A month ago, if you would’ve asked any White Sox supporter who they’d start in game one of a postseason series, the answer would’ve been Sean Burke without any hesitation. From June 18th to August 11th, Burke had a streak of ten straight starts with two earned runs or less. He posted a 1.60 ERA during that span and a 79/11 K/BB ratio. It looked like Burke had truly established himself as a frontline starting pitcher who the White Sox could trust to take the ball in a must win game. Things have started to falter over the past month, however, and Tuesday night’s disaster should have the White Sox asking serious questions.
Burke took the mound in Chicago on Tuesday with the White Sox clinging to a three-game lead in the AL Central. After a solid outing against Houston got him back on track, Tuesday was nothing short of a nightmare. The Pirates plated five runs against Burke before he even recorded an out, with Pittsburgh hitters driving the ball all over the field. By the time Burke finally left the game in the second, the White Sox trailed 7-0, and the game was essentially over. It was the kind of uncompetitive effort the White Sox can’t afford to have at this stage of the season. And it’s been a worrisome trend for Burke’s last few outings.
Batted around in the first. 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/3HbBHYSfGR
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 9, 2026
Sean Burke's past month has been worrisome for the White Sox
Prior to Tuesday’s start, Burke had allowed ten earned runs over his last four outings. That number doesn’t really capture the extent of his struggles, however. Two outings ago, Burke walked a career-high eight hitters against Texas, though he managed to only allow two runs and pitched out of trouble a couple times. Before that, both the Tigers and Mets tagged him for four runs each as he struggled with his command. The fact that he’s surpassed his career high in innings by 22 could certainly be a factor, and the White Sox did get him an extra two days of rest before his most recent start. No matter the reason, it’s much more difficult to trust Burke to perform in a big spot than it was just a few weeks ago.
Outside of Burke, the White Sox are pretty strapped for quality starting pitching. Davis Martin looked strong in his return from the IL, so the team will hope he more closely resembles his early-season form. Anthony Kay has been inconsistent but has turned in solid outings at points this season. Erick Fedde has surprisingly turned in a 3.00 ERA since June, so he could very easily find himself starting a playoff game. Luis Castillo has been a disaster so far in his White Sox tenure.
The truth is, the White Sox need Sean Burke to recapture some of his summer success if they want any hope at making a run this season. The offense and bullpen have done an excellent job of making up for the rotation’s shortcomings, but playoff baseball is different. It’s really difficult to make noise in the postseason with a starting rotation that doesn’t perform. The division series schedule would allow the White Sox to get by with only three starters, making Burke’s return to form even more important. Fortunately, he should have a few more regular season starts to get back on track.
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