Chicago White Sox' Opening Day Starter in Rarest of Franchise History This Year
On Sunday, we learned that Chicago White Sox pitcher Sean Burke will be the team's Opening Day starter when they take on the Los Angeles Angels on March 27.
And with that honor, Burke is set to make some very unique baseball history, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com:
Sean Burke's 19 innings are the fewest for a White Sox Opening Day starting pitcher prior to that honor. Prior fewest was 1903, Patsy Flaherty — 61, per Elias. Garrett Crochet had 73 entering 2024.
Sean Burke's 19 innings are the fewest for a White Sox Opening Day starting pitcher prior to that honor. Prior fewest was 1903, Patsy Flaherty — 61, per Elias. Garrett Crochet had 73 entering 2024.
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) March 16, 2025
Burke, 25, was a third-round pick of the White Sox back in 2021 and he made his major league debut last September. He went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA, appearing in just four total games (three starts).
He struck out 22 batters in those 19.0 innings and appears to have the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that teams crave. Chicago has a dominant group of prospects in the minor leagues right now (Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, Grant Taylor), so there's a chance that Burke is at the leading edge of a solid future rotation on the South Side.
The White Sox are coming off a a year in which they went 41-121, accumulating the most losses in modern baseball history, so the development of young players like Burke will be the main reason to watch in 2025.
Burke beat out the likes of former All-Star Martin Perez for the Opening Day honor, while also beating Jonathan Cannon.
The White Sox have not set their full rotation yet under first-year manager Will Venable.
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CROCHET SET TO MAKE HISTORY: Garrett Crochet, traded from the White Sox this offseason, will make history as the Opening Day starter for the Red Sox. CLICK HERE:
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