CHICAGO -- Give Grant Taylor credit for staying true to his convictions with the White Sox organization whenever the late-inning reliever was asked over the past two seasons about having the chance to start someday.
“I enjoy what I’m doing right now,” Taylor told MLB.com during an August interview on the topic. “That’s a conversation I’ll have with guys in the offseason. I haven’t closed the door on it. But I’m focused on today and helping this team make a playoff push and play in October.”
Not only did Taylor help the White Sox make their first playoff push since 2021, but the hard-throwing right-hander with a 100 mph fastball also was an important contributor during a Wild Card Series victory at Houston and an eventual five-game Division Series loss to the Guardians.
That offseason conversation has happened since this uplifting season closed out, and at 24, Taylor is moving to the starting rotation. General manager Chris Getz told reporters of the change during the General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
“We think it’s time,” Getz told reporters of the Taylor move. “He can be a top-of-the-rotation-type arm. Generally speaking, top-of-the-rotation arms are more valuable than bullpen arms.
“You have to have a good bullpen as well. I understand the question, and time will tell if it’s the right move. We think about Grant and keeping him healthy and productive, and this is the best route for him.”
It was no less than Pittsburgh ace Paul Skenes who thought his friend and LSU teammate was going to the rotation in 2026 when asked about Taylor in the summer of '25. Instead, Taylor posted a 2.25 ERA with 10 saves and 106 strikeouts in 60 games.
Coming off 84 regular-season innings in 2026 and another 8 2/3 innings in the postseason, Taylor transitions to the rotation without much deep-inning work at the Major League or Minor League levels. But this pitching-staff adjustment is one of what figures to be a few made by Getz to enhance his rotation during the offseason.
Those additions to the rotation might come from free agency. They might come via trade. They might come from the perceived top of the free-agent market. They might come from what’s considered lower down in the free-agent order if the White Sox see something they can improve or change in a particular pitcher or give someone a true Major League runway.
“To state which part of the rotation that pitcher is going to fall in, I don’t know,” Getz said Tuesday. “We have so many young arms developing, and we do anticipate guys getting better. We are certainly targeting individuals who could pitch in the middle to the top of the rotation.
“There’s plenty of talent in the free-agent class on the pitching front. We’ll continue to find guys we feel like match for us. It’s not always at the top of the market.”
Sean Burke was the lone starter the White Sox truly employed throughout their seven postseason games. That usage followed a starting staff that ranked last in the Majors with 674 2/3 innings during the regular season. White Sox starters also finished 28th with 621 strikeouts and 26th with a 4.60 ERA.
Burke established himself as a top-of-the-rotation presence. Davis Martin and Luis Castillo -- both expected to have a healthy offseason after injury issues late in 2026, according to Getz -- remain in the mix, as does Anthony Kay. Noah Schultz, David Sandlin, Shane Smith, Drew Thorpe and Tanner McDougal are some of the younger starting options, although Getz said Hagen Smith will stay in the bullpen for the 2027 campaign.
Moving Taylor alters a strong suit from the overall White Sox bullpen, although there are still plenty of capable relief options as well as some of these starters who could end up in relief. As for Taylor’s challenges going to the rotation? The White Sox have a great track record in making this work.
Think Mark Buehrle (primarily a reliever in 2000) and especially Chris Sale (solely a reliever in 2010-11) and Garrett Crochet (reliever in 2020-21, ’23), who started in the bullpen and became All-Star starters.