As the calendar turns from April to May, the Chicago White Sox are set to begin their second full month of the regular season. The team began the month at 14-17 after a 13-13 April record has kept them afloat. With some early standouts and some early disappointments, the White Sox will look to carry over the momentum into May. Among the early successes are a few surprises. Here are some of the biggest.
RHP Davis Martin
If you asked most Sox fans before the season started which pitcher would have the best season in the White Sox rotation, most probably would’ve mentioned Shane Smith or even Sean Burke. Some bolder predictors may’ve gone with top prospects Noah Schultz or Hagen Smith. I doubt many people would’ve guessed Davis Martin. The 29 year-old righty finished the 2025 season with a 4.10 ERA in 26 outings. With only 104 strikeouts in 142.2 innings, Martin primarily relied on soft contact to be effective, and he was essentially a league-average starter. Six starts into 2026, he sits with a 1.95 ERA and has already surpassed his bWAR mark from 2025. Not much has changed stuff-wise this year, but Martin continues to pound the strike zone and induce a ton of soft contact, and he’s been more effective than ever before this year. Will Martin sustain this success all year? It’s hard to tell. But he’s been the most effective starter in the rotation this season and a big success in the early going.
7 Ks for Davis Martin today 👏 pic.twitter.com/jxlIMrsGrD
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 24, 2026
RHP Erick Fedde
The White Sox signed Erick Fedde late in the spring to round out their rotation, and at the time, it felt like an underwhelming addition to their staff. Fedde had a strong 2024 season with the White Sox before his trade to the Cardinals, but struggled to a 5.49 ERA with three teams in 2025. Fedde returned to the White Sox to work with Brian Bannister, who helped him turn in his career best season. Through six appearances, Fedde holds a 3.24 ERA, and his 3.34 xERA suggests it has very little to do with luck. Fedde’s sweeper, which he’s been using more than his fastball, has been an elite pitch in the early going. How long Fedde’s opportunity will be in the big league rotation is not yet known. The White Sox have some young pitchers waiting in the wings, and Fedde may be without a spot at some point. His strong performance, however, makes him a likely trade chip at the deadline, so the White Sox could cash in on Fedde’s trade value for the second time in three years.
LHP Bryan Hudson
The White Sox bullpen has had its struggles in the first month of the season, but lefty Bryan Hudson has been one of the biggest surprises in the pen. The 28 year-old was with the White Sox last season before being traded to the Mets in the offseason. He joined the Mets for spring training, didn’t make the roster and was claimed on waivers by the White Sox after the first game of the season. Since then, Hudson has appeared in 15 games for the White Sox, posting a 1.29 ERA and striking out 18 in 14 innings. Hudson has been thrown into several different roles, including opening twice and even notching a save against the Angels. With a fastball that averages 91.2 MPH, Hudson primarily relies on movement and location to get hitters out, and his 29.5% strikeout rate is surprisingly high for his stuff. He hasn’t allowed a barrel and has a 55.9% ground ball rate to start the season. Hudson has quickly turned into one of the most reliable arms in the White Sox bullpen, and he’s under control through 2030, so the White Sox could certainly keep him around.
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