It’s not even May, and the Chicago White Sox have been desperately searching for bullpen innings. Overall, the unit has struggled, and the lack of length by the starting rotation certainly hasn’t helped at all. Aside from Grant Taylor, few White Sox relievers have been consistently reliable this season. As the team looks to find some stability in the pen, another young right-hander will be headed to the big leagues for his debut. This time, it’s 27-year-old righty Tyler Davis, who stood out during March’s Spring Breakout game.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 23, 2026
Tyler Davis quickly moved from undrafted free agent to big leaguer
Davis, a native of Texas, played his college ball at Sam Houston State. He played infield in college and was not drafted, pursuing a place as a two-way player in independent ball before catching the attention of the White Sox as a pitcher in 2024. Despite his general lack of pedigree, Davis posted solid numbers across four levels in his debut season. He spent the entire 2025 season with Double-A Birmingham, where he posted a 3.17 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 54 innings. He attended his first big league camp this year and was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte, where he posted a 4.91 ERA in six outings before his call-up. Davis fired two scoreless innings with three strikeouts against the Dodgers prospects in the Spring Breakout game back in late March.
Davis features a three-pitch mix including a fastball that’s averaged 96 MPH in the early going, a high-80s slider, and a mid-80s splitter. All three pitches look like above-average offerings that could play in a major league bullpen. Davis has kept the walks in check in each of the past two seasons, so assuming he keeps that up in the major leagues, there’s reason to believe he could stick.
As a corresponding move, the White Sox designated right-hander Lucas Sims for assignment. Sims posted a 4.50 ERA and struggled with his control in nine appearances for the White Sox. At this point, the White Sox have nothing to lose by giving younger arms a chance to claim bullpen roles. Young hurlers Tyler Schweitzer and Duncan Davitt each made one appearance in the bullpen and the White Sox should consider adding one or both of them to the bullpen as well. A reliable veteran like Sean Newcomb is one thing, but keeping aging veterans on the roster who aren’t producing is a pointless venture, and the White Sox would be better served giving the innings to possible long-term pieces.
The length of Davis’ stay in the White Sox bullpen is not yet known, but he certainly has the chance to earn himself a long look. Even if he’s not here long term, making the major leagues as an undrafted free agent is a remarkable feat and something for Davis to be proud of. For his sake and the sake of the White Sox, I hope he’s here for a long time.
Add us as a preferred source on Google