White Sox Eye Six-Man Rotation After Adding Civale

After acquiring right-hander Aaron Civale from the Brewers, White Sox general manager Chris Getz said the team is considering a six-man rotation moving forward.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Kyle Williams, Getz was drawn to Civale’s experience as a starter and his ability to cover innings. 

“It’s really about protecting our young arms,” Getz told Williams. 

The deal—sending former No. 3 overall pick Andrew Vaughn and cash considerations to Milwaukee in exchange for Civale—represents a move that benefits both clubs based on their current needs.

Civale had requested a trade on Thursday after being removed from the Brewers’ rotation in favor of top pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski. With free agency looming at the end of the season, Civale expressed a desire to remain a starter, citing the impact it could have on his market value. He has never pitched out of the bullpen at any level—major or minor leagues.

On the other side, Vaughn no longer fit into Chicago’s long-term plans. With just one year of team control remaining and limited trade value projected this offseason, he was a likely non-tender candidate. Vaughn wraps up his White Sox tenure with a .248/.303/.407 slash line, 77 home runs, 293 RBIs, and a -0.4 WAR over parts of five seasons.

The White Sox were in need of innings eaters after veteran starter Martin Perez landed on the 60-day IL due to a left-forearm strain just four starts into the season. The injury left the White Sox young rotation in a precarious spot, which prompted the front office to add Adrian Houser. 

Adrian Houser has impressed in his first four starts with the White Sox, going 2–1 with a 1.48 ERA over 24.1 innings—potentially positioning himself as a valuable trade chip ahead of the deadline.

Aaron Civale, meanwhile, is seen as a short-term rental for the White Sox, who may be bracing for Houser’s potential departure or preparing for the possibility that Jonathan Cannon’s injury is more serious than initially believed.

Civale brings a solid track record, owning a career 4.06 ERA with a 21.8% strikeout rate and 6.5% walk rate across seven big league seasons. He spent his first five years with Cleveland before being traded to the Rays in 2023, and then to the Brewers in 2024. Last season, he logged a career-high 161 innings.

With Davis Martin,  Jonathan Cannon, Sean Burke, and Shane Smith each in their first full seasons as MLB starters, having someone who can decrease their workload could prove beneficial. The White Sox have already experimented with an opener strategy to help their starters go deeper into games. 

Implementing a temporary six-man rotation would give the White Sox a way to manage the workload of their young arms while easing pressure on the bullpen by adding another starter capable of pitching deep into games. If Civale delivers a strong stretch of outings, the White Sox could also look to flip him at the trade deadline for additional value.