Starting Rotation
Jonathan Cannon, Drew Thorpe, Davis Martin, Sean Burke, Veteran Free-Agent TBD
Cannon is likely your Opening Day starter with how well he pitched after he debuted. He did pitch in the victories that ended two of three White Sox double-digit losing streaks, including the AL record-tying 21-game victory drought.
He has already reached his floor of being a reliable No. 3 or No. 4 pitcher in a rotation. The hope is maybe he can reach his ceiling, and that is being a good No. 2.
Martin could also be in the mix to start Opening Day. He, too, showed he is an effective No. 4 starter in a rotation.
Do not rule out the veteran-free agent they sign, depending on who it is to get the Opening Day start. If it is, say, a reunion with Jose Quintana, then it makes sense he gets the Opening Day honors based on his veteran status and his resume.
Hopefully, Drew Thorpe's bone spurs in his elbow were the cause of his two terrible starts before he was shut down to have surgery to remove them. If that is the case, the Sox might get back the potential ace pitcher everyone saw during a dominant stretch before the injury became a problem.
Sean Burke had a nice four-game window at the end of the season that provides hope he can be a dominant pitcher.
The White Sox do not technically have to go out and get a veteran starter with all the pitching depth they have in their farm system. Prospects Nick Nastrini and Ky Bush got some starts last season with mixed results. Mason Adams had a great minor-league season, and it is still worth trying to figure out if Jairo Iriate can be a starter.
Plus, there is a chance top pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith can make an appearance at some point in 2025.
It still cannot hurt to have a veteran help these young arms how things are done in the big leagues, especially with free-agent options like Colin Rea and Jakob Junis on the market. If they do not work out as starters, they still have bullpen value.