The free-agent starting pitching market has been off to a slow start this offseason. Former White Sox ace Dylan Cease landed a large contract with the Toronto Blue Jays before Thanksgiving, and many expected the market to take off. Since then, a handful of pitchers returning to the US from Japan and Korea have found deals, but the majority of the top starting pitchers are still on the board. The White Sox have already added Anthony Kay to their rotation, and Chris Getz has been bullish on the idea that they’ll continue to add.
Getz also said that "it’s fair to assume that we’re going to continue to add to our starting pitching."
— Kyle W (@K_Williamsmedia) December 9, 2025
A new report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan has indicated that the White Sox may be more involved in their pursuit of rotation upgrades than we originally thought.
“Depending on prices,” Passan wrote. “Truly every team could target this tier. Among those who have been most aggressive in mid-tier pursuit, according to sources: the White Sox, Orioles, Angels, Nationals, Mets, Padres, and Diamondbacks”.
Among the names mentioned in this tier were Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, Nick Martinez, Zack Littell, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Tayler Mahle, German Marquez, Walker Buehler, Pastrick Corbin, and Michael Lorenzen. A White Sox rotation that currently features Shane Smith. Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, and a pair of question marks could certainly use one or two of these veteran arms to produce quality innings and help stabilize a young staff.
Some of the aforementioned names will be more expensive than others, and it’s unclear what it will take to land an arm in this tier, but Chris Getz has said the White Sox will be “aggressive in the right places” and the payroll is surely small enough to accommodate a mid-tier salary or two. Adrian Houser landed an $11 million AAV on his deal with the Giants and Dustin May will earn $12.5 million to head to the Cardinals, potentially giving an example of a deal for pitchers in the same tier.
The White Sox were never going to be involved in the top of the market, so landing a reliable mid-tier veteran is the next best thing. It’s unclear which of these pitchers specifically are of interest to the White Sox, but a number of them could make sense for various reasons. Bassitt, Martinez, and Littell are reliable inning-eaters with a track record of recent success. Giolito and Mahle have been top-of-the-rotation starters when at their best. Marquez, Buehler, and Lorenzen would be potential bounceback candidates, and Verlander and Scherzer are future Hall-Of-Famers who could be the ideal mentor for a young staff.
White Sox aggression on starting pitching is a promising sign
Regardless, it’s comforting to know that the White Sox are being aggressive despite a fairly quiet offseason to this point. Being aggressive means nothing if they don’t ultimately convert, but there’s plenty of time left and plenty of options available to make it happen. The pitching market, in particular, is always uber-competitive, so the White Sox will need to let their money do the talking. The team's free-agent pursuits this offseason seem to be significantly more impactful than a year ago, and the team appears prepared to add in their quest to take another leap forward in 2026. The White Sox have needs in other areas, but adding to their pitching staff is a necessity.
With the pitching market expected to get moving in the next few weeks, all will become clear in time. White Sox fans can approach the remainder of the offseason with cautious optimism and an assurance that Chris Getz is busy at work.