This is what the Chicago White Sox bullpen should look like for the rest of the year
The Chicago White Sox bullpen has been terrible. It would make sense to see what some of the other arms in the farm system can do.
The Chicago White Sox bullpen is a big reason the team is on its way toward possibly having the most losses ever in MLB history during the 162-game era.
The Sox pen has blown 28 leads. It has become a common practice to fade the Sox if they have a lead late in the game because chances are pretty good the pen will blow the lead.
Now the relief group is down their most reliable arm after Tanner Banks was traded to Philadelphia. The relief group is without an official closer after Michael Kopech was dealt.
Making matters even worse is the pen is full of players who should not even be on this roster anymore.
There is no need to have John Brebbia, Steven Wilson, and Chad Kuhl on this team. They are veteran relief arms that should have been traded for any prospect a team was willing to give up even if it was a player to be named later.
Now that the trade deadline has passed and it is unlikely they will be with the team next season, there is no need to keep them around. Brebbia had a good June but was awful in July.
Wilson has been inconsistent and Kuhl is a veteran taking up a spot that should go to one of the team's talented young arms in their farm system.
Justin Anderson is not the answer in long relief or in a high leverage situation. Sammy Peralta still cannot get big-league hitters out.
There is no reason for Touki Toussaint to be on this roster since he is a veteran and we have already seen him fail last season.
Jared Shuster is about the only pitcher in the pen who should still be coming in from the pen. Even then, he has been so inconsistent that the White Sox could do better.
Ideally, these are the eight arms that should be in the bullpen for the rest of the season...
Closer: Prelander Berroa
His numbers are terrible at Triple-A Charlotte with a 6.69 ERA. You have to remember Charlotte has a tough park to throw in. He did pitch well at Double-A last year when he was with the Seattle Mariners.
He has pitched two career innings in the big leagues, so he is still a blank slate in the majors.
He has a fastball that can hit close to 100 mph and he can complement with a slider. That is the type of stuff to try out at as a closer. It is not like the Sox have a lot of chances to win this season and it is already lost, so it cannot hurt to test him out here.
If he can pass the test, that is a long-term, cheap option to have during the rebuilding phase.
High-leverage arm: Fraser Ellard
He was just called up and gave up two runs in his first pro outing against the Kansas City Royals. It was a high-leverage situation, and he failed to protect a lead that could have snapped the team's historic losing streak.
You can also chalk that up to big-league jitters. He did have a 3.76 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP at Triple-A Charlotte. One bad outing is not a reason to scrap on seeing if he can be an effective bullpen arm down the road.
High-leverage arm: Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa
This might be draining the farm system of pitchers, but winning at the minors should not matter. The team has shown with Drew Thorpe that they are not afraid to promote a pitcher from Double-A.
They also gave Jake Eder a cup of coffee with a one-game promotion. Hoopii-Tuionetoa was acquired in the Robbie Grossman deal. He gave up zero runs in 12.1 innings before he was acquired by the Sox.
Since coming into the White Sox organization, he has a 2.33 ERA and a .88 WHIP. He projects to be a reliever at the big-league level, so now is a good time to see what he can do.
High-leverage arm: Trey McGough
He just arrived in the Sox organization via the Eloy Jimenez trade with Baltimore. McGough might be better than some of the bullpen arms the team currently has on it right now.
He has a 2.08 ERA at Triple-A. It does not make sense to send him to Charlotte. Designate Brebbia for assignment to give McGough a shot.
Left-handed high-leverage arm: Ky Bush
He should be the choice for this spot in this ideal situation if the Sox decide to go with Mason Adams to be the fifth starter in the ideal rotation scenario.
He earned a promotion to Triple-A after pitching great at Double-A Birmingham. In the ideal world, if the Sox wanted Bush to be the fifth starter, then you can put Jake Eder her.
Left-handed low-leverage arm: Jared Shuster
The years of club control are the only reason he should still be given a shot. However, as part of a way to develop Jake Eder, it could not hurt to give him Shuster's spot in the bullpen.
Low-leverage, long-relief arm: Sean Burke
He has been starting at Triple-A Charlotte since working his way back from a shoulder injury. His numbers are not the greatest there, but keep remembering, Charlotte is not easy to pitch at.
Think of it like Coors Field without the thin air allowing the ball to fly out of the park.
He should have gotten the callup to the bigs instead of Touki Toussaint. He might still be working his way into form, but he is 24 and still a blank slate at the big-league level. Touki is a guy who keeps getting DFA'd or cut out of spring training.
You might be thinking going with all these arms in the minors will deplete Triple-A Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham. Well, those teams' records do not matter.
Development does and this is a great way to get an evaluation of what these young arms can do and provide an introduction to the big leagues. Plus, you can always sign a pitcher like Gus Varland as the club did today to provide organizational depth.
Low leverage, long-relief arm: Chris Flexen
There is no reason for him to start the rest of the season. Instead, a rotation spot should be opened up for Adams, Bush, or giving Nick Nastrini another shot to start in the big leagues.
The book is out on Flexen. He will pitch himself into trouble and then you have to hope like heck he can minimize the damage.
He is still on this roster, so it would make sense to have him throw in the innings that Garrett Crochet does not get through because of his innings limit for the rest of the season. Flexen proved earlier this year he can pitch well out of the pen. This slot still gives him a purpose, otherwise he should be DFA'd.
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