Just days after signing Munetaka Murakami to the team’s most significant contract in recent memory, the White Sox have quickly addressed another major need on the roster. Left-handed reliever Sean Newcomb is headed to the South Side on a one-year/$4.5 million contract, per a team announcement this morning.
Newcomb’s Player Profile
Newcomb, 32, has parts of nine years of experience in the big leagues with four different teams. Initially a starting pitcher, he experienced some success in that role in 2017 and 2018 before falling on hard times. He struggled to the tune of a 6.66 ERA, 5.49 FIP, and 1.69 WHIP in 70 appearances from 2020 to 2024, bouncing between organizations and struggling to find the consistency he once had.
The 2025 season, however, marked a resurgence for him and was his best individual season in a long time. Across 48 appearances with the Red Sox and A’s in 2025, he pitched to a 2.73 ERA, 3.04 FIP, 1.35 WHIP, and 8.9 K/9 across 92.1 innings. 43 of those 48 appearances came in relief, where he put up an even better 2.19 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 70 innings. He performed well against left-handed hitters as well, with them hitting just .226/.308/.321 against him in 121 plate appearances.
Pitch Mix
Newcomb has six pitches in his arsenal, consisting of a four-seamer, slurve, sinker, cutter, changeup, and curveball. His four-seamer and slurve in particular were his best pitches last season, and he was in the top half of baseball in categories such as barrel % and ground ball %, per Baseball Savant. Repertoire changes could also explain his newfound success. His four-seam usage dropped from 47% in 2024 to 30% last season, while his sinker usage jumped from 12% to 22%.
White Sox Lefty Reliever Struggles
The White Sox bullpen as a whole performed poorly last season, but their left-handers were especially bad. Cam Booser bounced between Triple-A and the major leagues and is no longer with the organization. Others like Brandon Eisert, Tyler Gilbert, and Tyler Alexander took the ball when asked, but their performances also left something to be desired. The White Sox acquired lefty reliever Chris Murphy from the Red Sox earlier this offseason to help address this weakness, but Newcomb will immediately slot in as the primary lefty in the bullpen and should be a major upgrade in that role.
Much Needed Left-Hander
In a division with hitters like Vinnie Pasquantino, Steven Kwan, Kyle Manzardo, Riley Greene, and Kerry Carpenter, having a good left-handed reliever for situational matchups late in games is something the White Sox need but have lacked in recent years. Sean Newcomb is an intriguing addition who should provide a boost to a White Sox team that looks primed to take another step forward in 2026.
