White Sox have 2 obvious choices to solve woes with back end of their rotation

The White Sox clinched their third-consecutive series win on Saturday afternoon despite Andrew Benintendi being the only hitter in the lineup to notch a hit. The win was largely thanks to a solid outing by Erick Fedde, who became the White Sox first starter to get through five innings in over a week. They followed it up with a poor all-around performance on Sunday that saw them use Jordan Hicks and Tyler Gilbert to open for Jose Urquidy. It’s been a tough road for the White Sox rotation as of late, and the blister for Davis Martin has caused the back of the rotation, in particular, to be in flux. Instead of trotting out openers in front of a less-reliable option in Jose Urquidy, the White Sox have a pair of solutions in Charlotte that should be obvious candidates to join the team soon. 

RHP Drew Thorpe

To be frank, I’m not sure how much more the White Sox need to see to feel like they can bring back Drew Thorpe. The former top prospect has now made seven rehab starts in his return from Tommy John surgery, including three in Charlotte. He’s posted a 3.04 ERA in that span, so his stuff has been effective, but the most important development is getting up to 87 pitches in his last outing on Tuesday. Thorpe was scheduled to start for Charlotte Sunday evening, but did not make the start, so it’s a development worth keeping an eye on for White Sox fans. Tuesday will allow the team to expand their roster from 26 to 28, so it could be the opportunity the White Sox need to bring Thorpe back. A White Sox September rotation of Sean Burke, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin, Luis Castillo, and Drew Thorpe could be very serviceable down the stretch. The one complication is that adding Thorpe to the roster will require a 40-man spot, meaning the White Sox will have to designate someone for assignment to make room, an action they’ve been hesitant to do so far. 

RHP David Sandlin

Should the White Sox seek reinforcements that are already on the 40-man, David Sandlin could be the way to go. The right-hander has made five appearances for the White Sox this season, posting a 6.93 ERA in that span. That number isn’t pretty, but it’s been inconsistency that’s done Sandlin in. He’s had two very strong outings and three poor ones so far. Still, the numbers in Triple-A this season are impressive. Sandlin currently has a 2.12 ERA in 15 outings for Charlotte, and his strong season was highlighted by his seven scoreless innings on Saturday evening. His fastball frequently touched 99 and sat around 97, so Sandlin appears to be in midseason form. The White Sox have thrown him into tough spots, making him face the same team twice in a row and relieving Noah Schultz in the first inning after a mistake by Will Venable. I think giving Sandlin a chance to start in a traditional role unimpeded over the season’s final month could be beneficial for him and the team. 

With questions about the back of the White Sox rotation and some of the other starters beginning to tire, having players like Thorpe and Sandlin available down the stretch could be crucial. Let’s hope the White Sox front office is willing to pull the trigger.

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