The Chicago White Sox are moving Grant Taylor from the bullpen to the starting rotation for 2027.
White Sox General Manager Chris Getz made the announcement in a radio interview with SiriusXM.
The workload has never been there
Taylor has not, as far as I can tell, ever pitched more than 100 innings in a season. So there will be questions on whether he can stretch out. He already had Tommy John surgery during his college years.
Injury isn't the only concern when it comes to stretching Taylor out -- the Sox struggled late in the regular season as young pitchers having little experience with heavy workloads ran out of gas. Fatigue, injuries, and ineffectiveness caused the Sox to have to use a patchwork pitching plan in the postseason.
Taylor was generally effective as the unofficial closer out of the bullpen last season. I personally have argued he become the official closer for 2027.
Meanwhile, Hagen Smith, who worked as both a starter -- well, opener -- and as a reliever last season will move to the bullpen for now. I had argued that Smith should be looked at as a possible starter.
The Sox need starting pitching for next year, especially if trade-deadline acquisition Luis Castillo, who struggled mightily, can't be fixed. Right now, the team has two starters penciled in -- Sean Burke and Davis Martin. Plus perhaps lefty Anthony Kay.
Martin struggled in the second half, though, and was possibly plagued by injury. Another internal option, Erick Fedde, is a free agent.
Smith, Taylor, and Noah Schultz have all been pegged as future starters. Schultz struggled after being called up. Drew Thorpe is also an option, as is David Sandlin.
The Sox will have to not only hope that Taylor, who had a 2.25 ERA in 84 innings during the 2026 regular season, can handle the higher work load but also have to find a closer. Mike Vasil should return from injury in 2027, but perhaps not until midseason.
It's worth noting that the 2027 season could be shortened due to labor strife, but there's still a chance that the league will play a full 162, and Taylor has to be ready.
Even if Taylor succeeds and Smith works well out of the bullpen, the Sox will still be searching for arms. Not only is the closer's role now open, but there is still a need for one or two more starters.
It will be harder than usual to get a read on how the Sox might approach free agency, since the league seems headed towards a lockout. Personally, I have reservations about this move, but the Sox seem to believe Taylor's stuff can translate into being an effective starter, and they seem to think he can handle the workload.
If they're right, the Sox could have the foundations of a solid starting rotation. If not, well, perhaps Taylor could return to the closer role.
| More White Sox on DaWindyCity |
Add us as a preferred source on Google