What Rests Ahead for the White Sox' Rotation After Great Noah Schultz News?
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The Chicago White Sox are about to get even better.
Sitting at the top of the AL Central with a 44-39 record, the franchise will welcome back its highest-upside arm this week. Manager Will Venable told reporters ahead of Monday's 8-2 victory in Baltimore that all signs point toward a Noah Schultz return this week.
More specifically, Venable said that Schultz is feeling really good following his rehab assignment and could be activated to start as soon as Wednesday. This would put him on the mound for the Sox' series finale against the Orioles, as well as mark his first outing in over a month.
Schultz was initially placed on the IL on May 26 with right knee patellar tendinitis. It undoubtedly raised some concerns for the rookie, as knee issues have been a problem for the oversized lefty in the past. Nevertheless, he has seemingly worked his way back to 100 percent and will reclaim his spot as one of the most important starters in Chicago's rotation.
Schultz has made three rehab appearances over the last couple of weeks. He first threw 1.2 innings of work for Charlotte on June 16 before tossing 2.2 innings on June 21. The final outing came last week, when Schultz threw seven strikeouts with 2 earned runs in 4.2 innings.
To be sure, Schultz hasn't been the sensation some hoped since getting the call earlier this season. He has only a 5.82 ERA in his first eight starts. This included allowing 6 earned runs to the Giants in his last appearance, as well as a combined 19 over his previous four starts. Still, the upside with Schultz remains tremendous, as the 22-year-old provides elite strikeout potential with his 95+ mph sinker and fastball.
If Schultz can settle into his MLB role over the second half of this season, the Sox will only look scarier as the postseason inches closer. Especially with Davis Martin performing at an All-Star level, the Sox could make a run at one more starter at the deadline to feel pretty good about their late-season rotation.
More Changes Coming to the White Sox Rotation?
One has to wonder if Noah Schultz's return could lead to some more rotation changes for the White Sox over the next week or so. Erick Fedde has been in the mix since the start of the season, but Will Venable has already had a tight leash on the veteran. In fact, he's even used an opener for Fedde in half of his performances this season.
Fedde currently has a 4.34 ERA over his 74.2 innings of work. While he's done a decent job minimizing hard contact, he's still walking his fair share of batters and has a 1.42 WHIP. At the end of the day, it's just hard to imagine the plan is for Fedde to stay in the starting rotation all season, especially with the Sox looking this competitive.
The Sox have already shown a willingness to give David Sandlin some work. The rookie has made a couple of starts during Schultz' absence and most recently went 6.0 innings deep with six strikeouts and only one run allowed. The Sox did send him back to Charlotte following that performance, but is it possible we see him taking Fedde's spot in the rotation soon?
If one thing is for sure, the Sox still have plenty of room to improve in the pitching department. It should be the No. 1 spot we expect them to address via trade over the next month, specifically with the playoffs now looking like a real possibility.
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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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