Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by Bonemer, I Hardly Know Her

So the starting pitcher options are now as follows. I don’t see the Sox throwing big money at a free agent starter just due to history but it seems like they would be more likely to swing a trade. The top five guys below are practically guaranteed a roster spot. Acquiring a good starter and bumping Kay to the bullpen would be nice.

Burke

Martin

Castillo

Taylor

Kay

Sandlin

Thorpe

Schultz

Cannon

Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by WhiteSox2023

Should be fine. He just needs to prep for it. After he went 4 in the playoffs, he never recovered. Of course a bit different and at the end of the season. Does this mean the Sox need a closer?

Yes, Sox need a closer now it seems. Please no Kenley, I’m not sure how he gets anyone out now. I’ve always loved to watch Iglesias, but his fastball velocity is starting to fade.

Please no Jansen! He is cooked.

25 minutes ago, fathom said:

Yes, Sox need a closer now it seems. Please no Kenley, I’m not sure how he gets anyone out now. I’ve always loved to watch Iglesias, but his fastball velocity is starting to fade.

So the money “saved” from dealing Dominguez is no longer saved. Not that anything really changes I still felt they should get another RH RP before this news. Now they may need 2.

4 hours ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

So the starting pitcher options are now as follows. I don’t see the Sox throwing big money at a free agent starter just due to history but it seems like they would be more likely to swing a trade. The top five guys below are practically guaranteed a roster spot. Acquiring a good starter and bumping Kay to the bullpen would be nice.

Burke

Martin

Castillo

Taylor

Kay

Sandlin

Thorpe

Schultz

Cannon

Ideally you’d want to bump Kay to the pen and Castillo can be on a short leash and get bumped to long reliever/released if he sucks. But I guess you would have someone else in the minors ready to take his spot hopefully

Edited 8 hours ago8 hr by Bob Sacamano

49 minutes ago, fathom said:

Yes, Sox need a closer now it seems. Please no Kenley, I’m not sure how he gets anyone out now. I’ve always loved to watch Iglesias, but his fastball velocity is starting to fade.

I simply don't believe in paying for a "closer." See "Dominguez, Seranthony." Get as many good arms as possible and let the staff sort through the roles. Maybe Hagen closes. Or McDougal. Or possibly Shane Smith snaps back. Or Vasil. Or Pierce George. A lot of guys with good arms already in the system. Or you could convert a third tier starter to relief. I mean, Fedde looked great in relief. I'd rather have them throw resources at the bullpen depth (possibly bring back Newcomb?) and rotation than overpay for a "closer."

12 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

I simply don't believe in paying for a "closer." See "Dominguez, Seranthony." Get as many good arms as possible and let the staff sort through the roles. Maybe Hagen closes. Or McDougal. Or possibly Shane Smith snaps back. Or Vasil. Or Pierce George. A lot of guys with good arms already in the system. Or you could convert a third tier starter to relief. I mean, Fedde looked great in relief. I'd rather have them throw resources at the bullpen depth (possibly bring back Newcomb?) and rotation than overpay for a "closer."

Is Vasil even going to be ready by opening day? Based on the timelines of the guys who had TJ surgery a year prior, I doubt it.

8 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Is Vasil even going to be ready by opening day? Based on the timelines of the guys who had TJ surgery a year prior, I doubt it.

He's just one of many bullpen options. Sox have had too many FA/Trade overpays for relievers over the years like Seranthony, Kimbrel, Graveman, etc for me to be enthusiastic about grabbing a "closer." The best relievers the Sox have had have mostly been homegrown guys like Thigpen, Roberto Hernandez, Bobby Jenks, Nate Jones, Aaron Bummer, and guys who eventually became starters like Hoyt, Sale, Crochet, and now hopefully Taylor. I guess Liam Hendricks was mostly good as a counter example. I just don't think prioritizing the role makes sense. Prioritize the stuff.

40 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Is Vasil even going to be ready by opening day? Based on the timelines of the guys who had TJ surgery a year prior, I doubt it.

He under went surgery in mid march, so my expectation would be more like Jun to Aug, but I do believe he was already throwing at season end, so that is usually the big step.

25 minutes ago, Timmy U said:

He's just one of many bullpen options. Sox have had too many FA/Trade overpays for relievers over the years like Seranthony, Kimbrel, Graveman, etc for me to be enthusiastic about grabbing a "closer." The best relievers the Sox have had have mostly been homegrown guys like Thigpen, Roberto Hernandez, Bobby Jenks, Nate Jones, Aaron Bummer, and guys who eventually became starters like Hoyt, Sale, Crochet, and now hopefully Taylor. I guess Liam Hendricks was mostly good as a counter example. I just don't think prioritizing the role makes sense. Prioritize the stuff.

Jenks came from the Angels, fwiw.

But a ton of really good and cheaper relievers came from other places...and had lower acquisition costs.

Marte Crain Foulke Howry Santos Thornton to name just a few.

The times they got in trouble were buying FAs like Linebrink/Dotel (overreaction to 2007 struggles) and Kimbrel/Graveman/Kelly.

Robertson they bought at peak value and was just a tier below elite...Hendriks was good until hit by both injuries/illness.

I kinda hate this. Feels like a cost cutting move to avoid having to make a big move for a SP. Not to mention I’m just not sure Taylor has the feel for pitching beyond being able to overpower hitters.

Taylor and Hagen have the making of a dominant L/R backend of bullpen that can shorten the game to 7 innings. Keep that strength AND improve the rotation

18 minutes ago, TheFutureIsNear said:

I kinda hate this. Feels like a cost cutting move to avoid having to make a big move for a SP. Not to mention I’m just not sure Taylor has the feel for pitching beyond being able to overpower hitters.

Taylor and Hagen have the making of a dominant L/R backend of bullpen that can shorten the game to 7 innings. Keep that strength AND improve the rotation

Yeah I think the dream of adding 2 SP is gone. Get one TOR arm at least

4 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yeah I think the dream of adding 2 SP is gone. Get one TOR arm at least

I keep feeling like the Castillo block around our ankles is going to hold down spending more than anyone has been willing to admit outloud. This doesn't help.

21 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I keep feeling like the Castillo block around our ankles is going to hold down spending more than anyone has been willing to admit outloud. This doesn't help.

Definitely. He takes up a rotation spot and money we would have rather seen go to a younger and better starter. I don’t see the Sox acquiring more than one starter right now as a result.

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by WhiteSox2023

27 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I keep feeling like the Castillo block around our ankles is going to hold down spending more than anyone has been willing to admit outloud. This doesn't help.

Yep, waste of a roster spot.

14 minutes ago, WhiteSox2023 said:

Definitely. He takes up a rotation spot and money we would have rather seen go to a younger and better starter. I don’t see the Sox acquiring more than one starter right now as a result.

8 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yep, waste of a roster spot.

For me it is more the money than the roster spot.

1 minute ago, southsider2k5 said:

For me it is more the money than the roster spot.

Yeah I meant to add that. Paying a good amount of money for a waste of a spot.

Yeah...I don't know about this.

Taylor did show he can go 4 innings in the playoffs, so a transition to starter doesn't seem like it's impossible. But this just feels like we're cheaping out. If we replace Taylor with fucking Kenley Jansen, I'm going to be so pissed. If they plan on getting a closer, it better be either Iglesias or Bednar.

https://soxmachine.com/2026/11/after-successful-season-in-bullpen-white-sox-moving-grant-taylor-into-rotation

If they are going after just 1 TOR starter...just sign Skubal you cheap fucks.

Also, would they put a committee of Hagen and Jordan Hicks as the closer options?

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by EloyJenkins

44 minutes ago, chw42 said:

Yeah...I don't know about this.

Taylor did show he can go 4 innings in the playoffs, so a transition to starter doesn't seem like it's impossible. But this just feels like we're cheaping out. If we replace Taylor with fucking Kenley Jansen, I'm going to be so pissed. If they plan on getting a closer, it better be either Iglesias or Bednar.

Would love to be wrong but don’t see his stuff holding up at all

2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Jenks came from the Angels, fwiw.

But a ton of really good and cheaper relievers came from other places...and had lower acquisition costs.

Marte Crain Foulke Howry Santos Thornton to name just a few.

The times they got in trouble were buying FAs like Linebrink/Dotel (overreaction to 2007 struggles) and Kimbrel/Graveman/Kelly.

Robertson they bought at peak value and was just a tier below elite...Hendriks was good until hit by both injuries/illness.

So did Roberto Hernandez!

1 hour ago, fathom said:

Would love to be wrong but don’t see his stuff holding up at all

He's not going to keep throwing 99-100 as a starter, but I think he can still be effective throwing 96-97 consistently. The problem is that he really doesn't have any off-speed pitches. I'm not sure how that'll play when he's a starter. There's also the possibility that he's mid or bad as a starter and you just lost out on a dominant relief pitcher.