Ranking White Sox' starting pitchers by how much they can be trusted in the Postseason

With the White Sox in first place in the AL Central as August winds down, it’s only natural to start thinking about the playoffs. A Postseason berth is far from a guarantee with three other teams still lurking in the division, but the White Sox have a very good chance at playing October baseball for the first time since 2021. One of the biggest questions surrounding the team for the rest of the season is the starting rotation, which is both depleted by injury and full of uncertainties about performance. Still, the White Sox need to be putting together a plan for who might start in postseason action. Here are each of the White Sox options ranked by how much they can be trusted in that situation. 

1. RHP Sean Burke

Sean Burke has been the White Sox biggest pitching development win this season, emerging as a true frontline starter in the team’s rotation. The right-hander has posted a 3.27 ERA in 26 outings this year, and strong peripherals back up his impressive performance. Burke’s 158 strikeouts and .222 opponent average make him the the most reliable option on the White Sox pitching staff, and he’s likely getting the ball for game one of a series. He can occasionally struggle with his command, leading to increased pitch counts and shortened outings, but when Burke is locked in, he can dominate lineups and put the White Sox in a great position to win. 

2. LHP Anthony Kay

Anthony Kay’s return from Japan didn’t get off to a great start, but the lefty has made the necessary adjustments and turned into one of the more reliable options in the White Sox rotation. Heading into Tuesday’s outing against Texas, Kay has a 3.16 ERA in his last 11 starts, and hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a game since June 17th. He’s exactly the kind of pitcher the White Sox can turn to that will keep them in the game and give the offense a chance to go to work. As a lefty, he’s a solid compliment to Sean Burke, and I’d feel very few reservations about giving Kay the ball in Game 2 of a postseason series as of right now. Kay also brings postseason experience from his time in Japan, so he’s no stranger to the big stage.

3. RHP Luis Castillo

There’s a fairly large gap between the second and third-best options here, but I’d have to go with the guy that has a history of performing well in the Postseason next. Castillo showed flashes of his old self during his dominant outing against Cincinnati, but has mostly struggled in his other three White Sox starts. Still, his experience pitching in big games gives him a leg up over some of the younger starters, and he’s a safer bet for a bounce back than players like Jose Urquidy. Davis Martin could be an option, but he needs to prove he can come back healthy and effective before I’m ready to throw him into a playoff game. 

4. RHP Erick Fedde

The White Sox moved Erick Fedde to the bullpen after the trade deadline, where he didn’t have great results, but he’s been a decent veteran arm in a bulk/starter role at times this season. Fedde has done better when the team has used an opener for him, and he’s struggled with giving up the long ball at times, but using a lefty like Sean Newcomb in front of Fedde is a formula that’s worked in the past for Chicago. In reality, they should’ve added another starting pitcher at the deadline, but they’ll need to work with that they’ve got right now, and Fedde’s experience could be the key in a fourth game. 

5. RHP Davis Martin

It’s really hard to trust Davis Martin in a big game right now. I never thought I’d be saying that two months ago, but Martin simply hasn’t been effective over his past few outings, especially early in games. The White Sox know how good Martin can be when he’s locked in, and they may elect to move him up on their plan, but I need to see him resemble his early season self before I feel confident putting him into that role. He’ll have a month or so to prove it down the stretch, as his return is expected soon. 

Other options include RHP Jose Urquidy, RHP Drew Thorpe, and LHP Noah Schultz. All of whom could factor in down the stretch and change things with their performance, but currently seem unlikely to take on a significant role in a hypothetical playoff series. 

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