It’s not an exaggeration to say that 2026 hasn’t been the step forward many White Sox fans envisioned so far. It’s early, but the White Sox are at or near the bottom of the league in just about every category on offense. Surely a Wednesday evening against right-hander Jesse Scholtens, who the White Sox let go due to his health and performance inconsistency, would be enough to right the ship. Well, not exactly.
After the White Sox failed to score despite three second inning hits against Rays opener Cole Sulser, the Rays turned to the former White Sox righty in the third. The White Sox hit a couple balls hard but couldn’t put together a rally in Scholtens’ first inning, and the right-hander quickly settled into a groove. He finished the night with five innings, allowing no runs on one hit and walking two. The White Sox managed to plate three runs in the ninth against Ian Seymour, but came up well short en route to their 12th loss of the season and fourth in five games.
Jesse Scholtens didn't stand out during his stint with the White Sox
Scholtens, 32, began with the San Diego Padres, where he rose through the farm system as a starting pitcher. Scholtens never posted super impressive numbers throughout his minor league tenure, but received promotions nonetheless. Following a 2022 season in which he posted a 4.10 ERA in a hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, Scholtens elected free agency and signed a minor league deal with the White Sox. He began the season with Triple-A Charlotte but made his big league debut for the team, ultimately posting a 5.29 ERA in 85 innings at the major league level. Scholtens didn’t pitch in 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring, and he made ten minor league appearances upon his return in 2025 before being designated for assignment in August.
Jesse Scholtens, Filthy Sliders. 😷 pic.twitter.com/LDQQr4y0VE
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 13, 2023
The Rays claimed Scholtens on waivers, assigning him to Triple-A Durham before calling him up for two appearances to finish out the season. Now, he’s on the big league roster and throwing scoreless outings against his former team.
Scholtens’ performance is just another eye-rolling night for the White Sox offense. On its own, it's not a big deal. Even the best offenses in baseball can be stymied by a pitcher having a good night. But for the White Sox, it's indicative of a much bigger issue. All offseason, the White Sox front office preached about the step forward the team was going to take this season thanks to the young position player core, but to this point it’s only been a step back. There’s not a single player in the White Sox lineup having a better year than they did in 2025, and getting shut out by a fringe pitcher without any standout traits is just the icing on the cake. For a team relying on the development of their core, this amount of regression is very dangerous.
There’s a long way to go in the 2026 season, so there’s plenty of time for the White Sox offense to figure it out. But if things don’t change quickly, the promises and reasons for optimism will once again look empty, and the White Sox will be well on their way to their fourth straight 100-loss season. And soon, it’ll be time for heads to start rolling.
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