Top Options for the White Sox to Fill Davis Martin's Spot in the Rotation?
In this story:
After an unceremonious ejection against the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox starter Davis Martin was placed on the 15-day injured list with a blister. While that could explain why Martin hit Reds first baseman Sal Stewart, it leaves a rough couple of weeks for the White Sox to navigate the empty rotation spot.
It's not as if Martin wasn't struggling. In fact, over the last couple of months, he's been the worst pitcher on the staff. In his last 15 games, he has a 6.52 ERA after a pristine first two months of the season.
So, who will replace him?
Note: For this exercise, Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal were not considered, as they need to be stretched out again. But they could be used as potential openers!
Active Roster Options
Right now, the two obvious candidates to replace Martin in the rotation are Erick Fedde and José Urquidy. Both would be pretty uninspiring choices at this point. Fedde was in the rotation and has pitched 109.2 innings in 26 games (12 starts) this year. He can't go very deep into games and also needs an opener, as his first-inning metrics are terrible (7.82 ERA). That's not a recipe for success, as the bullpen will continue to get taxed.
As for Urquidy, his debut with Chicago went less than optimally. In 3.2 innings, Urquidy gave up three runs and is likely not someone that Chris Getz trusts to fill that role. If the White Sox do go the internal route, look for Fedde to take Martin's spot.
Minor League Options
There are several candidates in the minor leagues that could be of service to Chicago. Shane Smith, a 2025 All-Star, was the Opening Day starter for the White Sox. Feels like a long time ago, right? He struggled in three starts in 2026 and was sent down to Triple-A, where he has yet to be called up since April. In his last start with the Charlotte Knights, he went six innings, giving up one run.
Jonathan Cannon was once considered to be a future part of the White Sox rotation. But the acquisition and emergence of other arms, and his production, have led to him sitting in Charlotte. While he is known to walk a lot of guys, he could be a solid spot starter if Chicago decides to call upon him.
The best option among the pitchers in the minors is Drew Thorpe. A key part of the Dylan Cease trade, Thorpe was looking like a solid future piece for the White Sox before his unfortunate elbow injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery. He is still rehabbing, but all signs point to a return in the near future for Thorpe. While he's still ironing out the kinks a little, he has a 2.65 ERA in five minor league starts and could be the answer to the aforementioned question.
External Candidates
While somewhat unlikely given where we are in the season, the White Sox could scan the waiver wire and/or free agency for recently DFA'd pitchers. Miles Mikolas could make sense as a change-of-scenery option, but the White Sox would likely rather stay internal. The former two-time All-Star was horrible with the Washington Nationals before being designated for assignment and, like Fedde, would need an opener.
Finding a replacement for Martin in the short-term may prove to be more difficult than on paper. However, the hope is that Martin's IL stint is only for the minimum and that he comes back as a different pitcher.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Matthew Singer is a contributor for White Sox on SI. Before joining SI in 2026, he worked for Heavy as an MLB contributor and Cubs on SI. Singer has a master's degree in sports journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He loves sports more than anything in the world.