White Sox Acquire Pitchers Hicks and Sandlin from Red Sox

Chicago adds 'high-octane arms' in trade for prospect Gage Ziehl

Feb. 1, 2026 at 6:47pm

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The Chicago White Sox have acquired right-handed pitchers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor-league pitcher Gage Ziehl and a player to be named later. The White Sox see Hicks and Sandlin as valuable additions to their pitching staff, with Hicks bringing a powerful arm and Sandlin having the potential to be a mid-rotation starter.

Why it matters

The White Sox are looking to bolster their pitching staff as they aim to compete in the AL Central division. Hicks and Sandlin provide the team with two high-upside arms that could make an immediate impact, while the trade of prospect Ziehl signals the White Sox's willingness to part with young talent to improve their major league roster.

The details

In the trade, the White Sox received Hicks, Sandlin, cash considerations, and two players to be named later from the Red Sox. Hicks, 29, has a career 4.41 ERA with 409 strikeouts in 420.1 innings over seven MLB seasons. Sandlin, 24, is the Red Sox's No. 8 prospect and has a 4.38 ERA with 279 strikeouts in 232 minor-league innings. The White Sox sent Ziehl, a 22-year-old right-hander ranked 14th in their system, to the Red Sox along with a player to be named later.

  • The trade was finalized on Sunday, February 2, 2026.
  • Hicks joined the Red Sox in a trade last year that sent Rafael Devers to the Giants.

The players

Chris Getz

The general manager of the Chicago White Sox.

Jordan Hicks

A 29-year-old right-handed pitcher acquired by the White Sox from the Red Sox.

David Sandlin

A 24-year-old right-handed pitching prospect acquired by the White Sox from the Red Sox, ranked No. 8 in the Red Sox system.

Gage Ziehl

A 22-year-old right-handed pitching prospect traded by the White Sox to the Red Sox.

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What they’re saying

“To be able to bring in Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin, two high-octane arms. To get two arms like that that can help our major-league club this year, it just made a lot of sense and that's why we went ahead and made the deal.”

— Chris Getz, General Manager, Chicago White Sox (Chicago Tribune)

“I feel like it really put me in a mindset to learn from the experience versus just giving up on myself. It really gave me a lot of motivation moving forward and I know for a fact that I'm at my peak athleticism, I think.”

— Jordan Hicks (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

The White Sox will look to integrate Hicks and Sandlin into their pitching staff as they prepare for the 2026 season, with both players competing for key roles on the major league roster.

The takeaway

The White Sox have made a bold move to acquire two high-upside pitchers in Hicks and Sandlin, signaling their intent to compete in 2026 and beyond. The trade demonstrates the team's willingness to part with top prospects in order to improve their major league roster, a strategy that could pay dividends if the new additions can live up to their potential.