The White Sox’ last series before the All-Star break pits them against the Pirates, who are in the National League wild-card race after several down seasons.
From 2019 to 2022, the Pirates finished in last place in their division three times, lost 100-plus games and picked No. 1 in the MLB Draft twice. After enduring that rough stretch, they’re the talk of baseball thanks to the hard-throwing Paul Skenes, who was announced Friday as the NL’s All-Star Game starter.
Their turnaround started with an influx of pitching. The Pirates’ starters are fifth in the majors in ERA (3.55). In addition to Skenes’ fantastic displays, rookie Jared Jones, whom Pittsburgh selected in the second round of the 2020 draft, quietly has had a successful season.
Given the surplus of pitching in the Sox’ farm system and encouraging starts from rookie right-handers Drew Thorpe (3.58 ERA) and Jonathan Cannon (4.41 ERA), the Pirates can serve as a blueprint for the Sox as they continue to evaluate their organization.
“We see what they did, and it’s kind of what we’re trying to do here,” Thorpe told the Sun-Times. “Build around Crochet, myself, Cannon and the younger guys coming up and just try to turn this thing around.”
Since June 1, the Sox’ rotation has the third-best ERA (3.48) in the majors. Crochet has been the best starter in the rotation — with right-hander Erick Fedde the second-best — but Cannon and Thorpe have held their own in the majors.
Thorpe was the prize of the Dylan Cease trade with the Padres. With a plus changeup and a solid frame, he profiled as a rotation mainstay for years to come.
Skenes was a no-brainer No. 1 overall pick in 2023, but that the Pirates were able to identify starter Mitch Keller and Jones speaks to their eye for talent and ability to maximize players.
“I think it speaks to what they’re able to do with the draft and development,” said Cannon (1-3), who allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings in the Sox’ 4-1 loss to the Pirates. “I know that we’ve done a really good job in the draft, and with the development, it’s really good down there. We’ve got a lot of really smart people who know what they’re talking about.”
The Sox have developed a stable of intriguing prospects in the minors. Half of the team’s top 10 prospects are pitchers, according to MLB.com. Thorpe and Cannon already have had extended stints in the majors, left-hander Noah Schultz is rapidly progressing and other intriguing options are brewing in the minors — right-hander Jairo Iriarte and left-hander Jake Eder among them.
Manager Pedro Grifol sees a similar drive from the two rookies. He lauded them for their competitiveness and ability to take information and apply it quickly.
Cannon and Thorpe — who have adjoining lockers — often sit in the clubhouse after starts and discuss pitching. They break down each other’s starts and ask the veterans for their opinions. How the Sox handle the development of Thorpe and Cannon the rest of the season likely will affect their approach with the pitchers called up after them.
“Look at what Schultz has done at every level,” Cannon said. “The fans will be excited about the guys coming up. We’ve got a ton of talent down there, and every time I look, another starter in the system is going seven or eight innings. Those guys are showing it down there.”