It was an emotional day for a few White Sox pitchers, as the team made their starting rotation and bullpen official for the start of the 2019 regular season.
Free agent pick up Erving Santana will be the fifth starter, but he won’t be on the Opening Day roster. With the built-in off days early on, the White Sox won’t need a fifth starter until April 10.
So, the White Sox rotation will be Carlos Rodon, Reynaldo Lopez, Ivan Nova and Lucas Giolito, with Santana joining the staff in April. Rodon gets the Opening Day start against the Royals and Lopez gets the home opener against the Mariners on April 4.
So, it looks like White Sox roster is pretty close to set. With a four-man rotation most likely until April 10, Rodon gets Opening Day and Reynaldo Lopez gets the home opener
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 24, 2019
The bullpen on Opening Day includes Manny Bañuelos and Ryan Burr. Alex Colome will be the closer.
White Sox 2019 bullpen: Colome (closer), Jones, Herrera, Fry, Frare, Covey, Burr and Banuelos
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 24, 2019
Bullpen: rhp Colome, Herrera, Jones, Burr, Covey; lefties Fry, Frare, Banuelos. Here’s Burr — he and Banuelos both emotional when they got news. pic.twitter.com/Drcp5oLPqC
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) March 24, 2019
Manny Bañuelos along with media relations assistant Yolmer Sánchez pic.twitter.com/xvUsQiK3I2
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) March 24, 2019
Burr and Bañuelos both admitting to tearing up when they got the news they were making it. Frare’s initial response was to ask Don Cooper if he was joking
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) March 24, 2019
Burr had a brief stint with the White Sox in 2018, pitching in eight games. The 24-year-old was a fifth round draft pick by the Diamondbacks in 2015 out of Arizona State. He’s put up a remarkable 2.02 ERA in 173.2 minor league innings.
And for Bañuelos, it’s his first time back on a MLB roster since 2015, when he started six games and made seven total appearances with the Braves. The lefty has dealt with some injuries since then, but he’s finally made it back to the majors.
