2 roster moves White Sox must make after 2026 MLB trade deadline

August 8, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

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The Chicago White Sox have been a team that has spent most of the season confounding the experts and overcoming all expectations. The team that lost 100 games or more in each of the last three seasons and set the record for the most losses in the expansion era two years ago suddenly started winning games.

The White Sox became an aggressive and opportunistic team. Manager Will Venable had done a remarkable job with his team, taking a team that had no confidence and regularly kicked games away in the final innings and suddenly executed when the game was on the line. Venable’s strategy was not out of the ordinary, but he had imbued his players with a belief in themselves that had been missing for years. His greatest strength was his ability to motivate his team.

The White Sox rose to the top of the American League Central. While it had been a challenging season in the American League and the division itself lacked strength, the rise of the White Sox was amazing. As the trade deadline approached, general manager Chris Getz wanted to make moves that would improve the team’s position.

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The White Sox had multiple needs and the most important was the desire to improve their starting pitching. The White Sox never seemed to be a prime contender to get in the Tarik Skubal market. They did not have the assets to trade the Tigers that teams like the Yankees, Cubs, Brewers and Dodgers did.

White Sox pick up Castillo in trade with Mariners

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Skubal predictably went to the Dodgers and the White Sox ended up trading for Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners. While Castillo was not having a stellar season with the Mariners, the belief was that a change of scenery would allow him to hit the reset button and get back on track.

His first start in a White Sox uniform came against the streaking Boston Red Sox and he could not contain their offense. Castillo gave up 5 runs in 4.0 innings in a memorable game that saw the White Sox drop a 12-11 decision in 13 innings. The White Sox are not going to take Castillo out of the rotation after one ordinary effort, but Venable and Getz want to see quite a bit more from him in his next two or three starts.

The problem for the White Sox is that Sean Burke appears to be their only decent starter as the season heads into its final seven weeks. Davis Martin has a 9-6 record and has made 22 starts, but he has faltered badly in his most recent efforts. They are keeping him in their rotation and he is scheduled to start Sunday against the Guardians, but it will be hard for the White Sox to have much faith in him at this point.

Promoting pitcher from Triple-A Charlotte could make a difference

One of the alternatives is calling up left-hander Hagen Smith from Triple-A Charlotte. He is the team’s top pitching prospect, and the White Sox seem likely to promote him to the parent club.

Most expect him to get a chance to pitch out of the bullpen after recently recovering from a shoulder impingement, but the team’s recent struggles with their starting pitchers may change those plans. The White Sox could give him a chance to start after he gets called up.

White Sox want to bring back Kyle Teel as soon as possible

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The White Sox acquired catcher Joey Bart from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline to help fill a key role behind the plate. However, Bart was injured shortly after putting on a White Sox uniform when he was hit by a pitch against the Red Sox and fractured a metacarpal bone in his left hand.

That injury has placed him on the Injured List, and the White Sox are left with Drew Romo and Edgar Quero as the only catchers on the active roster. That’s because No. 1 catcher Kyle Teel has been sidelined with a sprained ankle in a season that has been beset with injuries.

Teel has a chance to come back by September 1, and if he could stay healthy through the final month of the season, it would help the White Sox finish the regular season on a positive note.

The White Sox have been able to get by without their best catcher for the majority of the season, but they appear to need him badly for multiple reasons.

He demonstrated his offensive skills last season when he slashed .273/.375/.411 with 8 home runs and 35 RBI in 78 games. His presence would also help steady a shaky pitching staff that appears to be teetering at the moment.

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