GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shane Smith earned well-deserved recognition as the White Sox’ lone 2025 American League All-Star, but fellow rookie Mike Vasil proved his own worth with a chance to continue his remarkable ascent.
Vasil, 25, will get an opportunity to earn a spot in the rotation after posting a 2.50 ERA in a predominant relief role without a blazing fastball.
“I have the higher velo in the tank,” Vasil said. “But I think for me, realizing that pitching is an art, I always learned how to pitch first, and the velo would come.
“Obviously, look, in today’s game, there’s guys throwing above 100 miles an hour, which is crazy, but it’s realizing what works best for you, and creating a plan.”
At first, it might sound like a stretch to move Vasil, 25, to the rotation. He saved a bullpen that posted a 4.16 ERA with 24 blown saves from further despair.
Vasil posted a 2.00 ERA in 44 relief appearances, including 14 of at least three innings. He was used exclusively as a reliever in late June after posting a 6.55 ERA in three consecutive starts in which he allowed three home runs in 11 innings.
But after being dispatched to the bullpen, Vasil threw a career-high 5 1/3 innings and allowed only one earned run in his next appearance after being demoted from the rotation.
Vasil showed no signs of fading, as he posted a 2.54 ERA in 22 appearances in the second half.
The key for Vasil, and the Sox, is his continued success with his 94 mph sinker that produced a 51.4% ground-ball rate, which plays well in hitter-friendly Rate Field and compensates for his 19.4% strikeout rate.
“I love ground balls and realizing that it’s a weapon, especially in today’s game where a lot of guys are obviously trying to hit the ball in the air,” Vasil said.
The Sox could use more efficiency from their rotation after their starters threw only 53.5% of the team’s 1,416 innings in 2025.
“He’s got the physical capability of doing it,” Sox manager Will Venable said. “We asked him to do a lot of different things last year — pitch a little bit of length, some shorter stints, and he was able to respond to everything and really earned that right to come to camp to compete for a starting job.
“We’re going to give him a shot to do that, and we also know that as this thing all comes together, he’s going to do a lot of different things for us.”
Smith, Davis Martin and Anthony Kay (who signed a two-year deal) appear entrenched in the Sox’ rotation, leaving two spots open. Erick Fedde signed a one-year deal last week but needs to regain his 2024 form before the Sox traded him to the Cardinals at the July trade deadline.
That leaves Vasil having a semblance of a shot for at least one spot in the rotation.
“I don’t know what the team plans on having him do, but like as a catcher, you see him attacking hitters early and often,” said Kyle Teel, who caught Vasil at the University of Virginia and last year with the Sox. “That’s a really great quality that he has.”
Vasil knows there are no guarantees, especially after what he experienced last spring. He was a Rule 5 pick of the Phillies in a pre-arranged pick before selling him to the Rays, who waived him shortly before the end of spring training before the Sox claimed him.
“I realized that I’m able to do a lot of things, and that’s valuable,” said Vasil, who spent his first four seasons in the Mets’ organization. “But at the end of the day, I’m a team guy. It’s team over me.”