Main Takeaways From the White Sox' Starting Rotation Reveal
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With just over a week to go until the Chicago White Sox open the 2026 regular season, manager Will Venable has announced the team's starting rotation.
We have known since March 8 that the Sox would go with Shane Smith on Opening Day in Milwaukee. The Rule 5 pick turned All-Star felt destined to headline the rotation coming into this season, even with some frustrating results during Cactus League Play. Anthony Kay also felt like a lock. Serving as one of the best arms in Japan last season, the Sox signed the former Cubs and Mets prospect to starting-caliber money. And he has surely looked the part under the Arizona sun!
Kay will close out the opening series in Milwaukee, with Sean Burke sandwiched in between him and Smith. Rounding out the five-man rotation will be Davis Martin and veteran Erick Fedde, per Mark Feinsand.
White Sox Starting Rotation
March 26: @ Milwaukee – Shane Smith
March 28: @ Milwaukee – Sean Burke
March 29: @ Milwaukee – Anthony Kay
March 30 @ Miami – Davis Martin
March 31 – @ Miami – Erick Fedde
Under this current rotation, this would mean that Sean Burke is in line to be on the mound for the White Sox home opener on April 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays. All things considered, this might very well be the most surprising aspect of Venable's decision. Burke was the team's Opening Day arm in 2025 at The Rate. While he threw a scoreless six innings, the rest of the season was very up and down.
In fact, things were so rocky for Burke later in the year that the Sox chose to send him down to Triple-A Charlotte. He was eventually called back up and added back into the rotation, but the results continued to leave something to be desired.
To be sure, most signs still pointed toward him getting another chance this season. While the Sox were considering a handful of arms, Burke continued to be treated like a starter in Arizona. It's also hard to give up on his movement pitches. He pairs a solid four-seamer with a nasty curve and slider. Nevertheless, command has been a real issue, so it sure feels like Burke could have a pretty short leash to begin the year. Especially with so many young high-upside arms waiting in the minors, he will have to really bounce back strong this season to hold onto his spot.
Speaking of which, Erick Fedde is no stranger to losing a rotational role. After his breakout year with the Sox in 2024, Fedde bounced around to three different teams. He ultimately ended up in Milwaukee for the end of the 2025 campaign, where Fedde finally found a winning rhythm in the bullpen. Nevertheless, Chicago is clearly hoping it can tap back into his best stuff, as Fedde registered a 3.11 ERA in his 21 starts with the franchise back in 2024.
While Fedde may not be destined for a starting role all season long, he will provide the starting rotation with some good technique and experience. The same goes for Davis Martin, who has turned into a mainstay for the Sox over the last handful of years. The righty is coming off his best season yet and has recorded a 3.00 ERA in camp with 10 strikeouts. As someone with an incredibly deep arsenal, he could prove to be one of Venable's most dependable guys this season.
Who Was Left Out?
Sean Newcomb came into camp as a veteran looking to compete for a starting gig, but Will Venable put an end to that possibility this weekend. Newcomb will instead work out of the bullpen, which is where he showed some real flashes with the Athletics last season.
Mike Vasil was another option who made a strong case for an immediate rotational role. However, his exit from the team's battle against the Los Angeles Dodgers with elbow soreness raised alarm bells, only for the team to announce on Tuesday that he would miss the entire season.
Jonathan Cannon also entered spring training with a shot at a starting role. He filled one of those spots last season before being demoted and called back up like Burke. Unlike his teammate, however, Cannon failed to impress his coaching staff and was actually sent to Triple-A this week.
The question now is what will happen with guys like Hagen Smith, Tanner McDougal, and Noah Schultz? All expected to make their debut this season, how quickly might the Sox look to call them up and get them a taste of starting action? If Burke or Fedde struggle, it could be sooner than expected, especially with Vasil no longer an option.
Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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