An argument can be made that nobody embodies the Chicago White Sox recent resurgence more than Davis Martin.
The longest tenured member on the roster has been through it all, from battling injuries to enduring a 121-loss season. But for the first time since joining the big league club, the White Sox are trending upward, and Martin has played a key role in that turnaround.
The 29-year-old right-hander opened the season as the fourth starter in the Chicago White Sox rotation. But just six starts into the 2026 campaign, he not only looks like the team’s ace, but a legitimate All-Star candidate.
While Martin’s ace label may soon be taken by Noah Schultz, he has quickly established himself as the White Sox most reliable arm. The White Sox are 5-1 in the six games Martin has started this season, while his 1.94 ERA is the fifth best in the American League.
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Despite being the team’s longest tenured player, his path to becoming a staple of the rotation has been anything but linear. After making his MLB debut on May 17, 2022, he was optioned back to Triple-A Charlotte the next day, despite tossing five innings of one-run ball.
After bouncing between the big leagues and minors for the remainder of the season, Martin failed to make the Opening Day roster in 2023. Adding insult to injury, he underwent Tommy John surgery just three starts into the minor league season, forcing him to miss the entire 2023 season.
When he was finally able to rejoin the major league roster in 2024, he stepped into a nightmare situation, going 0-5 in 10 starts as the White Sox plummeted to a historically bad 41-win campaign.
Martin then flew under the radar in 2025, throwing a career-high 142.2 innings across 25 starts. While his 4.10 ERA was serviceable, few expected him to parlay that into what he has delivered so far this season.
One of the biggest reasons why has been his ability to pitch deep into games. This has been particularly useful in a season where Will Venable has had to frequently resort to an opener strategy to help prop up the rotation. Martin has been the opposite, consistently taking the ball and providing length and easing the burden on the bullpen while still delivering results. In fact, Martin has been the only starter who has yet to receive the opener treatment.
That was on full display Tuesday night against the Angels, when Martin needed 89 pitches to get through five innings. For most White Sox starters, that would have marked the end of the night. But Martin wanted to keep throwing, and Venable had enough trust in him to allow him to return for another inning of work. Martin rewarded that trust by recording two more outs, to cap off 5.2 innings of one-run ball, an effort that earned him his fourth win of the season.
It’s a far cry from the pitcher who is just four years removed from battling for a roster spot. Simply put, Martin has not only been the White Sox best starter, but he has also emerged as one of the most effective arms in the American League.
Martin has thrown six-plus innings in four of his six starts, while his 37 innings pitched lead the White Sox. During that stretch, he has yet to allow more than three runs in a game and has logged four quality starts. His 1.2 WAR is also ranked 10th highest among MLB starters this season.
While Martin doesn’t strike out hitters at a high rate, he has made up for it with his ability to limit base runners and throw strikes. His 5.6 walk rate this season not only marks a career best, but it is also one of the lowest rates in the MLB. He is also holding opponents to a .239 batting average, which also marks a career best.
What has stood out about Martin early this season is his willingness to confidently mix all six pitches in his arsenal. While the four-seam fastball remains his primary offering, he has effectively incorporated his cutter, changeup, sinker, slider, and curveball to keep hitters off balance.
He only used his fastball in 26% of his offerings, while the other five pitches have been distributed relatively evenly. His slider, sinker, and changeup have been particularly effective, with Baseball Savant grading each of the three pitches with a run value at +2 of higher. In fact, opponents have hardly been able to touch his slider, which has produced a 53% whiff rate while holding hitters to just a .105 batting average.
The question remains if he will be able to keep up this pace for a full 162-game season. But at the very least, he has earned the fan base and, more importantly, the team’s trust.
Even if some regression comes (and it likely will because baseball is a fickle game), Martin has already reshaped his standing within the organization, from afterthought to anchor.
