Early Wynn (1959), LaMarr Hoyt (1983), and Jack McDowell (1993). That’s it. That’s the franchise list of White Sox Cy Young winners in MLB history. Dylan Cease almost had it. Chris Sale, too, had several near misses. But it’s been a minute. And headed into the All-Star break, they have another contender to add to the list. No, it’s not Davis Martin. Sean Burke has pitched his way into the American League Cy Young conversation. He probably will not win it. But that is not the point.
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The point is that Burke has become one of the more credible starters in the league, and almost ****** ody outside Chicago seems interested in noticing. Through the first half, he has posted a 3.41 ERA with 115 strikeouts, numbers that place him among the American League’s more productive starters.
This is not just a fluke stretch anymore. Burke has always had the size and raw stuff. At 6-foot-6, he can create difficult angles and miss bats when his fastball and breaking ball are working together. The difference this season has been consistency. He is staying in games, limiting damage, and giving a young White Sox team a legitimate chance every fifth day.
Chicago is still building, which means Burke does not benefit from the same national attention as pitchers on contenders. Cy Young voting should not become a team award, but it often helps to pitch in games people are actually watching. Burke has to overcome that.