White Sox Option David Sandlin to Triple-A Charlotte After Boston Trade

David Sandlin never threw a pitch in a Cactus League game this spring, and that absence made the Chicago White Sox's decision on March 9 an easy one.

The right-hander, acquired from the Red Sox in a February trade that also saw Chicago take on Jordan Hicks' contract, was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte along with right-handed pitcher Wikelman González and infielder Tanner Murray. The three moves trimmed the White Sox major-league camp to 52 players, broken down as 26 pitchers, five catchers, 10 infielders, and 11 outfielders. Subsequent reassignments of right-hander Ben Peoples and left-hander Tyler Schweitzer to minor league camp further reduced those numbers to 24 pitchers and 50 total players.

Sandlin's spring was derailed almost immediately. He entered camp with back issues that delayed the start of his throwing program, and as he worked back he developed elbow soreness, compounding the setback. With no game appearances on his spring resume, Sandlin was scheduled to throw a side session the following Tuesday before reporting to Charlotte. "Without the opportunity to take the mound and showcase his stuff, optioning him was an easy decision for the White Sox," as coverage framed it.

The organizational plan for Sandlin in Charlotte centers on a role change. He struggled badly when shifted to the bullpen during his time with Triple-A Worcester in 2025, posting a 7.61 ERA and 2.07 WHIP across 23.2 innings of relief work, with 21 strikeouts against 13 walks. The White Sox intend to stretch him back out as a starter with the Knights, hoping a return to a starting role unlocks the potential that made him worth acquiring in the first place.

González, the other pitcher optioned in the move, showed persistent command problems during his brief spring audition: six walks in just 3.1 innings, with only four strikeouts against five hits and three runs allowed. Tightening that strike zone is expected to be a primary developmental focus in Charlotte.

Murray's demotion came despite a spring that opened with real power. The infielder launched two early home runs and held a .632 slugging percentage, producing a .936 OPS in Cactus League play. A cold stretch pulled his overall line to 4-for-19 by the time the option came, though his strikeout rate remained low throughout.

Charlotte's rotation is shaping up as one of the more intriguing storylines in the White Sox system this season. Top pitching prospects Noah Schultz and Tanner McDougal were also optioned to the Knights earlier in the weekend, and additional rotation candidates include Sandlin, Austin Voth, Chris Murphy, and Duncan Davitt, a 26-year-old right-hander acquired from Tampa Bay at the 2025 trade deadline and added to the 40-man roster. Given that Chicago deployed ten starting pitchers last season, the Knights' staff could see significant big-league traffic throughout 2026.