White Sox Sign Veteran Pitcher To MLB Contract

With the team playing better ball recently, the White Sox are leaving no stone unturned to improve the roster. Left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander has signed a one-year, $760,000 contract, per a team announcement. Left-hander Jared Shuster has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to June 5) with a blister on his left hand, while left-hander Fraser Ellard has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to make space on the 40-man roster for Alexander.

Alexander's Player Profile

Alexander, 30, has parts of seven seasons of MLB experience with a career 4.67 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 7.4 K/9 to his name. Most of his MLB time has come with the Detroit Tigers, but he began the 2025 season with the Milwaukee Brewers after signing a one-year/$1 million contract with the team last offseason.

Mixed 2025 Season

His time with the Brewers was a mixed bag. His 6.19 ERA over 36.1 innings is not impressive, but his 3.56 FIP and .331 BABIP against indicate he has been unlucky and pitched much better than his ERA suggests. He also posted above MLB average numbers in categories like chase %, barrel %, and BB % per Baseball Savant. Still, the Brewers designated him for assignment earlier this week. Alexander went unclaimed and subsequently rejected an assignment to Triple-A, becoming a free agent. The White Sox then scooped him up.

Versatile Innings Eater

Alexander brings experience and versatility to the White Sox pitching staff. He has been around for a long time and has pitched as both a starter and reliever in his MLB career. He has 164 MLB appearances to his name, 56 of which are starts. Alexander’s career stats are nearly the same as a starter and reliever, giving the White Sox flexibility regarding how to utilize him moving forward.

White Sox Need For Pitching Depth

With Jonathan Cannon going on the IL a few days ago and other younger pitchers like Shane Smith and Sean Burke inevitably under innings and workload restrictions as the season progresses, the White Sox need as many innings eaters as possible. Alexander should be able to fit that role nicely, as he has experience doing so in the past. His profile is similar to that of Adrian Houser, who has been fantastic with the White Sox in a small sample since signing with the team several weeks ago.

Final Word

Tyler Alexander is not a flashy signing, nor will he likely be on the team for long. Still, he could provide value as an innings eater to preserve the arms of the younger pitchers on the staff who could play a role in the team’s future success.