Left-hander Carlos Rodon will be the Opening Day starter for the White Sox on March 28 against the Royals. The 26-year-old is not only trying to lead the rotation this year, but remain healthy after battling injuries for the past two seasons.
Rodon will square off against righty Brad Keller in Kansas City.
Rodon didn't make his 2018 debut until June and was spectacular through his first 14 starts, posting a 2.70 ERA by the end of August. However, Rodon's season fizzled out, with a rough month of September, when he allowed 28 earned runs in 27.1 innings. That raised his ERA to 4.18 to finish his season. Rodon made his debut in 2016, and has a career 4.01 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 86 total appearances, 83 of them being starts. Meanwhile, another former first round pick of the White Sox, Carson Fulmer, was optioned down to Triple-A on Monday along with left-handed pitcher Aaron Bummer.
Fulmer was the eighth overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft, but after a few failed stops in the majors, his stock plummeted in 2018. The 25-year-old righty also struggled this spring training, giving up eight runs on 10 hits in nine innings. Fulmer has made 13 career MLB starts, while pitching in 24 total games. He's recorded a 6.68 ERA in 67.1 innings. Last year, after making eight starts and putting up a 8.07 ERA in 32.1 innings, he was sent down to the minors and Fulmer didn't get better. The White Sox moved Fulmer to the bullpen after nine starts at Triple-A in 2018, and he put up a 4.37 ERA in 22.2 innings. Overall in Fulmer's minor league career, he's recorded a 5.04 ERA in 319.2 innings. Is it too early to call Fulmer a bust?
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