The White Sox bullpen was a major sore spot last season, and the numbers don’t lie. With 24 blown saves-the fourth-most in the American League-and a bullpen ERA of 4.16 (sixth-highest in the AL), it’s clear why GM Chris Getz is prioritizing relief help this offseason. But with free-agent spending expected to be tight, the Sox may have to look inward for answers.
They’ve already added a couple of arms-Chris Murphy via trade and Duncan Davitt to the 40-man roster-but the real difference-makers might come from within. Here are three relievers who could play pivotal roles in reshaping the bullpen in 2026.
Jordan Leasure: A Potential Closer in the Making?
Jordan Leasure quietly led the White Sox in saves last season with seven-not exactly a staggering total, but it came during a year where the team struggled to hold late leads. More importantly, Leasure showed real growth.
He appeared in 68 games, posted a 3.92 ERA, and struck out 81 batters over 64.1 innings. That’s a strikeout rate north of 30%, and in the second half of the season, opponents hit just .144 against him.
That’s a big leap from his rocky rookie year in 2024, when his ERA ballooned to 6.32. The stuff has always been there-his fastball plays-but he’s still working on refining his command.
Thirty walks and 12 home runs allowed are areas that need tightening up. But if Leasure can rein in the control and keep the ball in the yard, he’s got the tools to anchor the back end of this bullpen.
Grant Taylor: Power Arm with Multi-Inning Upside
Grant Taylor was thrown into the deep end last season-and while the results weren’t always pretty, he flashed the kind of upside that gets front offices excited. After just 46 innings in the minors, the White Sox brought him up straight from Double-A Birmingham. He’d been bouncing between starting and relieving, but the big-league club slotted him into the bullpen, where he carved out a role by season’s end.
In 36.2 innings, Taylor posted a 4.91 ERA with six saves and a strikeout rate north of 34%. He also generated a 51% ground-ball rate-elite territory if he’d thrown enough innings to qualify.
His fastball sits close to 98 mph, and both his slider and curveball posted whiff rates over 30%. That’s the kind of swing-and-miss profile you want in high-leverage spots.
Taylor really turned a corner down the stretch, tossing eight scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts over his final nine appearances. That late-season surge showed what he can do when he’s healthy and locked in. With plans to keep him in the bullpen next year, expect Taylor to be a versatile weapon-capable of going multiple innings or shutting the door in the ninth.
Prelander Berroa: A Bounce-Back Candidate with Electric Stuff
Before injury derailed his 2025 campaign, Prelander Berroa was one of the more intriguing bullpen arms on the roster. Acquired from the Mariners, Berroa made 17 appearances in 2024 and posted a strong 3.32 ERA with 26 strikeouts in just 19 innings. He held opponents to a .217 average and generated a 34% whiff rate-numbers that speak to his raw stuff.
Berroa’s fastball averaged 97 mph, and his slider was a nightmare for hitters, generating a 43% whiff rate. Unfortunately, he underwent Tommy John surgery in March and missed the entire 2025 season.
The good news? We’ve already seen Taylor bounce back from the same surgery and regain his velocity.
If Berroa can do the same, he could be a serious asset in the late innings.
Bottom Line
The White Sox bullpen has nowhere to go but up, and while free-agent signings might be limited, internal development could be the key to turning things around. Jordan Leasure looks like a potential closer, Grant Taylor brings high-octane stuff and multi-inning versatility, and Prelander Berroa-if healthy-has the swing-and-miss arsenal to dominate.
If even two of these arms take a step forward, the bullpen could go from liability to strength in 2026. That alone could change the tone of tight games-and the trajectory of the season.
