Jonathan Cannon is back with the White Sox because they needed another arm right now, and Huascar Brazoban’s move to the 15-day injured list with a lat strain opened the door. Chicago’s pitching staff had already gone through 16 games in 16 days, and the call came after Sean Burke lasted only three innings Wednesday because he issued a career-high eight walks.
Will Venable put the need plainly: “These guys are running on fumes,” and Cannon’s return fits that reality more than it solves it. He has spent almost all of this season at Triple-A Charlotte, and his 2025 line with the White Sox still carries a 5.82 ERA that cost him his rotation spot, which is why this is being framed as depth help rather than a clean fix.
Even so, Cannon has given Chicago a reason to try him again. Over his last 12 outings in Triple-A, he posted a 4.13 ERA with a 23.8% strikeout rate after overhauling his pitch mix, moving away from multiple sinker types and leaning on a four-seam fastball. Cannon said he hardly threw the pitch in 2024 when he first came up, but added that the more he used it, the better and more consistent the results were. He also said the four-seam brings more swing-and-miss into his arsenal, especially if he is used out of the bullpen.
The change matters because the White Sox do not have the luxury of waiting for a perfect answer. Cannon’s return arrives in the middle of a staff emergency, not after one, and the club still has to decide whether his recent Triple-A gains are enough to buy him another shot in the majors. For now, the next signpost is Davis Martin, who will make a rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday and could line up to rejoin the White Sox rotation next.
