GLENDALE, Ariz. — Grant Taylor served as an opener and pitched a 1-2-3 inning in his first major-league start on June 20 in Toronto.
The Chicago White Sox called on Taylor for the ninth inning of the series finale against the Blue Jays two days later, and he reached 102.2 mph while earning his first big-league save.
In the process, according to STATS, Taylor became the third Sox pitcher since 1969 to start a series opener and earn the save in the finale — joining Dennis Lamp (July 29 and Aug. 1, 1982, against Boston) and Francisco Barrios (Aug. 20 and 22, 1976, against Baltimore).
Column: Like other Chicago White Sox unforced errors, GM Chris Getz’s ‘switch hitter’ blunder will pass
Taylor made 36 appearances, including two starts, last season after being called up from Double-A Birmingham on June 10. He took plenty away from each opportunity.
“All those different experiences make you a better player,” Taylor told the Tribune on Thursday at Camelback Ranch. “Closing games, in those leverage situations, you’re kind of put at the peak of nerves and excitement so being able to do that, manage that and learn with that, it helps you with whatever role you end up in the long term.”
The Sox plan on utilizing Taylor and his blazing fastball as a late-inning option again this season.
“(I) learned a lot (in 2025),” Taylor said. “I think I learned what makes me successful at the big-league level and how to attack guys, how to use my stuff effectively. That was a huge takeaway and something I took into the offseason and kind of leaned into and tried to sharpen those skills and hopefully come out with a few more as well.”
Taylor, 23, went 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA, 54 strikeouts and 15 walks in 36 2/3 innings. He reached 100 mph with a pitch 37 times, which ranked seventh in the American League.
“Grant was great and I think the thing that stood out was that we put him right in the fire and we put him — not only right in the fire — but in a lot of different situations that were really challenging,” manager Will Venable told the Tribune on Thursday at spring training media days in Scottsdale, Ariz.
“We were hungry for a leverage arm, to be honest. And to have that type of an arm back there, it was really enticing to put him in there as much as you could.”
Taylor finished with six saves and nine holds.
“We did push him and put him into some really big spots, and he handled it really well,” Venable said. “It didn’t always go smoothly, and what I appreciate about Grant is that when he was challenged with those things, when it didn’t go well, the way that he responded was amazing.
“And he did it in a way that really gives you confidence that beyond the stuff that this guy is a resilient guy that wants the big moment and he’s going to be able to handle it.”
Taylor began 2025 as a starter for the Barons. He shifted to the bullpen while still in Double A as the organization monitored his workload coming off a 2024 affected by a lat injury.
This year, he could be used in a multi-inning role.
“We just want to continue to build his workload at the major-league level,” general manager Chris Getz said Monday. “He’s just getting his major-league career started. So we’re very open-minded on where his career goes. But as it stands going into ’26, we view him as a bullpen arm. And Will and the pitching staff, they’ll find ways to use Grant Taylor.”
Taylor has a couple of new teammates who are in the 100-mph club after the Sox signed reliever Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year deal and acquired Jordan Hicks — who has experience as a starter and reliever — as part of a trade with the Red Sox.
“Love that, especially if it leads to outs,” Venable said Friday at Camelback Ranch. “We’ll see how it all shakes out. It’s nice to have some guys that can throw hard, for sure.”
Taylor came into camp having worked on his slider and cutter.
“I did a lot of work in the offseason to get the slider in the zone, the movements that I want,” he said. “Being able to throw that to hitters and go into spring knowing when I can use certain pitches to big-league hitters is going to be really huge for me.”
It’s all part of taking the next steps as a major-leaguer.
“Last year, I was trying to prove that I was ready to be a big-leaguer,” Taylor said. “This year, it’s proving why I should continue to be a big-leaguer. There’s a little bit more emphasis on going out there and doing what I do best and trusting, instead of trying to prove why I even belong in the locker room.”
Former White Sox coach dies
Former Chicago White Sox coach Joe Nossek died Thursday, the team announced. He was 85.
Nossek was on the Sox coaching staff from 1984-86 and 1990-2003. He played parts of six major-league seasons with Minnesota (1964-66), the Kansas City Athletics (1966-67), Oakland (1969) and St. Louis (1969-70).
“He was a valued member of the White Sox organization,” Venable said. “Somebody we hear stories about, his coaching tactics. Just a brilliant coach and a valued member of the organization, so wanted to send condolences to the Nossek family.”
