Chicago White Sox take a low-risk flier on former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher

The White Sox brought in Borucki on a minor league contract with a big-league spring invite, a classic January depth move. It also counts as a homecoming since he grew up in Mundelein, Illinois.

Chicago is rebuilding and that usually means innings for younger arms, but a veteran lefty can still matter. If the bullpen is going to churn all summer, you want at least one steady option who has been through it.

Borucki is 31 and his recent results are exactly why this is a minor league deal, not a guarantee. In 2025 he worked 35.0 innings over 39 games with a 4.63 ERA and 32 strikeouts.

Over his big-league career he has logged 187 appearances with a 4.28 ERA and 256.1 innings. That is not dominance, but it is a real track record of surviving the job.

As an analyst, I like this kind of signing because it costs little and still adds real leverage to spring battles.

Blue Jays fans will remember Borucki as one of their own, a 15th-round pick in 2012 who climbed all the way to a 2018 debut.

He started early in Toronto, then eventually shifted into relief as injuries and roster needs nudged his role.

His Toronto years had a clear identity, work the bottom of the zone, get grounders, and dare hitters to elevate.

When his command is crisp, he can make left-handed bats look uncomfortable fast.

The downside has always been the same, right-handers can see him, and mistakes can leave the park.

If the slider is not sharp, he can get stuck in that ugly middle where you either walk someone or serve a loud contact pitch.

For the White Sox, the path is straightforward and it starts with health and strikes. If Borucki shows he can handle righties even a little, he has a chance to grab a bullpen spot by Opening Day.

If it does not click, Chicago loses nothing and keeps cycling arms until one sticks. If it does click, the next milestone is watching him turn a spring invite into meaningful innings when the games count.