Davis Martin logs first rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte after blister landed him on IL

Chicago’s right-handed pitching depth got a step back toward full strength Thursday, when Davis Martin made his first Minor League rehab appearance as he works his way out of the injured list. Martin’s first start came with Triple-A Charlotte, where he took the mound against Memphis, marking the beginning of what the White Sox are treating as a targeted return from a blister-related stint on the 15-day IL.

The injury matter that put Martin sidelined was a blister, according to the White Sox’s injury timeline. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 14, and Thursday’s rehab start in the minors serves as the first public milestone in the team’s process to evaluate his readiness to pitch again and how his body responds during game action.

For organizations, a first rehab appearance is less about immediate results and more about confirming that mechanics, workload, and feel all hold up under the demands of facing live hitters again. A blister can be especially sensitive to pitch-to-pitch friction and grip changes, so the club’s focus in the next outings is typically consistency and tolerance, not just getting onto the scoreboard.

Martin’s return path runs through the White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate, Charlotte, which is designed to bridge the gap between treatment and full major-league participation. By beginning the assignment in a competitive environment against Memphis, the organization can monitor his progress over successive appearances and determine when he is ready to rejoin the White Sox rotation or pitching plan, depending on how the rehab schedule develops.

The timing of the rehab start is also important because it places Martin’s evaluation period during the season’s final weeks. The White Sox can use the work in Charlotte to shape their late-season pitching needs, whether that means reintegrating a starter after a period of absence or adjusting the bullpen’s workload if his return comes in a different role than the one he previously held.

Thursday’s outing is, for now, only the first step. The White Sox’s stated aim is for Martin to regain his early-season form, which is the kind of phrasing teams use when they want more than a surface-level return. The next phase will likely involve whether he can reproduce the same pitch quality and command that defined his earlier run, as well as whether the blister issue stays resolved during repeated exposure to game conditions.

What to watch next is how Martin’s rehab progresses after this first start, including how the organization paces his workload and whether his command and stuff continue to trend in the right direction. If he responds well, his time in Charlotte could shorten, but if any issue lingers, the White Sox will likely err on caution to protect his long-term availability.

In the meantime, the rehab start gives the White Sox a clear, visible timeline marker. With Martin back on the mound in a live setting for the first time since the Aug. 14 injured list placement, the team has begun the clock on turning a mid-August injury setback into a late-season return.