The White Sox have added left-hander Tyler Gilbert in a trade with the Philadephia Phillies in exchange for minor league right-hander Aaron Combs. The team announced on Wednesday that Braden Shewmake was designated for assignment to make room for Gilbert on the 40-man roster.
Gilbert is going to have an opportunity to compete for a spot in the White Sox starting rotation in Spring Training. If he fails to crack the rotation he figures to serve in a long relief role, similar to how Michael Soroka was used late last season.
The White Sox already brought in a similar type of arm in Bryse Wilson, who said his goal is to make 32 starts for the South Siders. Gilbert now gives new manager Will Venable a left-handed option in a stable of starting pitchers filled with righties. To crack the rotation he will have to outpitch Jonathan Cannon, Drew Thorpe, Davis Martin, Nick Nastrini, Sean Burke, Ky Bush, and Wilson, who are each vying for one of the five spots.
Gilbert only threw 8.1 innings for the Phillies last year in six appearances out of the bullpen. During that limited sample size, the 31-year-old posted a 3.24 ERA, with three strikeouts a pair of walks, and a home run allowed.
Gilbert was traded to the Phillies in May after signing a minor-league deal with the Reds last offseason. The trade marked a reunion for Gilbert, who the Phillies initially selected in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB draft. The Arizona Diamondbacks later poached him from the Phillies in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. The southpaw made his MLB debut in 2015 and put together a solid rookie campaign. He tossed a no-hitter for the Snakes in his first career MLB start, striking out five Padres and allowing just three walks. It was the first of six starts Gilbert would make that season. He threw 40 innings across nine appearances and posted a 3.15 ERA while limiting opponents to a .200 batting average.
Unfortunately, Gilbert failed to replicate that success in his final two seasons in Arizona. In 2022 he was tagged for a 5.24 ERA in 34.1 innings of work and struck out just 13.7 percent of opponents and a home run rate of 5.5 percent. In 2023 he allowed opponents to slug .537 off of him en route to a 5.19 ERA. The gaudy numbers led to him being outrighted at the end of the 2023 season.
While he was limited to just 8.1 MLB innings in 2024 he did produce solid numbers in Triple-A. In 31 appearances he owned a 2.25 ERA with just eight walks in 40 innings. Gilbert is not a hard thrower and struggles to generate swings and misses. However, he has showcased good control, with a career 7.3 walk rate that is lower than the MLB average.
In order to acquire Gilbert the White Sox had to part ways with Aaron Combs, who the team selected in the eighth round of the 2024 draft. Combs just turned 2023 and showed flashes of potential in his first taste of pro ball. He threw 7.2 innings in Single-A last season and struck out nearly 40 percent of opponents.
Shewmake, who was bumped off the roster did not figure to be a part of the White Sox long-term plans. The 27-year-old was traded to the White Sox as part of a five-player deal for Aaron Bummer. He played in just 29 games for the White Sox last season, slashing .125/.134/.203 with a home run and four RBIs. His struggles continued in Triple-A where he hit .152/.152/.182 in ten games. He will likely be waived by the White Sox.
