White Sox Notes: Hicks, Sandlin and Leasure Report to Camp

The White Sox kicked off their offseason with a multi-player trade. They brought in right-handed pitchers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin, plus cash, from the Boston Red Sox.

This blog post digs into the details of the deal. We’ll look at the players involved and what this move says about Chicago’s bigger plans, especially considering their payroll and recent spending.

White Sox Make Bold Moves for Pitching Depth

The Chicago White Sox are clearly out to shake things up. Their latest trade with the Boston Red Sox really underlines that intent.

This transaction, which centers on landing Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin along with a hefty cash boost, feels like a clear push to strengthen their pitching staff.

Hicks and Sandlin: New Arms on the South Side

The big names coming to Chicago in this trade are right-handed pitchers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin. To make it happen, the White Sox sent pitching prospect Gage Ziehl to Boston and threw in a player to be named later.

Jordan Hicks lands on the South Side as something of a veteran rebound project. His 2025 season was rough—he put up a 6.95 ERA over 67 1/3 innings between the Giants and Red Sox. The strikeout and walk numbers weren’t great, but a 4.41 SIERA hints that maybe he just ran into some bad luck. Health issues definitely played a part, too. He missed nearly two months with toe inflammation and shoulder tendinitis. Now, though, Hicks says he’s healthy and recently hit 99.5 mph in a bullpen session, which is eye-catching. The White Sox want him in the bullpen, where he’s had more success before. Honestly, that sounds like the right call given his struggles in the rotation. Maybe this change is what he needs.

David Sandlin is a bit of a wild card. He only threw 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A and posted a rough 7.61 ERA with Worcester in 2025, but the White Sox seem pretty high on his upside. General Manager Chris Getz even called Sandlin’s addition “essentially part of a Luis Robert return,” which definitely raised some eyebrows. The team’s payroll sits at a modest $85.5 million, and there’s still chatter about whether owner Jerry Reinsdorf will ever push it over $100 million. Sandlin throws hard and the team sees him as a real contender for a rotation spot this spring. If he doesn’t make it right away, he could be a depth option later on. His youth and potential are hard to ignore for a club trying to build for the future.

Financial Implications and Strategic Vision

The money side of this trade is just as interesting as the players. Boston kicked in $8 million to help cover part of Hicks’ $24 million salary.

Add in the recent signings of Seranthony Domínguez and Austin Hays, and the White Sox have spent about $26 million on these three guys in the short term.

Balancing Books and Building a Roster

The cash from Boston shows the White Sox are trying to keep their payroll under control. They can bring in a veteran arm like Hicks without blowing up the budget.

This move fits Chicago’s bigger plan of shifting payroll flexibility. After trading Luis Robert, the club found itself with more financial breathing room. Now they’re pouring those resources into pitching depth.

That’s the real challenge—balancing the numbers while actually building a roster that works long-term. It’s tricky, especially when people keep questioning the owner’s willingness to spend. There was even some back-and-forth about including reliever Jordan Leasure in the deal. Boston ended up taking Ziehl, but the talks show how much the Sox value young, controllable arms.

Leasure, with his steps forward in 2025 and extra option years, is exactly the kind of guy a rebuilding team wants to keep—or at least use as trade leverage for something bigger.

 
Here is the source article for this story: White Sox Notes: Hicks, Sandlin, Leasure