With the 2018 season looming nearer each day, the White Sox are just making some final adjustments before their Opening Day Roster takes its final shape. One of the more interesting topics of discussion is what the starting rotation will look like. James Shields got the Opening Day nod from manager Rick Renteria, but who falls in after him?
Number 2 Starter- Lucas Giolito
It would be a very safe bet to say that Giolito is the most talented pitcher on this year’s squad. The young righty boasts a six pitch repertoire- 4-seam fastball, 2-seam fastball, curveball, slider, 4-seam circle change, 2-seam circle change. After his short but very successful stint with the White Sox last year (2.38 ERA in 7 games), he will look to take a huge step forward this season. Look for him to hit the 200 inning mark by year’s end.
Number 3 Starter- Reynaldo Lopez
Lopez is another young White Sox righty who got 8 major league starts last season. While his ERA was higher than Giolito’s at 4.72, his posted a better WAR. (0.6 compared to 0.3). Some say that his future is in the bullpen, but until more pitching prospects come up, the White Sox are going to give him every chance to succeed as a starter. Out of 8 starts last season, 5 were considered quality starts, meaning he went at least 6 full innings while giving up no more than 3 runs. No one is asking him to be a dominant starter, but if he can keep racking up those quality starts, the White Sox should be in most games he pitches in.
Number 4 Starter- Miguel Gonzalez
Another starter, another righty. This is the main problem in the rotation. There is no righty/lefty balance. However, Gonzalez is a veteran and will prove to be a solid innings eater which should help out the bullpen later in the season. He isn’t flashy and won’t wow people with his stuff, but he carries himself like a professional, is looked up to in the clubhouse, and will serve as a great mentor to the younger pitchers on the team.
Number 5 Starter- Hector Santiago
Finally we have a lefty! Hector Santiago comes in as the no. 5 starter, beating out Carson Fulmer for the job. Santiago brings a much needed lefty arm into the rotation while also giving Fulmer more time to work on his stuff either in Triple-A or in the White Sox bullpen. Santiago has had a phenomonal spring, pitching 12 total innings with a 0.75 ERA. Now it is only spring, but if Santiago is even average on the White Sox, he could be one of those valuable trade pieces Rick Hahn obsessively covets, in turn opening up a spot for Fulmer when he is more prepared to regularly start.
Honorable Mentions- Carlos Rodon, Michael Kopech, Carson Fulmer
Carlos Rodon said himself at SoxFest 2018 that he plans on being back in the rotation by the All-Star Break. When he is healthy and his stuff is on point, he is one of the tougher pitchers to face in baseball. When he comes back, look for him to potentially take James Shields’ spot in the rotation, giving them a much needed second lefty.
In my opinion, the last bit of development for Michael Kopech needs to be done at the MLB level against MLB hitters. It is for this reason that I firmly believe the White Sox are just implementing the “Kris Bryant plan” the Cubs used back in 2015. That being that the White Sox are just stashing Kopech in the minors until they obtain that extra year of team control. Kopech will more than likely use Triple-A to work on getting ahead of hitters and establishing his changeup, so don’t be surprised or concerned if he has a bad outing or two. I’m thinking we see him get the call no later than mid-June. Once he is on the White Sox, he could take Miguel Gonzalez’ spot.
Carson Fulmer has definitely had a forgettable spring. Lucky for him that’s all it is. Spring. Where the games don’t matter. Nevertheless he still has a lot to work on. I’ve long been a believer that Fulmer is destined for the bullpen, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if he can become a specialist. Hopefully he can prove me wrong and become yet another one of those good problems for the White Sox to have. It really wouldn’t surprise me if the White Sox give him the no. 5 spot out of the gate after his impressive spring training start a few days ago and just have him learn by experience. We should find out within the next few days whether he heads to Charlotte or is given another opportunity to figure things out at the MLB level.
Final Word
The rotation surely won’t be anything flashy when Opening Day rolls around, but the mix of savvy veterans and young talent can definitely keep the White Sox afloat until the reinforcements arrive. Remember, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. If the White Sox finish the year with Fulmer, Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, and Rodon, then the future of the White Sox is in good hands.
