Former Pirates trade acquisition might have just reached end of the road after White Sox DFA

A former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher hit a major career roadblock this week, as right-hander Bryse Wilson was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox.

Wilson, who pitched for the Pirates from 2021-22, has posted some of the worst numbers of his eight-year Major League career with the White Sox this season. He appeared in 19 games with Chicago, including five starts, and pitched to a 6.95 ERA and an 0-2 record over 45 1/3 innings.

Wilson, a former top prospect with the Atlanta Braves, was largely unable to live up to the lofty expectations that followed him to the Major Leagues. The Braves often optioned him to Triple-A from 2019-21, limiting him to just 20 big league appearances during that span, before flipping him to Pittsburgh at the 2021 trade deadline as part of the deal that sent Richard Rodríguez to Atlanta.

Wilson's stint with the Pirates was his most extended stretch of big league action at that point in his career. From 2021-22 with Pittsburgh, he pitched 115 2/3 innings over 20 starts and six relief appearances. Wilson posted a 5.52 ERA in that span with solid a 6.3% walk but a less impressive 15.5% strikeout rate.

The Pirates designated Wilson for assignment after the 2022 season and ultimately traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash. In his first season for the Brewers, Wilson pitched exclusively out of the bullpen before reprising a swingman role with Milwaukee in 2024. He elected free agency following the end of the season and signed with Chicago in December.

Former Pirates trade acquisition Bryse Wilson might have just reached end of the road after White Sox DFA

Getting DFA'd by one of the worst teams in baseball whose pitching staff has collectively struck out the third-fewest batters in the league is a long way to fall, but Wilson is only 27 years old. It's possible another team claims him off waivers – perhaps a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers that is desperate for pitching depth – though he would be a doozy of a reclamation project, no matter where he ended up.

If Wilson is passed through waivers unclaimed, he will likely stick with the White Sox as non-roster depth and report to Triple-A Charlotte.

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