Where does standout lefty Noah Schultz fit in White Sox' plans after rocky rookie season?

After establishing himself as White Sox best pitching prospect, Noah Schultz was added the Sox rotation in April with high expectations. Unfortunately, his first big league season was anything but consistent.

There were some high points. He held the San Diego Padres scoreless for six innings on May 1st, allowing just two hits and three walks. But there were also some very low points--5 runs in 3.2 innings against the Texas Rangers, 7 runs in 3.2 innings against the Angels, and a slew of outings that were just too short for the number of runs he gave up.

Schultz is a left-handed pitcher with an impressive low arm-slot, a devastating slider, and a five-pitch mix. He was MLB Pipeline's No. 16 prospect, and many hoped he'd be the Sox eventual ace.

The concerns around Schultz were his command/control (although he throws lots of strikes), and his durability--illness and injuries derailed his senior high school season, his 2023 draft year, and a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw him post career-worst numbers.

So far, all these concerns have been realized. His call-up came after a dominant stint in Triple-A, but he didn't bring that to the majors. He finished the season with a 9.6% walk rate and a 5.57 ERA, while missing all of June due to tendonitis in his knee.

The White Sox are short on starting pitchers, and continue to take a positive view of Schultz. His ceiling is higher than most arms they could get via trade or free agency, so he's undoubtedly in their long-term plans somehow, but there are number of different ways that could look in 2027.

Ideally, Schultz would be in 2027's starting rotation, and he'd perform well there all year. But the Sox might not be willing to take that risk on him, especially now that the contention window has opened.

Starting pitching was their biggest weakness in 2026, and Schultz was brought in as an injury replacement--that promotion was probably premature, even though he was doing well in Triple-A.

The Sox still need starters, and, realistically, they can only add so many arms during the offseason. They'll have to look internally, and Schultz remains one of their better options. Chris Getz is not particularly patient, and the Sox might not want to tolerate losses while Schultz proves he belongs. But Braden Montgomery stuck in the everyday line-up during his own rookie struggles, so the Sox are willing to work with their top prospects, especially in places they're short-handed in. Even if Schultz struggles early on, they might be willing to make him a starter, and let him work out his struggles on the field.

I'd say Schultz has a good chance at making the rotation, but he'll have a harder time keeping that spot. Part of this will depend on who they can add during the off-season, but if Schultz looks solid during the Spring, it wouldn't surprise me if he's given a handful of starts early in the year.

Could Noah Schultz remain in the bullpen in 2027?

This isn't out of the question, especially considering how much the Sox used their pen during the postseason.

After a Triple-A demotion, Schultz was called back up in September to play out of the bullpen. He did not record another start--his longest outing lasted 3.1 innings--but he looked good in his appearances.

Pitchers with good stuff who struggle going deep often become relievers. But it's far too early to write-off Schultz, a 23-year-old coming off his rookie season, by saying he can only handle the bullpen.

But the Sox could still start him out there. The front office has said they're comfortable relying on relief arms, and that's been proven with their recent strategies. They might decide Schultz helps them more as a successful reliever than an unsuccessful starter. And he did manage a 2.00 ERA in 9.0 regular season relief innings, plus a three-inning postseason game where he yielded just one run.

A team that badly needs starters is likely to give their top pitching prospect every opportunity to stay as a starter, so it's unlikely that they're ready to declare Schultz a reliever already. Maybe they'll have him pitch in bulk relief behind an Opener, or "piggyback" with another starter, a strategy they used often in 2026.

There's also the possiblity that Schultz simply begins the year in Triple-A.

Schultz has good stuff, and he can get major leaguers out. He got a fast-tracked promotion, made worse because injuries have limited his prior professional work. You could argue he just needs more experience, and that his initial call-up was premature.

If he pitches in Triple-A, he'd get to be a regular starter, rather than a bullpen arm, and the Sox wouldn't have to worry about winning while working through his struggles. He would see decent quality pitching in an easier environment, and could be called up mid-season when he's ready.

Starting Schultz in Triple-A would be the "safe" route, if the Sox are very concerned about rushing his development. And it would also suggest they're committed to him as a starter, instead of a bullpen arm, because the argument for putting him back in Charlotte is that he could get regular starts.

Was Schultz brought up in September because the Sox thought an extra arm was more important than player development, or because they needed a reason to try him out in a bullpen role?

It was probably a combination. Either way, sending him back to Triple-A is always an option, especially if there are specific adjustments they have him make during the off-season.

My best guess is he starts off in the rotation, but in a piggyback/swing-man role, with the idea to transition him to regular starts. He has so much value to the Sox, they can't make him a full-time reliever yet, and they don't have that many viable starters as it is. Schultz doesn't have much left to learn in Triple-A, either, and he's shown he can perform in the big leagues even if he wasn't able to do so consistently.

That being said, I think he'll have to earn his spot this year. He'll probably be on a shorter runway than he was in 2026, especially if the Sox add rotation depth, but he's still a high-ceiling starter with high expectations; the opportunity is his to take.

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