White Sox Secure Seranthony Domínguez—Is Their Closer’s Role Finally Locked?

After a long hiatus since 2022, the Chicago White Sox have finally locked down an official closer—welcome to Seranthony Domínguez. Fresh off a savvy two-year, $20 million contract inked shortly after sending Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets in exchange for promising prospects, this move caught many off guard. Honestly, I didn’t expect Jerry Reinsdorf to loosen the purse strings like this, but boy, am I glad he did.

Domínguez enters Chicago riding the momentum of a strong 2025 season shared between Baltimore and Toronto, where he posted a commendable 3.16 ERA and struck out a dazzling 11.9 batters per nine innings in 67 appearances. This guy’s durability is no joke—he’s logged 50-plus innings for four straight campaigns, which is crucial for a bullpen that often shoulders the heavy lifting late in games.

But numbers only tell part of the story. Domínguez embodies the grit and swagger that Sox fans have grown fond of—his heater, averaging a blistering 97.7 mph, ranks him in the rarified 94th percentile among big-league pitchers. In 2025, he tweaked his arsenal, ditching the slider and changeup for a splitter and a sweeping pitch, racking up nearly a 50% whiff rate and impressive strikeout rates, though it came at the expense of some additional walks. Like many flame-throwers, when contact is made, it’s not always pretty—but the upside outweighs the risks.

This signing is a savvy, low-risk, high-reward gamble that really pumps up the Sox bullpen’s firepower. With his postseason experience and knack for high-pressure moments, Domínguez has the tools to make Chicago’s pitching staff a tougher nut to crack. Honestly, this move has me feeling optimistic about the Sox’s chances this season—they’re looking ready to stand tall against some worthy adversaries.

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For the first time since 2022, the White Sox have an official closer. Chicago agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with reliever Seranthony Domínguez two days after trading Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets for a pair of prospects.

No one expected Jerry Reinsdorf to actually use the extra change on a solid free agent, but this pleasant surprise is more than welcome.

Domínguez is coming off a strong 2025 season, split between the Orioles and Blue Jays: As a setup man, he accumulated a 3.16 ERA and an 11.9 K/9 rate in 67 games. Domínguez has also proven to be durable, pitching at least 50 innings in four consecutive seasons. His ability to stay healthy since missing 2020 and 2021 to Tommy John surgery will help take the load off of a bullpen that was often expected to carry games after the fifth inning.

Beyond stat lines, Domínguez fits in perfectly with a club that has an affinity for hard-throwing relievers with swagger. Domínguez’s fastball, which he used 43% of the time in 2025 and up to 60% in the beginning of his career, averaged 97.7 mph, ranking in the 94th percentile among MLB pitchers. To offset his four-seamer’s velocity, he swapped his slider and changeup for a splitter and sweeper this year. Although these pitches alone induced nearly a 50% whiff rate and helping Domínguez’s tally a 33.3 whiff percentage and 30.3 strikeout percentage overall, his new pitch arsenal also led to a 5.6% walk rate increase. Like many high velocity hurlers, Domínguez misses bats, but gets rocked when hitters make contact.

Domínguez is a low-risk, high-reward acquisition that elevates the Sox’s bullpen. The veteran reliever brings tenured success with playoff teams and a history of dominating in high-leverage situations. With very little to lose and a lot to gain, Chicago’s pitching staff looks more ready to hold its own against decent teams this season.