White Sox Recall Jonathan Cannon as Rotation Remains in Flux

The Chicago White Sox will recall right-hander Jonathan Cannon ahead of Sunday’s game, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. The move comes as the team continues to shuffle its pitching staff following the demotion of Shane Smith and the recent injury to Chris Murphy. Right-hander Duncan Davitt will be sent down to make room for Cannon on the roster.

Cannon is expected to rejoin the White Sox on regular rest after his last appearance came on Tuesday. The 25-year-old has served as a consistent member of Chicago’s rotation over the past two seasons, making 45 appearances with 38 of those as a starter. However, his results have been underwhelming. Cannon owns a 5.09 ERA over 228 innings, backed by a 4.85 xERA and a 4.64 SIERA.

The White Sox have been forced to make multiple adjustments to their pitching staff in recent days. After Smith was demoted on Wednesday, Tyler Schweitzer was promoted and made his major league debut that evening. Schweitzer allowed one run over 1 1/3 innings but was optioned back to the minors the next day. Meanwhile, Murphy was placed on the injured list.

Cannon’s 2025 season started strong. He threw five scoreless innings in Chicago’s second game of the year against the Angels and posted a 3.76 ERA over his first 10 starts. However, his performance declined sharply after that. He surrendered 10 earned runs in his next two outings, including five home runs, before landing on the injured list with a back strain. Cannon was up and down between the majors and Triple-A for the remainder of the season.

With the addition of left-hander Anthony Kay in the offseason, Cannon lost his spot in the rotation. He has struggled in two Triple-A appearances this year, allowing eight earned runs over 8 2/3 innings. His return to the majors will test whether he can regain consistency in a high-leverage role.

Davitt, who will be optioned, made his major league debut on Friday against the Royals. The 26-year-old walked Kyle Isbel to start the eighth inning but induced a double play and got Bobby Witt Jr. to fly out. Davitt was acquired by Chicago from the Rays in the Adrian Houser trade last season. He has an 8.00 ERA through two Triple-A outings this season.

The White Sox will look to stabilize their rotation as they prepare for Sunday’s game. Cannon’s return could provide a spark after a turbulent stretch for the pitching staff.