White Sox reliever Sean Newcomb's September struggles raise bullpen concerns
Sean Newcomb has a 2.95 ERA but has allowed nine earned runs over his last 7.1 innings in September. He has given up at least one run in five of six September appearances. The White Sox bullpen is already stretched thin, making Newcomb's decline particularly problematic.
Newcomb's downturn marks a sharp reversal from a dominant mid-summer stretch. Between early July and late August, he surrendered earned runs in only one of 18 appearances, a July 27 outing against the Yankees where he allowed four runs in the eighth inning. His recent struggles extend beyond September, as he has yielded at least one hit in nine consecutive appearances since Aug. 23, with multiple hits in seven of those games.
The right-hander's last clean outing came Aug. 8, when he recorded two outs on eight pitches. For a full inning without allowing a baserunner, one must look back to June 20. With the White Sox starters still failing to pitch deep into games, the bullpen's workload has compounded, leaving Newcomb's decline especially costly as the team's playoff position grows uncertain.
Newcomb's late-season collapse could affect more than the White Sox's playoff chances. Fans and the organization may face difficult decisions about his future, given his one-year, $4.5 million deal and the likelihood he becomes unaffordable after a strong season. If the bullpen falters down the stretch, it could reshape the team's postseason trajectory and influence offseason roster planning, potentially impacting ticket sales, viewership, and broader fan engagement during a critical stretch of the calendar.