Outside of the Garrett Crochet trade, the White Sox did not make any significant offseason moves. However, Chris Getz made a ton of smaller free agent signings and trades, some that are looking like they will make valuable contributions to the team. However, one of the moves Chris Getz made is quietly having a fantastic Spring Training.
In the middle of the offseason, Chris Getz made a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies. The White Sox sent over Aaron Combs, a reliever from the 2024 draft in exchange for relief pitcher Tyler Gilbert. At the time, the move was criticized, as Combs showed promise as a relief prospect, but the White Sox were clearly looking to add to the bullpen right now.
The move is looking like a good one, as Gilbert is having a fantastic Spring Training. In eight innings, Gilbert has a 1.13 ERA and a .88 WHIP, striking out five batters, while walking two. Hitters haven’t fared too well against him, as he has a fantastic .179 batting average against.
While it is just Spring Training, it is encouraging to see him pitch well, as he has had a decent track record of success in the major leagues so far. In 100 major league innings, Gilbert has a very respectable 4.23 ERA.
While Gilbert is 31, he only has four seasons of major league experience, so he has the ability to still improve in the majors. The White Sox have usually done a good job of working with pitchers, especially since Brian Bannister took over as pitching coordinator.
Gilbert still has a ton of team control left so if he continues this solid start into the regular season, the White Sox could easily get a good prospect in exchange. Since he is a lefty out of the ‘pen, he has even more value and the White Sox could get a deal similar to the one for Tanner Banks, which has looked like a great deal for the White Sox to this point.
Gilbert looks locked into one of the bullpen spots to start the season, as the White Sox should have a vastly improved unit from last year. That alone should help the White Sox win 5-10 more games, as the bullpen was a key reason for losing so many games throughout the season.
