2:27pm: Sims triggered an opt-out in his minor league contract and was granted his release, MLBTR has learned.
1:22pm: The White Sox have trimmed four more from their spring roster, per the team. Chicago announced that left-hander Ryan Borucki, first baseman/outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., and right-handers Austin Voth and Lucas Sims have all been released. All four had signed minor league deals with spring invites. All are now free agents who can sign with any club.
Borucki, 32 later this month, has pitched in each of the past eight major league seasons. He sports a career 4.28 ERA with a below-average 19.7% strikeout rate, an 8.9% walk rate that’s narrowly north of average, and a strong 48.3% ground-ball rate. He notched a middling 4.63 ERA in 35 innings between the Pirates and Blue Jays in 2025 but has been outstanding with the White Sox this spring, firing six shutout innings with an 8-to-1 K/BB ratio.
Wade, 32, has had a big spring himself. He’s taken 49 plate appearances and slashed .289/.429/.605 with three homers, two steals, nine walks and 10 strikeouts. He’s appeared in each of the past seven big league campaigns, mostly with the Giants, and is a lifetime .236/.341/.390 hitter in the majors. His most recent work was well shy of his career marks, however; in 282 plate appearances between San Francisco and Anaheim last year, he posted a dreadful .167/.271/.254 batting line (52 wRC+) with a career-worst 24% strikeout rate. Wade grades out below average at first base (his primary position) and in the outfield corners, and he’s never hit left-handed pitching. He could latch on with a club seeking a lefty-swinging corner bat — ideally one looking for help at first base.
The 33-year-old Voth has more than five years of MLB service but spent the 2025 season in Japan pitching for the Chiba Lotte Marines. He totaled 125 innings with a 3.96 ERA, sub-par strikeout numbers and strong command. In 360 1/3 MLB frames, the former Nats farmhand carries a 4.70 earned run average. Voth is a fly-ball pitcher with average strikeout and walk rates overall in his big league tenure. He only pitched two official innings for the Sox this spring, allowing a run with two strikeouts and no walks.
Sims, 31, looked like a potential late-inning weapon earlier in his career with the Reds, but injuries have continually set him back. He has more than six years of MLB service but only 318 1/3 innings pitched due to frequent IL trips. In that time, he’s posted a 4.86 ERA, 26.5% strikeout rate and 12.5% walk rate. Sims tossed five shutout innings and fanned seven while walking three this spring. He spent 2025 with the Nationals and was torched for 19 runs in 12 1/3 innings due to staggering command troubles: 19 walks and seven hit batters. His command was better in camp with the South Siders, but he’ll head back to the market and look to latch on with another club seeking bullpen depth.
I would happily take Wade and Borucki i’m shocked they didn’t carry them on their roster.
A rebuilding team has no use for marginal veteran players who are on their career descent. Why are you surprised?
Because Borucki definitely could serve as a decent relief pitching option for them and Wade Jr looked much more like his old form for a bad team there is no harm in taking a shot with him. Are they great players no but on a team like the White Sox why not give them one more shot especially since they looked so good in spring training.
A rebuilding team is exactly the kind of team that has use for players like this. Someone has to play at the major league level while the kids are developing in the minors.
As a Giants fan, LaMonte will always have a place in my heart.
as an angels fan i do not have the same perspective
I’m surprised about Wade, especially after he clubbed two bombs against the Friars-contingent of the Sox split-squad match-up last night.
Depends on who he was facing. If the pitchers were AA/AAA quality this spring then it stands to reason he isn’t actually back to his old self.
LaMonte Wade Jr. is 32 years-old and coming off of a miserable 2025 season with the Giants and Angels. He also grades out poorly defensively.
The White Sox are now at the point where they are trying to identify core pieces for 2027 and beyond. A versatile player like 25-yeard old Curtis Mead makes far more sense as an extra off of the White Sox bench than a flip candidate like Wade Jr.
Mead also has a recent pedigree as the Rays #3 overall prospect in 2024, boasting a 60-grade hit tool as a right-handed hitter. Mead can fit the White Sox roster as a short side platoon option for Munetaka Murakami at 1B, spell Miguel Vargas at 3B and also offer some backup at 2B. Mead recently starred as the starting 3B for Australia, slashing .357/.438/.571 in their 4-game WBC run.
I get that, the Sox need to rebuild. Many teams who enter a full rebuild do take on some veterans/journeyman types to A.) Put experienced players next to their rookies and prospects, and B.) Hopefully flip them to more competitive teams at the deadline for prospects to make the system deeper.
I could see a scenario where if Wade regained some of his prime form (it is not impossible for a 32 year old to bounce back!), the White Sox take him up to Chicago for a few months and then trade him midseason as a DH. It didn’t happen in real life, obviously, but it was worth the small gamble they took signing him to a camp invite deal.
Curtis Mead still makes the most sense as a more versatile infield bench piece for a White Sox team nearing their competitive window. Mead is also out of options and needs to remain on the active roster. It’s an easy choice for Chris Getz to go with the upside of a 25-year old recent top prospect over a declining 32-year old veteran like LaMonte Wade Jr.
He’s best used as a bench player on a contending team.
This tees up another reunion with TOR for Borucki.
I doubt it. They have Little and Fluharty ahead of him. Maybe minor league contract.
I’d prefer Wade as the DH over Ben in 10D
Andrew Benintendi finally looks healthy enough to play LF as opening day approaches. If the White Sox have any chance of trading Benintendi and the final 2-years of his $75MM contract it’s best that he hits with power AND resembles his former GG self out on the grass.
As for the DH, the White Sox will have plenty of PA’s available for C Edgar Quero once Kyle Teel returns from his recent right hamstring strain. In the meantime, Curtis Mead can fill the DH role when he’s not backing up at 1B, 3B and 2B. Mead’s best tool is his 60-grade bat which also comes with some decent power.
Lenyn Sosa also figures into the DH and INF bench mix assuming he’s not dealt before opening day. Sosa might be the one “expendable” position player who could net a decent return this year, certainly more than what LaMonte Wade Jr. would garner. Unlike the past couple of rebuilding seasons, the White Sox now have more potential core pieces manning positions, particularly in their infield. Another wave of impacting infielders will be knocking on the door very soon.
It’s pitchers who could net the White Sox their best return come the summer trade deadline. Newly signed veteran FA starters Anthony Kay and Erick Fedde are placeholders for potential midseason promotions to Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith or Tanner McDougal at AAA Charlotte. A rotation spot could also be in the cards for TJ rehabbing Drew Thorpe by midsummer.
The White Sox bullpen will also feature 3 potential veteran trade chips this summer, Seranthony Domínguez, Jordan Hicks and Sean Newcomb.
Most likely all 4 have opt out dates in their minor league deal..
Yeah especially with how they performed this spring there would be no reason to not keep them as depth if they didn’t have opt outs.
Team may have other players in the minors it needs to give playing time or it may simply want to show the veterans the courtesy if seeing if they can latch on somewhere else.
Don’t do it, Krall. Just don’t do it.
Long-awaited return to ATL for Lucas Sims?
Been waiting for so long…..
I for one hope he goes to Atlanta…or anywhere else.
Welcome to Houston, LaMonte Wade Jr.
Latch on somewhere Late Night LaMonte!
I guess the White Sox mindset is that it means us winning let’s do the opposite.
No, it means not blocking younger players who figure in the White Sox future. Chicago will be better than last season, but they are not close to contending.
Even if the younger players they are blocking are nowhere near mlb ready?
There’s a left handed hitting outfielder for you Dana!
Sad Sims didn’t get more of a look. He was a nice find in Cincinnati and has had electric stuff in the past.
Minnesota could do worse than any of the three pitcher above (maybe even all three).
The fact that each was just released by a non-contender suggests that none of the three had ruled out pitching for a rebuilding club when Spring Training started.
Really would’ve liked to see Borucki make the squad. Great spring, I felt he earned a bullpen spot. Hopefully he can be a depth minor leaguer if he doesn’t sign on elsewhere.