Pregame notes: Old friend Erick Fedde is trying to newly return to his old form

As he chases a revival of his 2024 first half form (3.11 ERA, 121 2/3 IP in a White Sox uniform), Erick Fedde's goals for spring training were straightforward.

"Consistency in my sinker and sweeper shape."

But with the east-west nature of those pitches, it might make the recommended delivery cue he received from the White Sox surprising: more linear, less rotational.

It's counterintuitive even at the player level, because a more rotational delivery can often added an extra inch of sweep or run to pitches, and boosting the level of horizontal movement often helps them grade out better in pitch quality metrics. That, is where the real trap lies.

"The Trackman, we can chase these big numbers that are fun to the eye, but I think I'm a lot better when I keep my shapes a little tighter," Fedde said. "When you get really over-rotational, you can get those bigger numbers and kind of cheat the system. It's something where you visually want to see things move more. I think it's just something we do naturally. So it's just always the reminder of late is better than bigger for me."

Cynically, this could help explain why Fedde wasn't fetching fringe All-Star trade returns even when he was piling up fringe All-Star level production in '24, since the slide from that level of performance to the waiver wire was pretty quick when his success was dependent on a tenuous balance of tunneling and deception. But from the perspective of trying to figure out why his stuff's performance fell of a cliff without his pitch movement numbers reflecting the steep drop off, it's a satisfying resolution.

"What I've been told if it's moving that big, it's usually moving earlier, so hitters can see it and maybe adjust to it, or not swing at a pitch that's out of the zone," Fedde said. "That's just something that it's a constant battle with myself, but one that I think when I'm mentally aware of, it makes it a lot easier."

Or perhaps, it's a satisfying resolution if Fedde shows improved mastery of the concept, beginning on Tuesday night.

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In dire prospect news, prospect right-hander Aldrin Batista returned to the 60-day minor league IL again, as he underwent another surgical procedure (non-TJ) on his pitching elbow. The White Sox are hopeful he can pitch in the second half, but Batista won't have a firm timeline for his return for a while.

Batista was Rule 5 eligible last fall, and obviously went unselected after missing most of 2025 with an elbow injury. This combination of missed time and roster uncertainty is often what pushes pitching prospects to the bullpen.

First pitch: White Sox at Marlins

TV: CHSN

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