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Chicago White Sox Closer Is Already Set in Stone for 2026
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- Chicago White Sox Closer Is Already Set in Stone for 2026
For much of the offseason, Chicago White Sox fans have struggled to figure out who will be closing games for their team in 2026.
For years now, the answer has been some version of "it depends." The White Sox have relied on a closer-by-committee approach, refusing to commit meaningful money in free agency while also failing to develop a reliable internal option who can consistently handle high-leverage situations.
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Chicago hasn't had a true, full-season closer in years, and they haven't had a pitcher reach double-digit saves since 2022.
Kendall Graveman led the team with eight (8) saves in 2023—then was traded at the deadline.
Michael Kopech paced the club with nine (9) saves in 2024—also traded at the deadline.
In 2025, Jordan Leasure 's seven (7) saves were enough to lead the team.
That kind of instability puts real strain on a bullpen—and on a manager. Without defined roles, every reliever has to be ready for anything, every night. Late-inning situations become reactive instead of planned, and one-run games turn into a recurring problem.
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It's no coincidence the White Sox have consistently struggled to protect narrow leads or win close games.
Given the state of the free agent market this winter, it felt inevitable that something would change . With nearly a dozen relievers available who had recent closing experience, this offseason looked like the ideal opportunity for Chicago to finally secure a bona fide ninth-inning arm.
But as the market thinned out, the White Sox stayed put.
And now, it appears their closer for 2026 is already on the roster.
Chris Getz has been quick to downplay the need to add a traditional closer this offseason. When discussing bullpen upgrades publicly, he has repeatedly emphasized that any addition doesn't have to be a ninth- or even eighth-inning arm to help the club.
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That stance became more understandable once it was clear what the price tag would be. Landing an established closer required a commitment approaching $15 million annually —an investment the White Sox clearly weren't willing to make this winter.
There are still veteran relievers on the market with past high-leverage experience— Scott Barlow , Tyler Kinley , and Paul Sewald among them—but none have performed recently enough or consistently enough to walk into Chicago and be handed the ninth inning.
If the White Sox do sign one of those arms, it's far more likely they're used as a flexible, high-leverage option in the sixth, seventh, or eighth inning. They'll be a fallback option, but the initial closer role appears destined for a younger, controllable arm.
And when you look at the internal options, Jordan Leasure is the obvious choice.
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Chicago's bullpen is currently filled with long-relief types and lefty specialists—with Leasure standing out as the lone reliever who fits a traditional closer profile. That's especially true with the organization signaling that Grant Taylor will be used in a multi-inning role in 2026 , potentially as a bridge toward starting down the line.
Leasure finished the 2025 season strong. Over his final 26 appearances, he threw 26.2 innings with a 2.70 ERA and 36 strikeouts. Nineteen of those outings were both hitless and scoreless.
That has my attention.
While his walk rate and ground-ball rate both ranked in the bottom 10 percent of MLB pitchers last season, the rest of the profile is extremely encouraging. Leasure ranked in the top 10 percent in whiff rate, strikeout rate, and expected batting average against.
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His fastball regularly touches the upper 90s, but it's his breaking pitches that do the real damage. It's a simple, power-driven arsenal—exactly what teams look for at the back end of a bullpen.
Leasure is under club control through the 2030 season, and the White Sox appear ready to give him a full runway in 2026 to see if he can lock down the role long term.
This isn't about Chicago being philosophically opposed to paying for a closer. They've made that investment before during the previous rebuild cycle. This time, they want to know whether it's truly necessary.
Why spend big on the most volatile position in baseball if you might already have a viable answer in house?
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The White Sox weren't willing to take that financial swing this winter. Instead, they'll open the season with Leasure handling closing duties—and evaluate from there.
If it works, they've solved a long-standing problem without sacrificing payroll flexibility. And if it doesn't, investing in a top-tier high-leverage reliever next offseason becomes an easy call.
Either way, for the first time in a while, the White Sox seem to have a plan.
