Chicago White Sox Rookie To Make First MLB Start Against Royals

CHICAGO –– Mike Vasil has been one of the White Sox best relievers this season. And on Sunday, he'll try to carry over that success to the starting rotation.

Vasil, a 25-year-old rookie right-hander, is scheduled to make his first major league start at 1:10 p.m. CT against the Kansas City Royals at Rate Field. Following wins of 7-2 and 4-1 to begin the series, the White Sox are going for their first series sweep of the season.

Through his first 18 career appearances, Vasil's 1.89 ERA ranks first among MLB rookies with at least 35 innings. He's also second among all MLB relievers with 38 innings pitched. As a Rule 5 Draft pick in 2025, Vasil is proud of what he's accomplished so far.

"I think it’s probably going a little better than I figured, especially at the best level of baseball," Vasil said Wednesday. "But the whole goal of the entire offseason was just pitch well, no matter where I was. That was really my only main goal and feel like I’m doing that right now."

Vasil has been used in a variety of roles this season. He's pitched in a few high-leverage situations, like when he notched his first career save on May 14 in Cincinnati.

More recently, he's been used in a bulk role, pitching three-plus innings in each of his last three appearances. That has represented one of his best stretches of the season, holding the Rangers, Mets and Tigers scoreless across 9.2 total innings with five hits, two walks and nine strikeouts. His last outing featured a career-high 3.2 innings.

Though Vasil has pitched out of the bullpen all season, 73 of his 76 appearances in the minor leagues came in a starting role. After Wednesday's game, Vasil said he would have loved to pitch four or five innings, so the White Sox can reasonably expect several innings out of him as they attempt to sweep the Royals.

"I will just do whatever they ask. That’s really my goal coming here in general," Vasil said. "Do whatever the team needs. Yeah, anything they feel is right for me to put me in any situation, I feel like they have done that so far so I trust them with whatever they decide moving forward. Whatever that is, so yeah."

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