The White Sox offense has come alive recently. Munetaka Murakami has hit a home run in five straight games and Colson Montgomery has homered in four straight, making them the first pair of teammates in MLB history to each homer in four consecutive team games. Miguel Vargas has also homered in three straight games. The bats are producing, but the bullpen is not. It’s time for Wikelman González to get his chance to help turn things around.
White Sox Bullpen Struggles
Even after bringing in both Sean Newcomb and Seranthony Domínguez via free agency last offseason, the White Sox bullpen has still been bad. Their collective 5.75 ERA across 112.2 innings is among the worst in MLB. They have also allowed 119 hits over those innings, leading to an inflated 1.70 WHIP. There have already been several winnable games the bullpen has blown and the team has been churning through relievers all season. 20 different players have made at least one relief appearance for the team in hopes of finding a combination that can hold opponents off the scoreboard. Tyler Davis will soon be the 21st reliever to pitch for the White Sox this season, as his contract was just selected from Triple-A while Lucas Sims was designated for assignment.
An Obvious Move
Wikelman González is not among the group of pitchers who have made an MLB appearance for the White Sox this season. The final piece in the Garrett Crochet trade with the Red Sox in December 2024, the 24-year-old recorded a 2.66 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, and 11.1 K/9 in 20.1 innings across 16 appearances with the White Sox in 2025. He has continued that positive momentum at the Triple-A level in the early going of 2026, pitching to a 2.38 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 11.1 innings. His BB/9 has also gone down, which is notable since throwing strikes has traditionally been his biggest issue.
It’s becoming harder and harder to explain why González hasn’t been called up yet. His performance warrants a promotion and it’s not like the White Sox bullpen is so loaded with talent that there isn’t room for him. Even after DFAing Sims, recent waiver claim Osvaldo Bido is still on the roster despite a disastrous first appearance with the team. Replacing him with González is a logical choice. Not only would González likely perform better, but he is significantly younger than Bido and could have a long-term future with the team.
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Another Possible Solution
González isn’t the only reliever in Triple-A who deserves a shot. Ben Peoples is also off to a strong start. Acquired in last year’s Adrian Houser trade with the Rays, the 24-year-old right-hander hasn’t allowed a run yet, striking out 11 in 12 innings. With the big league bullpen in shambles, he is another pitcher who deserves a chance to show what he can do in the majors.
Clear Next Steps
There is no doubt that the White Sox are finally trending in the right direction after a slow start to 2026. The offense has heated up and the starting rotation has largely done its job as well. The bullpen is the clear weakness, and it’s time to give younger relievers with upside like Wikelman González and Ben Peoples an opportunity. If they can carry their Triple-A success to the big club, it would greatly improve the bullpen and give the team a better chance to win consistently.
