Previewing The White Sox Rotation As We Head Into 2026

The White Sox finished the season with over 100 losses for the third straight year, however, there was plenty of improvement across the board to get fans excited for the 2026 season. 

As we head into the new year, we are going to take a look at each position group to see how they stack up. We have already taken a look at the infield, outfield, and the bullpen, now moving on to the starting rotation. In this article we will take a look at how the state of the rotation stands today. 

Locks

As of right now, there isn’t much set in stone for the White Sox rotation. After up and down seasons that saw Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon get demoted to AAA, the rotation outlook has changed. 

Shane Smith, the White Sox Rule-5 draft pick from last season and lone all-star representative, will likely get the nod for opening day and will be counted on as the ace of the rotation. 

Davis Martin also had himself a nice season, as this was his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. He will likely open up the season as the second starter. 

Anthony Kay, the White Sox first free agent signing this offseason will also likely get a crack at the rotation, as he had a very successful year in Japan after making some key adjustments.This is likely how the first three rotation spots go, but outside of that, it is a bit murky. 

Fringe Guys

Sean Burke will likely get another shot at the rotation, as he has a top of the rotation arsenal. However, if he wants to stick in the rotation he will need to cut down on the walks, as that is what hurt him last season. My best guess is that he takes the 4th spot in the rotation. 

However after Burke, there will likely be a decent battle for the final spot, and there is a good chance that the 5th starter is not even on the roster as we head into 2026. 

Jonathan Cannon will be in the mix for the final spot, but after a rough 2025 campaign, he may not have a leg up over any of the other options on this list. 

Sean Newcomb, the newest free agent signing for the White Sox, will get a chance to crack the rotation, but he was significantly more effective as a reliever last season, so he may be best suited for the bullpen. 

Drew Thorpe will eventually take over a rotation spot, but it is unclear what his timeline is after recovering from Tommy John Surgery. Ky Bush and Mason Adams are also in this same boat, as they both have had promising minor league careers but are returning from a major injury. It is likely they open the season on the IL or in the minors to build back up.

Tanner McDougal could get a real shot at the rotation, as he had a very good minor league season and was added to the 40-man rotation to prevent him from being selected in the Rule-5 draft. McDougal offers a upper-90s fastball, so he could be an interesting candidate to get some starts. 

Duncan Davitt should also find himself in the conversation, as he was also added to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule-5 draft. He was acquired at the trade deadline in the Adrian Houser trade, so he is a Chris Getz acquisition, which could give him a leg up. 

Throughout the course of the season, you could see Grant Taylor and Mike Vasil make starts, but I believe the White Sox will try to get them in high leverage situations out of the bullpen this year. 

Lastly, there are the two top pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith. It may be bit of a stretch to see them break camp with the team, but they could make their debuts early in the year. It is unclear if they’ll start in the ‘pen or rotation, but there is a high probability that we see both of them in 2026.

The White Sox have a ton of options for their rotation, so the battle for the last few spots will be interesting. At this time, the White Sox lack a true ace, but Shane Smith could take that jump this season. Overall, the White Sox pitching staff should keep us in most games so it should be a fun season.