White Sox Pitchers Cannon and Burke Aim to Bounce Back After Tough 2025 Season

The two right-handers are eager to show what they learned from their ups and downs last year.

Feb. 19, 2026 at 5:39pm

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Chicago White Sox pitchers Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon are determined to rebound after being optioned to the minors at different points during the 2025 season. Both pitchers are looking to apply the lessons they learned from their struggles and are excited about the competitive rotation battle in spring training.

Why it matters

Burke and Cannon are important pieces of the White Sox's pitching staff, and their ability to bounce back from adversity will be crucial to the team's success this season. The White Sox have high expectations after a disappointing 2025 campaign, and the development of young pitchers like Burke and Cannon will be key to getting the team back on track.

The details

In 2025, Burke went 4-11 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 outings (22 starts), while Cannon went 4-10 with a 5.82 ERA in 22 appearances (17 starts). Both pitchers were optioned to Triple-A Charlotte at different points during the season before returning to the White Sox in September. This offseason, the two right-handers have focused on making adjustments to their arsenals and mindsets to be better prepared for the 2026 season.

  • In 2025, Burke was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on August 18 and returned on September 10.
  • In 2025, Cannon was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on August 8, returned on September 4, and was then optioned again on September 5 before rejoining the White Sox on September 24.

The players

Sean Burke

A right-handed pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who went 4-11 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 outings (22 starts) in 2025.

Jonathan Cannon

A right-handed pitcher for the Chicago White Sox who went 4-10 with a 5.82 ERA in 22 appearances (17 starts) in 2025.

Will Venable

The manager of the Chicago White Sox.

Zach Bove

The pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox.

Matt Wise

The bullpen coach for the Chicago White Sox.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone in this clubhouse — everyone in any clubhouse at some point — has run into some kind of adversity, some kind of struggles on the mound. And you just can't be defined by that. You've got to bounce back stronger. I'm looking forward to going out there and responding this year and showing everyone what I know I'm capable of.”

— Jonathan Cannon, Pitcher (chicagotribune.com)

“When you have the opportunity to go do those things and embrace that opportunity like Sean did, you come back with a different mindset. You come back with a skill set that's been improved. You go down there, you have to really look yourself in the mirror and make some adjustments. And he did that, and to be able to go through that adversity last year and learn those tools just positioned himself to be able to fight through stuff this year, which is going to happen for every player.”

— Will Venable, Manager (chicagotribune.com)

“Me and (bullpen coach Matt) Wise talked about it this week, certain mindset stuff going into the game, understand who I am as a pitcher and what makes me successful. And if I'm able to have my foot on the gas from pitch one and prepare myself mentally and physically. He said you want to be exhausted at the end of your outings. Having that mindset going into it this year.”

— Sean Burke, Pitcher (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

The White Sox will continue to evaluate Burke and Cannon throughout spring training as they compete for spots in the starting rotation.

The takeaway

Burke and Cannon's ability to bounce back from their struggles in 2025 will be crucial for the White Sox this season. Their determination to learn from their experiences and come back stronger shows the resilience and competitiveness that the team will need to get back on track after a disappointing year.