As the White Sox begin the second half of their 2026 schedule with a playoff berth much more possible than expected, they’ll need to find a delicate balance between putting their team in the best position to win this year and maintaining their long-term outlook. This mentality can be tough to put into practice, and Chris Getz is surely going to be tempted to sacrifice the farm to win this year. The impending lockout and uncertainty around the 2027 season might only amplify these temptations, but when it comes to player development, the White Sox can’t lose sight of what’s most important.
Right-hander Tanner McDougal, one of the system’s biggest breakout prospects in 2025, appears to be on the cusp of the big leagues after an impressive spring and strong start to the season. Unfortunately, McDougal was sidelined with a flexor strain at the end of April and has been shut down nearly two months. With McDougal on track to return to the mound this week, the White Sox will have to proceed with caution for the remainder of 2026. One possible path that could help both McDougal and the White Sox is to bring him up to the big leagues in a bullpen role for the remainder of the season.
A temporary move to the bullpen could benefit Tanner McDougal and the White Sox
Before you close the article and insult me in the comments: hear me out. I’m not suggesting the White Sox permanently make McDougal a reliever. He proved in 2025 that he’s capable of maintaining his excellent stuff in a starter’s role, and that’s much more valuable for the long term. But in a season where he’s dealt with soreness and could benefit from having his innings monitored, it could make some sense. The White Sox could get McDougal some experience facing big league hitters without the pressure of needing to start crucial games down the stretch, and keep the workload off his arm.
It makes sense from the White Sox perspective as well. In McDougal, the White Sox could add a right-handed flamethrower to their bullpen to join Grant Taylor, which I’d argue is the team’s biggest need. The trade deadline is approaching, and the White Sox could choose to upgrade their bullpen that way, but perhaps they could focus their prospect resources on landing a controllable starter and get creative with the bullpen. To be honest, they could probably use multiple relievers, so they could add McDougal to the pen and add another arm via trade.
Tanner McDougal came out firing in his Triple-A @KnightsBaseball debut 🔥
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 29, 2026
The @WhiteSox No. 6 prospect struck out eight across four strong frames and hit 99+ mph 14 times, maxing out at 100.2: pic.twitter.com/GyeMY5SRUH
Once the White Sox get through the playoff push, they should certainly allow McDougal to stretch back out into a starter next season and compete for a rotation spot. But this isn’t an approach they’ve been afraid to take in the past. Chris Sale and Garrett Crochet both began their big league careers in relief roles and have become perennial All-Star level starting pitchers. Crochet was a big part of the 2021 team that won the AL Central.
Tanner McDougal will have a rehab outing with High-A Winston-Salem later this week, and the White Sox will surely be careful with his workload upon his return. Moving him to the bullpen temporarily and bringing him to the major leagues could be a way to protect his long-term health and give the White Sox a much-needed boost, and it’s a move I believe they should seriously consider.
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