5 former Chicago White Sox players that could make the All-Star Game with new team

For the third consecutive year, the Chicago White Sox are most likely going to have just one representative in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.

Starting pitcher Shane Smith and infielder Miguel Vargas both have strong cases to make the American League roster and represent the South Side in Atlanta.

As exciting as it may be to see new faces emerging as potential All-Stars for the White Sox, it's always tough see former Sox players thriving in new destinations. A handful for former White Sox players are making All-Star cases of their own with new teams in 2025.

Garrett Crochet

Left-handed starting pitcher Garrett Crochet was Chicago's lone All-Star representative in 2024. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox during the offseason and has pitched even better than he did in a White Sox uniform.

Crochet has a 2.20 ERA in 16 starts this season. His 102.1 innings pitched leads the American League and his 125 strikeouts are the most in baseball.

Crochet is currently the 2nd betting favorite for the AL Cy Young Award. He is a lock to earn his second career All-Star Game nod and even has a chance to start the game.

Gavin Sheets

Gavin Sheets signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres during the offseason after being non-tendered by the White Sox. Sheets had a strong showing in Spring Training and made the Padres' Opening Day roster.

In 75 games this season, Sheets has a career-high .266 batting average and 12 home runs. His OPS+ is at 115 and he is just one RBI shy of Manny Machado from being San Diego's team leader.

Sheets is definitely more of a long-shot to make the NL All-Star Game roster. Between Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Robert Suarez, and others, the Padres will not be short on representation in the game. If Sheets is an All-Star, it's strictly on merit.

If he has a strong few weeks leading up to the rosters being finalized and the Padres get on a hot streak, I think there's a chance Sheets gets added to the roster to give San Diego the representation it deserves.

Carlos Rodón

Carlos Rodón has been up and down since leaving the White Sox after the 2021 season. In 2021, Rodón became an All-Star for the first time in his career. He had a 2.37 ERA and helped the White Sox win the AL Central for the first time since 2008.

Rodón spent one season with the San Francisco Giants, and had a fantastic year posting 237 strikeouts with an ERA of 2.88. He was an All-Star in 2022, but has not received the honor since signing a $162 million contract with the New York Yankees.

Rodón is tied for the Major League lead with nine wins this season. He has a respectable 3.10 ERA and is third in the American League in strikeouts with 114.

Ironically, former White Sox pitchers Garrett Crochet, Carlos Rodón, Chris Sale, and Dylan Cease are all in the top 10 in MLB in strikeouts this season.

I think Rodón playing for the Yankees also helps his case and he will earn his third career All-Star selection in 2025 .

Chris Sale

As previously mentioned, former White Sox ace Chris Sale is having another elite season in 2025. Sale is coming off winning the NL Cy Young award with the Atlanta Braves in 2024 and at 36 years old, he continues to bolster his Hall of Fame resume.

Sale got off to a rough start this season, allowing 14 earned runs over his first four starts. On April 18, his ERA was 6.17, but ever since, he has a 1.41 ERA in over 70 innings pitched.

Sale has struck out 8+ hitters in eight (8) of his last 11 starts. He has struck out 10+ hitters four different times and has now allowde more than tow earned runs since mid-April.

With a 2.52 ERA and 11.5 K/9, Sale is on track to make his 9th career All-Star Game and 4th since leaving Chicago.

Tommy Kahnle

35-year-old Tommy Kahnle has never made the All-Star Game in his 12-year MLB career. He pitched in Chicago in 2016 and 2017 before being dealt to the New York Yankees in a blockbuster deadline trade.

Kahnle has battled a lot of injuries over the course of his career. From 2020-2022, he appeared in a total of 14 games.

Coming off a stellar 2024 season for the Yankees, Kahnle signed a one-year, $7.75 million contract with the Detroit Tigers in the offseason. He has been a part-time closer and high-leverage arm in Detroit's bullpen. Kahnle's 1.35 ERA is a big reason the Tigers are currently the best team in baseball.

Kahnle only has eight (8) saves, but his 0.75 WHIP and 1.35 ERA are dominant enough to warrant some All-Star consideration.

Just last year, we saw dominant setup arms make the All-Star team with Phillies relievers Jeff Hoffman and Matt Strahm. Kahnle could easily receive the same treatment, especially with Detroit likely to get a lot of representation in the game.

It would be a great story for a 35-year-old veteran that has been an underdog ever since breaking into the league with the Rockies and White Sox.