GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon started the first two games of the 2025 season for the Chicago White Sox.
It was the beginning of a season filled with ups and downs for the pitchers, who both were optioned to Triple-A Charlotte at different points in August before returning to the Sox in September.
The two right-handers are eager to show what they took away from all of their experiences.
“It’s how you respond,” Cannon said last week at Camelback Ranch. “Everyone in this clubhouse — everyone in any clubhouse at some point — has run into some kind of adversity, some kind of struggles on the mound.
“And you just can’t be defined by that. You’ve got to bounce back stronger. I’m looking forward to going out there and responding this year and showing everyone what I know I’m capable of.”
Photos: An inside look at Chicago White Sox spring training
Cannon went 4-10 with a 5.82 ERA in 22 appearances (17 starts) in 2025. He had 86 strikeouts and 38 walks in 103 2/3 innings.
The Sox optioned him to Charlotte on Aug. 8. He returned Sept. 4, then was optioned again the next day before rejoining the Sox on Sept. 24.
Manager Will Venable said Monday that Cannon has worked on retiring left-handed batters.
“There’s a lot of different ways that he’s able to get guys out,” Venable said. “Just want to make sure he understands what those things are. That was part of the calculus of sending him down, and he did a great job of adding, or at least rearranging, his arsenal to be able to do that.
“He had a really good offseason where he was working hard, put himself in a spot to come out here and compete for a job.”
Cannon used a portion of the offseason as a mental reset while formulating “a good plan to attack the offseason.”
“A lot of it was in the weight room,” he said. “Putting on a little bit of weight, putting on some muscle. And working on some consistency with some things on the mound.
“Ever since (Zach) Bove got hired (as the pitching coach), we’ve been in contact, going through some stuff we think can improve this year. Just pitch shapes, consistency. I’m really excited with where I’m at.”
Burke went 4-11 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 outings (22 starts) last season. He had 133 strikeouts and 63 walks in 134 1/3 innings.
The Sox optioned him to Charlotte on Aug. 18, and he returned Sept. 10.
White Sox pitcher Sean Burke speaks to catcher Korey Lee during spring training at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
“It was a really good year for Sean, and I know the trip down to Triple A was not something that he wanted to do,” Venable said last week. “When you have the opportunity to go do those things and embrace that opportunity like Sean did, you come back with a different mindset. You come back with a skill set that’s been improved.
“You go down there, you have to really look yourself in the mirror and make some adjustments. And he did that, and to be able to go through that adversity last year and learn those tools just positioned himself to be able to fight through stuff this year, which is going to happen for every player.”
Burke has the mindset this spring of always being on the attack.
“Me and (bullpen coach Matt) Wise talked about it this week, certain mindset stuff going into the game, understand who I am as a pitcher and what makes me successful,” Burke said last week. “And if I’m able to have my foot on the gas from pitch one and prepare myself mentally and physically.
“He said you want to be exhausted at the end of your outings. Having that mindset going into it this year.”
Burke and Cannon are options for the rotation in what is shaping up to be a competitive camp.
“We’ve got a lot of talent in the starting rotation, kind of throughout camp — whether it be guys who haven’t debuted yet or guys that have some major-league time,” Burke said. “It will push all of us to be better.”
Cannon also is embracing the challenge.
“All that competition is good, it brings out the best in all of us,” Cannon said. “Obviously we’re all friends, we all enjoy the competition. We all try to one-up each other on the mound, and that kind of stuff breeds a lot of success. So I’m super excited for the spring.”