📰 NEWS FLASH: Sims is fighting for a roster spot in a crowded bullpen… but one tweak could flip the entire story fast ⚡.DD

The Chicago White Sox aren’t pretending anymore.

Cincinnati Reds v Washington Nationals | Mitchell Layton/GettyImages

They know what 2026 is going to require — and it starts with pitching depth.

On Friday, the White Sox announced another bullpen addition, signing former Cincinnati Reds reliever Lucas Sims to a minor league deal. It’s not a flashy move.

It’s not the kind of signing that sells jerseys. But it fits the exact pattern Chicago has been building all winter: stockpile arms, create competition, and hope at least one unexpected piece becomes a real weapon.

Because the White Sox bullpen didn’t just struggle last year — it bled games.

Getz on the potential of more roster adds even during Spring Training: "I believe that there are going to be more adds. To what level, unsure."

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) January 30, 2026

And after losing the most one-run games in baseball in 2025, the organization clearly decided it can’t afford to walk into another season without backup plans stacked on top of backup plans.

Sims is the latest roll of the dice.

The White Sox have already been active in upgrading relief depth, most notably signing right-hander Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year deal to serve as the primary closer.

They’ve also added right-hander Tyson Miller, left-hander Ryan Borucki, and left-hander Sean Newcomb as additional options to mix in with the young core already in place: Grant Taylor, Jordan Leasure, and Mike Vasil.

Now comes Lucas Sims — and he’s the kind of pitcher who brings both experience and chaos in equal amounts.

Sims will turn 32 in May, and his career has been a reminder that “stuff” doesn’t always equal stability. A former first-round pick, Sims has been primarily a reliever since his rookie season in 2017.

He’s best known for his time with the Cincinnati Reds, spending parts of seven seasons there and even pitching in the postseason during the shortened 2020 campaign.

That playoff experience matters — at least in theory.

But the version of Sims the White Sox are signing isn’t the steady, dependable reliever fans picture when they hear “veteran depth.”

It’s the volatile version.

After being traded to the Boston Red Sox during the 2024 season, Sims struggled down the stretch. He then signed with the Washington Nationals for 2025, and the results were brutal: a 13.86 ERA over his first 18 appearances before being released in May.

That’s not a slump.

That’s a collapse.

So why would the White Sox take a chance on him now?

Because there’s still a pitcher inside Sims that teams believe they can unlock — if they can find the right formula.

At his best, Sims attacks hitters with a mid-90s fastball, a sweeper, and a cutter. He can generate whiffs. He can avoid barrels. He can make hitters look late and uncomfortable.

But his profile comes with a built-in danger: he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher, meaning the contact he allows has to be carefully managed.

If the ball stays in the park, he looks like a weapon.

If it doesn’t, he looks unplayable.

And in recent seasons, the home run problem has been hard to ignore. Sims ranked near the bottom of the league in ground-ball percentage in both 2023 and 2024, though that number improved slightly in 2025.

Even more alarming is his 19.4% walk rate — the kind of number that turns “relief appearance” into “immediate fire drill.”

The fastball has also been a major issue. Opponents hit .316 against it in 2025 and .281 in 2024. That’s a flashing red light for any pitcher, but especially one who already walks too many hitters.

There’s a possible solution hiding in his pitch mix, though.

Sims’ cutter was incredibly effective in 2024 — and then he essentially stopped using it last season. If the White Sox can shift him toward a cutter/sweeper-heavy approach and reduce fastball usage, they might be able to limit damage and turn him into something usable again.

That’s the gamble.

But making the roster won’t be easy.

Even with bullpen openings, Sims is walking into a crowded room. Domínguez, Taylor, Leasure, and Vasil already feel penciled in.

Rule 5 picks Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto are in the mix, along with promising prospect Wikelman Gonzalez. Sims isn’t arriving as a favorite — he’s arriving as a tryout.

And yet, the White Sox are doing it anyway, because injuries happen. Bullpens break. Plans fall apart by April.

Chris Getz even hinted more moves could still be coming during spring training, saying, “I believe that there are going to be more adds. To what level, unsure.”

That’s not just a quote.

That’s an admission that the roster is still in motion.

With two weeks left until spring training, Chicago may still pursue starting pitching and outfield help. But for now, the message is clear: the White Sox are hunting for depth everywhere they can find it.

Lucas Sims might not be the answer.

He might not even make the team.

But if the White Sox can catch lightning in a bottle — if they can pull one usable reliever out of the volatility — it could be the kind of quiet move that matters most when the season starts slipping.

And that’s the part fans should be watching:

Is Sims just another minor league flyer… or the first sign the White Sox are done losing games in silence? ⚡