After an impressive cup of coffee with the White Sox last season and a strong performance on Opening Day, Sean Burke looked primed for a breakout 2025 season. That has not happened. In fact, his struggles have culminated in him getting optioned to Triple-A earlier today. It is a steep fall from grace for the young right-hander. While the demotion could be more for workload concerns than his performance, Burke has struggled with inconsistency all season long. Using an opener in front of him regularly could be what he needs to get back on track.

Burke’s Struggles

Burke’s struggles are primarily in two distinct sections of the game: the first inning and facing a lineup for the third time. In the first inning this season, he has a 5.85 ERA and .892 OPS against in 20 innings. When he faces a lineup for the third time, opposing hitters are batting a whopping .403 with a 1.278 OPS against him in 71 plate appearances.

Efficiency has also been a big issue for Burke. He has made it past the fifth inning in a start just once in the past two months. He was candid about his recent struggles with reporters following his most recent performance, “I think the last two starts have just been embarrassing with how I’ve been throwing the ball. I just got to figure it out and piecing together some better outings again,” he said. It is worth considering that he has already pitched more innings this season than ever before, so fatigue could explain his recent struggles. Still, the results have not been good.

Benefits of Opener Strategy

The concept of an opener is not new. In fact, the White Sox have already tinkered with this approach with Burke a couple of times this season. In 22 innings over four games as the “bulk” pitcher in 2025, he has pitched to a much more respectable 3.27 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 9.8 K/9. His strikeout-to-walk ratio is also much better at 4.80 as a bulk pitcher than 1.76 as a traditional starter. It is a small sample, but he looks to be more comfortable in the role of a bulk pitcher.

Using an opener for Burke is beneficial for several reasons. For one, it ensures he will not be ambushed by the best hitters on the opposing team immediately. Instead, he can settle into the game more easily against the middle of an opposing team’s lineup. An opener also reduces the chances of Burke facing an opposing lineup for the third time, where he has struggled mightily.

Adjustments Are Needed

While he has shown more production coming in after an opener, Burke still has much work to do to refine his game. He ranks in the bottom half of just about every pitching metric per Baseball Savant. His four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup have also graded out poorly by the metrics. He will likely have to tweak his arsenal to become a successful MLB caliber starting pitcher over an extended period.

White Sox Must Get Young Pitchers Back On Track

Time is still on Sean Burke’s side. He is only 25 years old and has 28 career MLB appearances. Much like Jonathan Cannon, who was also sent down to Triple-A a couple of weeks ago, Burke has the potential to become a successful starting pitcher at the MLB level. For now, however, using an opener in front of him could be just what the doctor ordered to get him back on track.