White Sox Call Up Doug Nikhazy Ahead Of West Coast Trip

White Sox Call Up Doug Nikhazy Ahead Of West Coast Trip

The Chicago White Sox open their West Coast road trip with a matchup against the Athletics in Sacramento on Friday night.

After that, it's off to Arizona for a date with the Diamondbacks, and the Sox will be joined by a new arm to the pitching staff for the trip.

According to a report from Future Sox, the White Sox are calling up 26-year-old left-hander Doug Nikhazy.

Nikhazy was claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians on April 6 and has made two starts with Triple-A Charlotte this season. Over 7.2 innings, he owns a 3.52 ERA with 10 strikeouts.

He got a brief look at the Major League level with Cleveland last season, appearing in two games and allowing six runs over four innings. He also posted a 5.02 ERA in Triple-A, which marked a step back after logging a 2.98 ERA across 123.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2024.

It’s a fairly unconventional profile. Nikhazy is a funky lefty who doesn’t light up the radar gun—his average fastball velocity in 2025 was 90.2 mph—but he still generates plenty of whiffs, leaning heavily on a fastball-slider combination.

He’s been a starting pitcher throughout his professional career, but it’s hard to imagine the White Sox inserting him into the rotation right away. More likely, he’ll slot in as a bulk-innings lefty out of the bullpen as the team continues to shuffle pieces and search for reliable options.

It’s absolutely worth a look. Nikhazy brings some pedigree as a former second-round pick, along with intriguing upside for a 26-year-old who could still be stretched out again down the line.

Many White Sox fans have been calling for Wikelman Gonzalez to get the call from Triple-A, which is a completely fair argument given how well he’s pitched to open the season in Charlotte (1.04 ERA over 8.2 innings).

But as I noted throughout the offseason, the White Sox appear committed to carrying at least three left-handed relievers on the active roster at all times. Promoting Gonzalez would likely require moving on from one of their right-handed arms, and that doesn’t seem like something they’re willing to do right now.

When the move becomes official, Tyler Gilbert feels like the most likely corresponding roster move. The 32-year-old hasn’t done much to solidify his spot this season, making him an easier piece to cycle out as the White Sox continue to rotate through left-handed bullpen options.