The White Sox bullpen has been a pretty significant issue early in the 2026 season. The group’s 5.64 ERA entering Monday ranked as the third-worst mark in baseball, with only the Royals and Astros posting worse numbers. The White Sox have already lost seven games in which they had a lead, tied for the second-most in baseball. Much of these bullpen struggles are due to the high usage of the White Sox pen early thanks to the starting rotation’s inability to go deep into games consistently. This weekend, the White Sox made a desperate roster move that’s clearly designed to add some innings to the pen wherever they can be found.
Prior to today’s game at the Athletics, the Chicago White Sox claimed right-handed pitcher Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Atlanta Braves and transferred right-hander Prelander Berroa to the 60-day injured list.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 18, 2026
Bido, 30, originally signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2017 and has floated around several organizations since. He made his big league debut for the Pirates back in 2023 and posted a 5.86 ERA in 50.2 innings. Bido joined the Athletics and posted his best season in 2024, with a 3.41 ERA in 63.1 innings, but he couldn’t follow it up in 2025 and struggled to a 5.87 ERA. It was an adventurous offseason for Bido, who was claimed by Atlanta on waivers back in December. His time in Atlanta lasted just two weeks before he was DFA’d and claimed by the Rays. He was designated and claimed by the Marlins, Angels, and Yankees before spring training. After not making the Yankees, he was once again claimed by the Braves and added to their Opening Day roster.
Bido appeared in six games for Atlanta, allowing seven earned runs in ten innings to begin the season before once again being designated for assignment and this time claimed by the White Sox. The White Sox added Bido to their active roster prior to Sunday’s game, optioning lefty Doug Nikhazy to Charlotte in a corresponding move.
Bido's flexibility is more important to the White Sox than his recent failures
For me, this is a clear case where Bido’s ability to throw multiple innings is more important than his reliability. Sure, he had a strong season in 2024, but that seems to have been an outlier at this point in his career. The White Sox have Sean Newcomb as a left-handed multi-inning option, but the injury to Mike Vasil left them without a real answer from the right side. Righty Duncan Davitt made an appearance in the bullpen, but the White Sox may prefer to keep him as a starter for now. Expect Bido to pitch primarily in bulk outings if a starter’s outing is cut short.
In terms of pitch mix, Bido throws his slider more than his mid-90s fastball and occasionally mixes in a sinker and changeup. He doesn’t really have any traits that jump out as elite. Even during his strong 2024 season, Bido relied on a heavy fly-ball approach and soft contact to be effective rather than overpowering stuff. So far in 2026, his hard hit percentage has nearly doubled, so Zach Bove and the White Sox pitching staff will need to work on how to get him back to locating effectively, or his stint with the White Sox could be short-lived.
For me, this move feels desperate and unnecessary. If the White Sox want a right-hander that can throw multiple innings, I’d much rather see someone like Duncan Davitt get a chance for big league innings. Bido is a 30 year-old journeyman that simply doesn’t have an extensive history of success.
While I don’t expect Bido to be a difference-maker, hopefully he can at least stabilize a White Sox bullpen that’s been a big problem in the early going.
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