White Sox latest roster move will finally bring fans peace about Jordan Hicks trade

When the White Sox acquired RHP Jordan Hicks in a trade with the Red Sox this offseason, it was evident very quickly that Hicks was not the prize of the deal. Though the 29-year-old Hicks has always had impressive stuff, his 2025 season was one he’d soon like to forget. Hicks posted a 6.94 ERA in 34 appearances between the Giants and Red Sox, and he struggled to consistently throw strikes. The White Sox hoped to tap back into the upside they knew he had, but the real prize was landing right-hander David Sandlin, who the team believed would be an impact starting pitcher quickly. White Sox fans will now get their first look at Sandlin, as the team has announced that they’re adding him to the big league roster. 

Sandlin, 25, reached Triple-A with the Red Sox organization last season, but struggled to 7.61 ERA in 15 appearances at the level. He’d primarily moved to a relief role, but the White Sox viewed him as a starter, and they stretched him back out to begin the season. Back and forearm soreness delayed the start of Sandlin’s season, so he’s just now stretching back out to full-length. Sandlin made two appearances with High-A Winston-Salem, firing 4.1 scoreless innings and striking out nine before moving his rehab up to Charlotte. In four outings with the Knights, he’s allowed just one earned run in 12 innings, striking out 17. He walked six over that span, so he’ll work on refining his control, but he never posted high walk rates in previous seasons, so it’s likely just a result of getting back to full strength. 

In a corresponding move, the White Sox have placed lefty Noah Schultz on the injured list with knee tendinitis. It's worth noting that Schultz dealt with knee issues for the majority of 2025, so it's something to keep an eye on moving forward.

David Sandlin brings an impressive starter's arsenal to the White Sox

It isn’t immediately clear what Sandlin’s long-term role will be for the White Sox, but Sox Machine’s James Fegan indicated that he will likely start. In the short-term, he will start Wednesday's game against the Twins and should keep the spot throughout Schultz's IL stint at least. There’s some concern over whether Sandlin will end up in a bullpen role in the long term, but there’s no reason to not give the 25-year-old a chance to start first. There’s no question about the quality of his stuff. His fastball has sat in the upper-90s this spring, even touching triple digits at times, and he features a deep arsenal including a sweeper, sinker, curveball, cutter, and changeup. He’ll need to refine his arsenal to get big league hitters out, but there’s certainly a foundation for success and it’s easy to see why the White Sox view him as a starter long-term. 

Questions have arisen about the White Sox pitching depth with the injuries to Tanner McDougal and Shane Smith, and Sandlin seemed like a strong candidate to be the next call-up. Now, just a few days later, the 18th-ranked White Sox prospect will get a chance to make his big league debut and join an exciting core of young talent on the south side. With Jordan Hicks struggling to start the season and now on the injured list, White Sox fans are hoping that Sandlin’s performance will make the deal worth it. And now, he’ll get his first opportunity. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow