Jonathan Cannon returns to taxed White Sox pitching staff, touting an overhauled arsenal
Back in 2024, Jonathan Cannon’s rookie-year emergence was a note of encouragement in a White Sox season that offered few others. In Sox pitching circles, comparisons to Giants’ sinkerballing ace Logan Webb were once invoked.
Instead, Cannon ran up a 5.82 ERA in 2025 and lost his rotation spot, and has spent almost all of this season at Triple-A Charlotte. His return to Chicago is mostly about an injury to Huascar Brazoban, and a pitching staff that’s logged 16 games in 16 days, further exhausted by Sean Burke lasting just three innings Wednesday due to a career-high eight walks
“These guys are running on fumes,” said manager Will Venable.
But buried underneath both a poor start and the cozy, hitting-friendly environs of the Charlotte Knights’ home park, Cannon has overhauled his approach. He’s abandoned chasing grounders with multiple sinker types that were failing to deliver them, in favor of a four-seam fastball that’s carried him to a 4.13 ERA and a 23.8% strikeout rate over his last 12 outings.
“I didn’t throw my four-seam at all hardly in ‘24 when I came up, but it performed really well,” Cannon told the Sun-Times. “It was just what the hitters were telling us. The more I used it, the results were really good and were consistent. I really feel the four-seam brings a lot more swing-and-miss into my arsenal. Especially if I’m pitching a little bit out of the bullpen here, that’s going to be very beneficial, and it sets up my other pitches a lot as well.”
Sinking the baseball from a low three-quarters arm slot comes naturally to Cannon, to a fault. All his other pitches also move downward, and elevated four-seamers have filled a void in his arsenal for something to change the eye-level of opposing hitters. It might not be enough to get Cannon’s rotation spot anytime soon, but with the Sox’ current quest for starters, a foot in the door could be worth plenty.
Burger back in town
Three years ago, an ill-fated trade sending Jake Burger to the Marlins for left-hander Jake Eder proved to be the final major move before the Ken Williams and Rick Hahn-led front office was purged, and the Sox hurdled toward three-straight 100-loss seasons.
Returning this week with the Rangers marks the first time the former Sox first-round pick has seen his old stomping grounds energized by meaningful baseball since departing.
“I love coming back to the city, and there’s a lot of fond memories in this ballpark,” Burger said. “They have a good team, and these are always fun games when you’re playing a first-place team versus another first-place team.”
Burger speaks warmly of general manager Chris Getz, who was the Sox farm director as he battled back from multiple Achilles tears and two seasons entirely lost to injury, to have a major league career with 111 home runs and counting. That includes two this week against his old club, which produced some enjoyable chirping.
“It’s always good fun. This is always a place where the fans are going to give it to you, no matter who you are.”
Martin on rehab
Davis Martin will make a rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday, which could line him up to rejoin the White Sox rotation next week if it goes well. Kyle Teel caught for the first time in his Knights rehab assignment on Wednesday.
Peters makes it five
With a fifth-inning two-run shot to right on Wednesday night, Tristan Peters tied the Sox’ franchise record with home runs in five consecutive games. He’s the eighth Sox hitter to accomplish the feat, including Munetaka Murakami this April.