The back end of the Sox rotation is still up for grabs, but the staff in Charlotte is starting to take shape. The White Sox announced Saturday that righthander Tanner McDougal had been optioned to Triple-A, while lefty Noah Schultz was sent over to minor league camp.
They’ll presumably join David Sandlin, Duncan Davitt, and perhaps Hagen Smith in the Knights’ rotation to start the year.
One place there definitely won’t be any competition is at the top of the big league rotation.
The team also announced earlier this afternoon that, as one probably would have expected, Shane Smith will be taking the ball on Opening Day later this month.
Smith will be the 8th different pitcher in 10 years to start the opener since Chris Sale departed the team. He joins José Quintana (2017), James Shields (2018), Carlos Rodón (2019), Lucas Giolito (2020-22), Dylan Cease (2023), Garrett Crochet (2024), and Sean Burke (2025).
If I had to be reminded that James Shields actually started an Opening Day for this team, then so do you.
Anyhow, here’s the lineup they’re running out in the present day against Kansas City:
Hicks has an even 6.00 ERA in two spring outings thus far, but his fastball has looked sharp, averaging a blistering 99.2 mph on the sinker, substantially up from the 97.5 mph and 94.5 mph averages it showed the last two seasons. Just 4-for-20 with seven punchouts, Jarred Kelenic is running out of time to claim any chance at a backup outfield spot, but LaMonte Wade Jr. might be making a real run at a backup 1B/corner OF spot with a homer, two doubles, and five walks to just three strikeouts in 24 spring trips to the plate.
Here’s what Kansas City will be countering with:
The Sox get their second-ever look at Noah Cameron this afternoon, who finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting last year with a 2.90 ERA over 24 starts. A 7th round pick in 2021 out of Central Arkansas, Cameron made the record books last year when he threw at least six innings with no more than a single run allowed over the first six starts of his big league career.
First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 pm CT, and will be broadcast on CHSN and ESPN AM 1000.
