The White Sox starting rotation has been one of the team’s pleasant surprises early this season. Entering Monday’s series opener against the Angels, four of the current five starters have an ERA below 4.00, and it’s truly been the key to the White Sox 16-18 start to the 2026 campaign. Newly acquired lefty Anthony Kay has been the one White Sox starter struggling in the early going, and it began to feel like his days in the team’s rotation were numbers. Unfortunately, some developments in the minor leagues have left the White Sox with few alternatives, so Anthony Kay’s rotation spot could be much more secure than it was even a few days ago.
White Sox minor league pitching woes have ramped up this week
For starters, White Sox pitching prospect Tanner McDougal, who seemed to be the next prospect in line to get his shot, was diagnosed with a flexor strain and will be shut down for a few weeks. Aside from the few weeks he’s guaranteed to miss, a flexor strain has historically been a precursor to more serious arm issues, so McDougal’s availability for the remainder of 2026 is currently in question. At the very least, he won’t be coming for Kay’s rotation spot for a few weeks.
The White Sox received more tough injury news Sunday about right-hander Shane Smith, the team’s Opening Day starter who was optioned to Charlotte amidst serious control issues.
Triple-A Charlotte pitcher Shane Smith suffered a right rotator cuff strain. He will miss a couple of weeks, according to the White Sox.
— LaMond Pope (@lamondpope) May 3, 2026
Since being optioned a few weeks ago, Smith posted a 5.27 ERA in four starts with Charlotte. His control issues haven’t fully resolved, as he’s walked eight over 13.2 innings over that span. He continues to see good results when he’s throwing strikes, as he’s held hitters to a .191 average in Charlotte. Now, his return to the White Sox will be delayed as he works through a shoulder issue.
Another option for the White Sox is lefty Hagen Smith. The former first-round pick is looking to bounce back after a tough 2025 season that saw him struggle mightily with his control. Unfortunately, the control issues have resurfaced for Smith. He’s yet to pitch more than four innings in a start and he’s walked at least three hitters in each of his last three outings, and his fastball velocity has been down from its normal 95-96. Smith looked ready to go at the beginning of the season but has since fallen into old habits, so it’s tough to envision his big league call-up being imminent.
Outside of those three tough developments, the White Sox aren’t exactly overloaded with good options to replace Anthony Kay in the rotation. Jonathan Cannon is currently on a minor league rehab assignment, but he’s gotten completely torched at the Triple-A level. Right-hander David Sandlin looked strong in his first start for Charlotte, but he’s still building up following a delayed start to the season. Duncan Davitt and Tyler Schweitzer have both made their major league debut in a relief role, but neither look ready to take the reins as a big league starter yet. It makes me wonder what the White Sox would do if an injury were to occur.
All of this makes one thing clear to me: Anthony Kay’s rotation spot is safe for now. The lefty has a 5.70 ERA in seven games this season, easily the worst mark of the current five starters. He’s struggled to locate his off-speed pitches leading to poor results for his fastball in the zone. He looked a bit better in his start against the Padres on Sunday, but he’s not yet seeing the results that he or the White Sox hoped for.
As the White Sox look to continue their step forward to start the season, they’ll need to rely on Kay to rebound from his early struggles because help may not be coming soon. It’s only May, so there’s a long way to go yet in 2026. I’d encourage White Sox fans to be patient with Anthony Kay, because it seems like he’s here to stay.
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