A White Sox bullpen that was once one of the weakest links of the team suddenly looks like a strength.
After freeing up $20 million in the Luis Robert trade, White Sox general manager Chris Getz wasted no time using the space to sign right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year, $20 million contract.
Domínguez is expected to serve as the White Sox closer, a move that could bring stability to the back end of the bullpen. Last season, Chicago relievers converted just 51% of their save opportunities, with manager Will Venable using eight different pitchers to record saves.
The White Sox lost a MLB-leading 36 one-run games in 2025, with 24 blown saves playing a significant role.
While Domínguez has spent the bulk of his career as a setup man, he has all the tools to be an effective shutdown closer. The 31-year-old owns a career 3.50 ERA across seven MLB seasons, with his 2025 season being one of his best to date.
Last season, he ranked in the top 90th percentile in strikeout rate (30.3%), whiff rate (33.3%), average fastball velocity (97.7 mph), and expected batting average (.193).
Domínguez burst onto the scene in 2018 with a 2.95 ERA, striking out 32% of hitters over 58 innings in his rookie season with the Phillies. He also set a career high with 16 saves during his debut season.
However, his next three seasons were plagued by injuries. After missing the 2020 season with Tommy John surgery, he threw just one inning in 2021 before posting a 3.00 ERA with nine saves in 2022.
Over the past four seasons, he has regained form, producing numbers similar to his breakout 2018 campaign. He logged at least 50 innings in each of those years, totaling 222 1/3 innings with the Phillies, Orioles, and Blue Jays. During that span, he posted a 3.60 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate, a 10.7% walk rate, and a 41.9% groundball rate, while recording 24 saves and 55 holds.
He joins the White Sox with a revamped arsenal after adding a slider, splitter, and curveball in 2025, complementing an upper-90s fastball and a mid-80s sweeper. While his 13.8% walk rate remains a concern, the expanded pitch mix helped him post his highest strikeout rate in a full season since his rookie year.
That was on full display during the postseason, where Dominguez logged some key outs as the setup man for the Blue Jays. This included escaping a bases-loaded jam in game 6 of the World Series en route to a 3.18 ERA in 12 postseason appearances.
Before adding Domínguez, Jordan Leasure and Grant Taylor were the leading candidates for the White Sox’s ninth-inning role. While both young relievers show promise, either would have been placed in a challenging position.
In a setup role, Leasure can continue to develop in high-leverage situations without the added pressure of the ninth inning. The 27-year-old finished the season strong, striking out 30% of opposing hitters and holding them to a .144 batting average in the second half.
Taylor showed plenty of potential in his first 36 big-league appearances, but the results were inconsistent. Over 36 2/3 innings, he recorded six saves, posted a 4.91 ERA, and struck out just over 34% of hitters. He also generated a 51% ground-ball rate — enough to rank near the league’s best had he thrown enough innings to qualify.
The combination of Leasure, Taylor, and Domínguez now gives the White Sox a trio of hard-throwing right-handers at the back end of the bullpen.
Thrown into high-leverage situations early, Taylor gave manager Will Venable a much-needed weapon to help close out games. His fastball averages nearly 98 mph, while his slider and curveball each produced whiff rates above 30%.
Taylor really found his stride in the season’s final month, delivering eight scoreless innings with 15 strikeouts across nine appearances. His versatility and ability to pitch multiple innings could make him a key contributor in a variety of bullpen roles next season.
However, with starting pitching still a team need and free-agent budget constraints, the White Sox could consider stretching Taylor into a starting or long-relief role — though doing so would mean passing up the chance to maintain a three-headed monster of hard-throwing right-handers to close out games.
If the White Sox enter the seventh inning with a lead, opposing hitters could face the formidable trio of Taylor, Leasure, and Domínguez, making late innings a daunting task.
