Chicago White Sox: Matt Foster’s MLB debut grade
Matt Foster had a great Chicago White Sox debut in 2020. The future is bright for this young pitcher.
The Chicago White Sox drafted Matt Foster in the 20th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Alabama. Normally, you shouldn’t expect 20th round picks to pan out. Not only did Foster pan out in 2020, but he also looked like he could become a really good long-term relief pitcher. If the White Sox are able to continue using him in their already good bullpen, they will be set there for a long time.
Foster pitched in 23 games during the 2020 season. He only started two of them (was more of an opener) but he accumulated a 6-1 record overall. He appeared in 28.1 innings so his sample size was small but it wasn’t small enough where he shouldn’t be proud of his work. In those 28.1 innings, he accumulated 31 strikeouts, an ERA of 2.20, and a WHIP of 0.872.
If Foster were able to pitch like that over a full season in 2021 and beyond, the White Sox would be well off. He has the potential to keep doing what he is doing if he just continues to develop. Ethan Katz is there now as his pitching coach so that should help him even more too. His work in 2020 was great and he deserves a lot of respect for the way he played.
2020 Grade: A
Matt Foster deserves an A for his work during the 2020 season. He pitched a good amount and was always good. Sometimes it felt like when he started he should have been more than just an opener but that indicates that he is more of a relief pitcher in the eyes of the organization. Those stats, regardless of what type of pitcher he is, are brilliant and should be recognized. You don’t give someone who had those stats anything lower than an A on a letter grading scale.
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2021 Outlook:
In 2021, we need to see Matt Foster get a lot of innings. He probably isn’t going to be a starter if the usual suspects stay healthy for most of the season. You may see him get a spot start or two per season but he is best suited to come in with a one-run lead in the seventh inning. He will be on the roster in 2021 and ready to be an impactful player on a really good team.