to start Monday against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch.
“The last couple starts (of spring training), the number one thing is execution and getting ahead in the count,” Cannon said.
Pérez made his fourth Cactus League start Saturday in a split-squad game against the Colorado Rockies at Camelback Ranch, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks in four innings during a 2-1 win. Burke started the road split-squad game, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 3 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Sign up for our White Sox Insider newsletter
Pérez made an adjustment Saturday, moving his hands from his chest to down to his belt.
“I got better rhythm, got more timing,” Pérez said. “I feel better and was trying to get back to 2022 with that rhythm on the mound. Today was really nice to feel what I feel.”
Pérez is preparing for his 14th big-league season.
“Guys with that kind of pedigree, his voice is heard amongst players,” Katz said. “We have a very young group who ask a lot of questions. So they are going to pick his brain. He’s been great in our pitcher-catcher meetings, the way he conducts himself, the way he talks about certain situations.
“Not only the performance on the field, but in the clubhouse, it’s going to be huge.”
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Manager Will Venable said Thursday that it “will not be long” before the Sox finalize their opening-day plans.
“There’s a lot of good candidates right now,” Katz said. “We’re looking for somebody that will go out there and give us a really great start to the season.”
Injury update
Infielder Josh Rojas left Saturday’s game against the Rockies with soreness in his right big toe.
He got tangled up with Brenton Doyle after catching shortstop Jacob Amaya’s throw and applying a tag at third base in the third inning. Rojas remained in the game and batted in the bottom of the third before exiting.
Rojas signed a one-year deal with the Sox during the offseason.
Continue reading...
