DETROIT -- The White Sox need pitching.
Every Major League Baseball team feels the same way, whether they are contenders or on the outside looking in, as White Sox general manager Chris Getz recently mentioned.
But manager Will Venable’s use of a bullpen day during a 4-1 loss to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park highlights the South Siders’ issue with at least one rotation spot. It also illustrates that their perceived pitching depth across the organization is not there presently.
Noah Schultz, the team’s No. 3 prospect and No. 24 overall, per MLB Pipeline, is making a second injury rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Charlotte to test right patellar tendinitis. The big southpaw is likely to make one more to continue the build up, according to Venable’s pregame comments Friday.
Hagen Smith, the No. 4 White Sox prospect and No. 46 overall, is sidelined by a left shoulder impingement, while Tanner McDougal, the club’s No. 6 prospect, is working his way back from a right flexor strain. Shane Smith, Chicago’s Opening Day starter, also is on the comeback trail from a right rotator cuff strain after being sent to Charlotte earlier this season.
David Sandlin, Jonathan Cannon and Duncan Davitt are options at Charlotte with big league experience. Mason Adams, the No. 11 White Sox prospect, has made two impressive starts for the Knights on the rehab trail after undergoing Tommy John surgery just after Spring Training ‘25.
So, where do all these configurations leave the White Sox? In the second game of this series and fifth of this road trip, it was Sean Newcomb getting the start for the first time during the 2026 season.
Newcomb, 33, was stretched out as a starter during Spring Training but has been immensely valuable to this current playoff team out of the bullpen. In his 66th career start, Newcomb threw three perfect innings against Detroit while striking out four on 42 pitches.
Venable characterized Newcomb’s work as “outstanding,” but didn’t want to push him beyond the three-inning limit.
“No, that's kind of his capacity there,” Venable said. “I thought we actually pushed him further than we were really comfortable with and had game planned for, especially coming out of the New York series where he took that ball off the elbow. Great stuff from him and he did a great job."
“It felt perfect to me,” Newcomb said. “It was more pitch-count based, 42 pitches, that’s probably in my comfort zone right now having not been too built up. Good efficient three [innings]. I was hoping for that, so that was good.”
Sam Antonacci homered on the second pitch of the game against Tigers starter Troy Melton. Antonacci also was hit by a pitch for an American League-leading 16th time, singled and walked. But the South Siders’ offense was quiet apart from him until Braden Montgomery’s one-out double in the seventh, when Detroit held a 3-1 lead.
Chase Meidroth’s bunt single and Junior Perez’s walk brought Drew Romo to the plate in the ninth as the tying run with two outs. But Kenley Jansen finished off career save No. 485 with a Romo lineout.
This perceived search for pitching certainly isn’t a shot at any of the hurlers making up the White Sox rotation. Davis Martin has produced an All-Star caliber first half, Sean Burke was dominant in his bulk-effort victory at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, and Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde both have been stronger over the last month.
But the White Sox (39-36) no longer are solely a feel-good story. With 87 games to play, they are thinking winning and they are thinking playoffs. Being the chased often fosters a different feeling for such a young team, with the Tigers (32-44) coming into this weekend needing at least a series win, which they now have.
Not for the White Sox, though.
“It’s just the same goal each and every day: play good baseball and put together our best each and every day,” Antonacci said. “We didn’t do that today. Just regroup and get at it again tomorrow.”
Getz will be proactive in looking for starters on the trade front, while balancing the meaningful steps forward taken by the organization. Schultz should be ready soon, and Sandlin starting Saturday could line him up for the next White Sox opening.
There’s also Newcomb, who is ready for any sort of role.
“Whatever they want to call it or whatever they want to do,” Newcomb said. “I’m open to opening, long open, starters, whatever you want to call it. I’m open to just pitching a bunch of innings.”