The starting pitching rotation for the Chicago White Sox is beginning to take shape as the club has named their first, second, and third starters. The White Sox have filled their first spot in the rotation with Garrett Crochet in a somewhat surprising move. They have now gone ahead and filled the second and third spots in their starting pitching rotation with Michael Soroka and Erick Fedde. You can read more about the White Sox potential rotation here.
Got the nod for March 28 😤 pic.twitter.com/GnuU5h8npf
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 18, 2024
White Sox Rotation Ahead of Opening Day
Michael Soroka Named the Number Two Starting Pitcher
Soroka is a newcomer to the White Sox, having come to them in a trade with the Atlanta Braves when the Sox let Aaron Bummer go to Atlanta. Soroka had decent enough spring training and is now preparing to be pivotal in the White Sox starting rotation.
In looking at the stats for Soroka, notice how he has just four seasons of work in the majors. He was injured in 2021 and 2022 and didn’t play. He comes into this season with an ERA of 3.32 in 43 starts (44 games overall). According to Baseball Reference, his WHIP is 1.206. In limited action, Soroka hasn’t been that bad.
But he’s on a team that, defensively, we don’t know how they will perform. We know that the defenses help out the pitchers, and good defenses can make good pitchers. Playing with the Braves, Soroka typically had a good defense behind him. With the White Sox, it’s tough to tell if he’ll have an excellent defense to back him up. Last year’s team defense wasn’t great, and the pitchers suffered because of that.
The White Sox don’t know if Soroka can go the distance this year. As mentioned, he was injured and we hope he’s over his previous problems. The White Sox need all their pitchers to be and remain healthy to get through what promises to be a tough season.
Erick Fedde Named Third in the Starting Rotation
In addition, the White Sox named Erick Fedde their third starter for their third game against the Detroit Tigers at home. Fedde is also a newcomer to the White Sox and has shown some good stuff during spring training. It’s been enough to warrant his getting the third spot in the rotation. Fedde has played for the Washington Nationals and then for the NC Dinos of the KBO. He’s got a lot of experience and could do well with the Sox.
Fedde heads into the season with a career (major league) ERA of 5.41. According to Baseball Reference, he has started 88 major league games but has played in 102 total. His WHIP is 1.523. It’s a chance for a fresh start for Fedde, so the hope is that he gets started on the right foot against the Tigers and shows Sox nation what he can do.
The White Sox aren’t going to have a great season, but it will still be interesting to watch them. The pitching prospects might not be big-name guys, but they have some great backstories and a lot of potential. They could surprise some folks. You never know what’s going to happen with this group.
However, the White Sox will need time to put things together, which might take the whole season. And even though 2024 doesn’t look bright, 2025 will be better.
Main Photo: © Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
