The White Sox made a series of roster moves prior to Tuesday’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves, the most exciting of which involves top prospect Braden Montgomery joining the big league club. The White Sox pitching staff, which has struggled in recent days, also saw a bit of a reshuffle Tuesday, with right-hander David Sandlin optioned to Charlotte after a pair of rough outings. Sandlin shined in his big league debut but struggled to get outs consistently in his last two appearances, prompting the White Sox to make a move. White Sox fans will now get to see the returns of an overlooked trade the team made back in May.
The Chicago White Sox have acquired left-handed pitcher Joe Rock from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for infielder Oliver Dunn. Rock has been optioned to Class AAA Charlotte.
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 20, 2026
To make room for Rock on the 40-man roster, the White Sox have transferred catcher Kyle Teel to the…
The White Sox quietly made this deal with the Ray mid-game on May 19th, bringing the 25-year-old lefty into the organization for a journeyman infielder without a roster spot. Rock made his big league debut for the Rays in 2025, allowing two earned runs in 7.2 innings and striking out 11 over three appearances. Originally drafted by the Rockies in 2021, he spent the majority of his minor league career as a starter before being dealt to the Rays in 2024. Rock moved to the bullpen in 2025, where he posted an elevated 5.21 ERA, but still got the call in September.
After the trade to the White Sox organization, the team moved Rock back to the rotation, but his inning count was limited. Rock looked strong in each of his first three outings with Charlotte, allowing just one run over 8.1 innings between the three starts. His last start didn’t go so well, and he didn’t make it out of the first inning, though poor defense by the Knights didn’t help. Regardless, the White Sox saw enough from the left-hander that they believe he can help the big league roster.
Rock features a four-pitch mix, with solid metrics on his mid-90s sinker and mid-80s slider and changeup. He needs to throw his sinker and slider for strikes more, but opponents have a tough time hitting them when he locates well. Rock’s 54.5% ground ball rate this season is among the better marks in the minor leagues, and he does a good job of avoiding hard contact. He’s struck out a third of the hitters he’s faced, but his 17.5% walk rate is far too high.
Joe Rock can help the White Sox in multiple roles in 2026
Rock’s role with the White Sox is not yet known. David Sandlin’s next start wasn’t scheduled until Saturday against the Dodgers, so it’s possible the White Sox are adding him as an extra bullpen arm for a few days before making a move for a starter for Saturday. Rock could also directly replace Sandlin in the rotation, though he’s likely to begin with shortened outings as he stretches out.
Whether Rock is effective and stays on the roster remains to be seen, but White Sox fans should get an idea of the results for the team’s deal with the Rays in short order. The breakout of former first-round pick Jacob Gonzalez left veteran infielder Oliver Dunn without a role moving forward, and the White Sox felt that moving him to land an extra left-handed arm was a smart move. Even if Rock provides little except innings, it’s a more valuable contribution than Dunn was likely to have with the team.
And who knows, maybe the White Sox struck gold.
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