White Sox bullpen competition intensifies with strong spring from surprise standouts

With several roster spots still undecided and time running out, the White Sox are going to need to make some tough decisions soon. Injuries may dictate the roster on the position player side, and the competition for the starting rotation seems just about resolved. But the White Sox bullpen has some spots up for grabs, and the strong spring performances of several arms on the bubble are only making the White Sox decision more difficult. 

Let’s start with what we do know. The White Sox will almost certainly enter the season with five starters and eight relievers on their roster. Off-season additions Seranthony Dominguez, Jordan Hicks, and Sean Newcomb will be on the roster, with Newcomb likely in the pen. Grant Taylor, Jordan Leasure, and Mike Vasil should return after strong showings in 2025. That leaves the White Sox with six spots occupied and two available.

Several spring standouts have put themselves into the bullpen mix

Of the six pitchers mentioned above, only Sean Newcomb is left-handed. The White Sox are sure to keep at least one other lefty in the bullpen, and they’ve got a few options. LHP Tyler Gilbert posted a 3.88 ERA in 51 innings last season and has no minor league options remaining. He has a 3.60 ERA in five spring appearances with seven strikeouts in five innings, and figures to be a strong candidate to be on the roster. The White Sox brought in local product Ryan Borucki on a minor league deal, and Borucki has looked strong this spring, striking out six over five scoreless innings so far. Borucki can be optioned to Charlotte, but has played well enough to warrant consideration for the roster. 

Brandon Eisert was a significant contributor to the 2025 White Sox bullpen, though his 4.39 ERA indicated a season of inconsistency. He’s off to an electric start this spring with nine strikeouts in 6.2 scoreless innings. Eisert has minor league options remaining, so he can begin the year with Charlotte and remain in the organization, but his performance has warranted an extended look. The other lefty option is Chris Murphy, who was acquired from the Red Sox this offseason and also has minor league options. Murphy has been stretching out into a multi-inning role this spring and has a 2.70 ERA in four spring outings. At least one of these four left-handed arms will likely be on the roster, and it’s possible the White Sox go with five righties and three lefties and keep two, but the team has a few interesting right-handed options as well. 

Wikelman Gonzalez showed promise during a brief big league stint last season, but he got off to a rough start this spring and was optioned last week. The White Sox added RHP Lucas Sims on a minor league contract, and his first three spring outings have been strong with his stuff seeming to tick up from last season. The team also has to account for Rule 5 picks Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto. Neither have had a particularly strong spring but will need to be on the big league roster to stay with the organization. There doesn’t seem to be room for both, so the White Sox may need to choose between them. 

Having too many quality options is a good problem to have, and the White Sox are certain to need several options for depth over the course of a long season. With just under two weeks to go until Opening Day, tough decisions will need to be made sooner rather than later. Will the White Sox simply go with the path of least resistance and keep the players with no options? Or will strong performances dictate the direction? A few more questions will need to be answered before the team boards the plane to Milwaukee, and for some, a strong spring just won’t be enough.