Chicago White Sox Calling Up Pitcher Nick Nastrini to Make MLB Debut Monday

Nick Nastrini, who the Chicago White Sox acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, will make his first MLB start against the Kansas City Royals.

Feb 21, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Nick Nastrini poses for a photo during Spring Training. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago White Sox are calling up right-handed pitcher Nick Nastrini to make his MLB debut, manager Pedro Grifol told reporters Sunday.

Nastrini will get the start Monday night against the Kansas City Royals. The White Sox have yet to make the move official, so it remains to be seen who will lose their spot on the roster in order to make room for Nastrini.

The 24-year-old righty was with the White Sox during Spring Training, and he was competing for a spot in the big league rotation until the very end. In five Grapefruit League appearances – three of which were starts – Nastrini posted a 3.77 ERA and 1.326 WHIP.

Nastrini wound up starting 2024 in the minors, and his first two starts with Triple-A Charlotte weren't particularly clean. He went 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and a 2.143 WHIP, although he notably notched 16.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

Grifol and the White Sox needed Nastrini in the majors, though, so he will have to put his shaky start to the year behind him.

"Debuts are debuts, we'll see what happens," Grifol said. "But he's got good stuff. He's got presence. He's not scared, and he's going to compete his ass off, that's for sure."

Chicago acquired Nastrini in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2023 deadline, picking him up as part of the return for Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly.

Nastrini is 15-10 with a 3.99 ERA, 1.225 WHIP and 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings in his minor league career. Although his 4.2 walks per nine innings don't exactly inspire confidence, Nastrini's control has gotten better since he walked 38 batters in 31.1 innings as a junior at UCLA in 2021.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound righty is currently the No. 8 prospect in the White Sox's system. He was the Dodgers' No. 10 prospect entering last season.

First pitch for Monday's showdown between the White Sox and Royals is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET.

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