Analyzing Jordan Hicks' Future with the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox have made a strategic move by acquiring right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, primarily as a financial asset to reduce payroll. This trade allows the Boston Red Sox to shed $16 million of their $24 million debt to the veteran pitcher by 2027. To facilitate this, the Red Sox traded right-hander David Sandlin, a top 10 prospect in Chicago's system, to the White Sox.
Despite the addition of Hicks, Austin Hays, and Seranthony Dominguez, the White Sox are projected to have the fourth-lowest payroll in the league, estimated at $86 million, similar to their previous season's expenditure.
Hicks' journey to the White Sox is a tale of decline. He struggled with the San Francisco Giants last season and performed even worse when traded to the Red Sox. Initially, Hicks showed promise as a starter with the Giants in early 2024, but his performance soon deteriorated. Since then, he has been removed from the rotation and has been strictly a reliever.
Hicks' career began with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018, where he gained recognition for his 100-mph sinker. However, he faced challenges in harnessing the pitch, resulting in a high walk rate of 13.3% in his first MLB stint. He briefly served as the primary closer in 2019 but suffered a UCL tear, leading to a season-ending injury in June. This injury marked the start of a prolonged period of health issues, causing him to miss significant time over the next four years due to various ailments.
In 2023, Hicks returned to health and was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, where he performed well, primarily as a setup man for the incumbent closer, Jordan Romano. He then signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Giants, initially excelling as a starter, allowing two earned runs or fewer in his first seven starts. However, his performance declined after the first month, and he was eventually removed from the rotation.
The White Sox's acquisition of Hicks is a strategic move to utilize his skills as a reliever. General Manager Chris Getz expressed confidence in Hicks' ability to contribute to the bullpen, stating that the team's best performance comes when Hicks is at his best in this role. Despite his poor run prevention results (8.20 ERA) and subpar four-seamer and splitter usage, Hicks' sinker and slider received high grades, with Stuff+ ratings of 115 and 117, respectively.
The White Sox have struggled with relievers securing double-digit saves in recent seasons. Liam Hendriks was the last to achieve this, with 37 saves in 2022. Jordan Leasure led the team with seven saves in 2025, and Grant Taylor and Mike Vasil combined to close out 10 games. The team plans to keep Leasure, Taylor, and Vasil in the late-inning mix, with Dominguez as the likely closer to start the year, but he may be traded if he performs well.
Hicks is expected to get opportunities in high-leverage spots. A potential trade of Dominguez would provide Hicks with a two-month trial as the closer. With a $12 million contract for 2027, Hicks could serve as an affordable stopper next season. Despite the uncertainties, Hicks remains optimistic, having recently hit 99.5 mph in a bullpen session without any post-session soreness.
Hicks' future with the White Sox appears promising, and he is ready to reclaim a prominent role in the bullpen.
