The Chicago White Sox starting rotation should look like this after the MLB trade deadline
Let's see what some of the young arms can do instead of Chris Flexen.
The Chicago White Sox are down a good starting pitcher after trading Erick Fedde. The return in the deal for him was underwhelming, but the Sox did not trade ace Garrett Crochet.
At least the team still has a top-of-the-line starter.
It was going to be hard to trade Crochet once word got out that he wanted an extension in order to pitching in October since this is his first year as a starter and he was expecting to shut it down once the regular season was over.
At least the Sox do not have to replace two arms in the rotation. However, there is no reason to see Chris Flexen pitch the rest of the season. We know what the team is getting out of him. He will pitch himself into trouble and that it is a matter of him being able to limit the damage.
He is on a one-year deal and should not factor into the team's long-term plans.
Ideally, this is what the starting rotation should look like for the rest of the season...
No. 1 Starter: Garrett Crochet (Chris Flexen being the long reliever after he throws four innings)
Crochet has already pitched in 114.1 innings this season. He threw in just 72.3 during his first three seasons and missed the 2022 season after Tommy John surgery.
The innings limits have already been implemented, as he threw just 13 innings in five starts in July. It would be better to have him on a pitch count than an innings limit. Either way, it does make sense to limit his workload the rest of the season.
His value to the team's long-term health is just too important to waste on this terrible season. He emerged as the club's ace and he can still be sent out as a draw at the gate. Plus, the team can try to get him signed to an extension in the offseason to anchor the rotation for the rest of the decade.
If they cannot get him signed to an extension, they can trade him in the offseason when his trade value should still be high.
What would make sense is to have Flexen go from starting to backing up Crochet as the long relief man to eat up whatever innings Crochet cannot make it through.
No. 2 Starter: Drew Thorpe
Thorpe had six outstanding outings over his first seven starts. His last two starts have not gone well. He lasted just .2 innings and allowed eight runs against the Seattle Mariners last Friday.
He did have an effective outing yesterday against the Kansas Royals as he lasted five innings and allowed six runs.
He allowed 13 runs over his first seven starts. Thorpe has allowed 14 runs in his past two starts. This is about of baseball coming for Thorpe. He was facing the Mariners and Royals for the second time of the season. The hitters seemed ready to sit on his changeup and crush his fastball if it was left up over the plate.
That is what happened in his past two starts. Thorpe needs to adjust back by locating his fastball down and away or in. If he can do that, he can start to unleash his lethal arsenal of off-speed pitches.
His struggles should not be a reason for a concern just yet. If he can get back that outstanding command, he has the stuff to be an ace in the Mark Buerhle and Aaron Nola mold.
Starter 3: Jonathan Cannon
He was outstanding in his last outing against the Royals. Cannon has shown this season that at a minimum, he should be a very solid fourth starter.
At his best, he has proven he can be a possible No. 2 starter in the rotation.
Starter 4: Davis Martin
He had a couple of solid starts in 2022 before his 2023 season was wiped out after he needed Tommy John surgery.
Martin just came off the injured list and will be given the first crack to replace Fedde in the rotation. Rightfully so as he was slated before his arm injury last year to get a shot at the rotation or be the first player called up to fill a spot in case of an injury.
Starter 5: Mason Adams or Ky Bush
Honestly, you could put Jake Eder here, or even give Nick Nastrini another crack at the starting rotation too. The fifth spot should be given to one of the many promising arms the Sox have in their farm system instead of running out Flexen every five days.
Eder got the most recent call-up however it was only for a game. He has struggled at Triple-A. However, do not panic as Charlotte is one of the toughest minor league parks to pitch in. Nastrini continues to battle command issues that got him sent back to Triple-A twice this season.
Really, it is just coin flip between Bush or Adams. Bush provides another left-hander in the rotation. He pitched great at Double-A and earned a promotion to Triple-A. Adams has also been outstanding at Double-A.
Adams has a curve and a slider with excellent spin on them. Sox pitching guru Brian Bannister has preached that righties who can spin the ball with sink have success at Guaranteed Rate.
Do not expect the Sox to call up their top pitching prospect, Noah Schultz. They have had a strict development plan where he has pitched every Saturday for no more than four innings at Birmingham. It is a great way to have him work on his command and build up his arm to be ready for next season.
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