April 27: Sims cleared waivers and rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A in favor of free agency, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. He re-signed with the Sox on a new minor league deal, per Brooke Fletcher of Chicago Sports Network.
April 23: The White Sox shuffled up their bullpen Thursday, announcing that veteran righty Lucas Sims has been designated for assignment. Right-hander Tyler Davis has had his contract selected from Triple-A Charlotte and will join the big league relief corps.
Sims, 32 next month, pitched 10 innings for the South Siders prior to this morning’s DFA. He was tagged for seven runs (five earned) on nine hits, seven walks and a hit batter. He fanned 10 of his 46 opponents (21.7%), but his perennially spotty command also led to 17.4% of his opponents reaching base without even needing to put a ball in play.
The White Sox added Sims on a minor league deal over the winter. He had a nice spring, firing six shutout innings with three hits, three walks and eight strikeouts, but didn’t make the Opening Day roster. He began the season in Charlotte and tossed a scoreless frame before being selected to the majors when the Sox parted ways with Rule 5 pick Jedixson Páez.
A veteran of 10 partial major league seasons, Sims has more than six years of service time. He was a useful middle relief and eventual setup arm at his peak in Cincinnati, pitching to a combined 3.93 ERA in 183 1/3 innings from 2019-23. Sims punched out a hearty 31.9% of opponents in that time but was far too prone to free passes, issuing walks at a 12.2% clip.
Sims collected 39 holds and four saves in 2023-24, but a 2025 stint with the Nationals saw his shaky command erode to untenable levels. Sims walked more than 19% of his opponents (14 of 72) and plunked another seven batters before being cut loose in Washington. This year’s command was better than that low point, but Sims has walked or plunked more than 15% of the 1429 batters he’s face in the majors. It’s unlikely he’ll ever end up with even average command over a sample of any note.
The White Sox will have five days to trade Sims or place him on outright waivers. If they go the waiver route, that’d be an additional 48-hour process, meaning his DFA will be resolved within a maximum of one week.
As for Davis, he’ll be making his major league debut the first time he takes the mound. The 27-year-old was never drafted, instead signing with the Sox out of the independent Pioneer League in 2024, when he played for the Oakland Ballers. He’s a Sam Houston State product who’s pitched 103 innings in pro ball since signing. In that time, Davis has logged a 3.41 earned run average with a 27.1% strikeout rate and 12.4% walk rate.
Davis has some experience as a first baseman as well, having worked as a two-way player in college. However, he’s focused solely on pitching in affiliated ball and will come to the ChiSox with a four-seamer that’s been sitting 96.4 mph in Triple-A, a splitter that’s averaged 86.2 mph and a slider at nearly the same velocity as that split.
Tyler Davis – Oakland Ballers legend
I dont know much about pitching but i have Sims as the 3rd best Sox reliever behind Dominguez and Taylor. Not hot on this move.
What
Walka walka walka
You had us at I don’t know much about pitching
Youre obviously being facetious.
Love the handle, Bill. I might change mine to Ricky Seilheimer or Wayne Nordhagen.
Sims effective at plunking guys. Maybe Braves get him to combat Soler : forecast to be sunny out in Hotalanta this summer
Bido, Fedde next for DFA’D?
Bido
Kay
First I thought it said The South Spiders.
@CarryABigStick
Where you in a room lit by a lava lamp listening to early Zeplin when you read this? 😉😉
Chris
Haven’t you seen enough.
Starting rotation
Schultz
Smith Hagen
McDougal
Davis
Burke
Long relief
Kay
Smith Shane
7/8 inning
Newcombe
Leasure
Dominguez
Closer
Taylor
Mop up guys
Freddie
Bido
Start thinking
I believe the staff will be changing in the direction of your list shortly. Dumping Sims today is a start.
Hagen Smith, however, is going to need more time to bake before a call-up. He does not look close to major league ready to me and likely needs a year of starting in the minors to build up innings & consistency. Currently, he has a tired arm like many pitchers experience a month into the season…same as Shane Smith & Kay recently.
Barring catastrophe tonight in Charlotte, I expect McDougal to be called up at home vs Angels next week to take Kay’s rotation spot, although they might need another spot starter Monday night, with McDougal going Tuesday pushing everyone back a day. Kay then becomes a reliever, where he and Newsome can rebuild a bit of value before they are traded.
Martin has been excellent and is developing into a front of the rotation starter. A solid 3 is his floor.
Id extend Martin, a 14th round pick out of TT, he has steadily and consistently improved at the big league level and has a repertoire that ages well.
He’d be the only starter Id pay this season.
Likely a trade candidate bc of all the young arms they have .
I was at game today. Excellent outing by Martin.
Martin is having a good year so far but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. His 29 yrs old with a career 4 plus ERA. At best his an innings eater as a 4 or 5 for a team looking to be in the conversation for a wild card spot.
Im buying in. I’ve been a fan of Martin for the past two seasons, he’s been consistent and has consistently improved his game.
Watched Davis in the highlights, he has a live arm, his heater has some lift to it. Ball looked like it was going right down the middle and ended up high and tight for a whiff and a K.
Wilkeman is throwing well, White Sox bullpen is coming together. With Smith back in the rotation and Schultz having success, White Sox are poised to make a run.
It could be those throw-back Chicago Bulls City Connect jerseys, they are channeling the spirit of a young MJ. Could this be the beginning of a White Sox dynasty?
Wikelman Gonzalez should be called up in place of Simms.
He’ll definitely be called up sometime this season, he got killed in his last outing.
Rip
Send Sims to Northside
The Jed can use many more arms esp at rate they going down
Sure…minor league deal…they have to backfill AAA as well. Still have Corbin Martin and Rios on active roster with no options and will need to be DFA when shipping out.
Unlikely to be claimed and put on someone else’s 40 man but still need bodies and arms through multiple levels.
Can always use Sims in emergency and DFA when done.
Rios to be DFAd within four hours.