The Chicago White Sox designated left-hander Tyler Gilbert for assignment Tuesday, clearing a 40-man roster spot as Major League Baseball expanded active rosters from 26 to 28 players.
The move came a day after Gilbert was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte and coincided with Chicago selecting the contract of outfielder Tommy Pham and recalling right-hander Tanner McDougal.
Gilbert, 32, has been in the majors since 2021. He debuted with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 3 of that year and, 11 days later, threw a no-hitter in his first big-league start, a 7-0 win over the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. He became just the fourth pitcher in history to toss a no-hitter in his initial start.
That improbable gem remains the defining moment of a career that has since taken him from Arizona to a brief 2024 stint with the Philadelphia Phillies and, beginning in January 2025, to the South Side.
The White Sox acquired Gilbert from Philadelphia for minor-league pitcher Aaron Combs after the Phillies designated him for assignment.
In 2025 he gave Chicago a useful season of swing work, posting a 3.88 ERA over 51 innings in 46 games, including five starts and occasional opener duty.
This year has been far thinner. A left shoulder impingement sent him to the injured list in mid-June. He returned in August but has thrown only six major-league innings, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits. At Charlotte he logged a 4.64 ERA in 33 innings.
Career numbers now stand at 6-9 with a 4.41 ERA in 157 innings across 85 games with three organizations. Gilbert is in his final option year, meaning he will be out of options in 2027.
Combined with the modest 2026 results, that status made him the most expendable 40-man piece when Pham’s addition required a corresponding move.
Because the trade deadline has passed, he must be placed on waivers. Another club could claim him, or the Sox could outright him to Charlotte if he clears.
Pham, acquired Monday from Philadelphia for cash, gives Chicago a veteran bat for the stretch run. McDougal adds another arm as the White Sox, sitting first in the AL Central at 72-65, push toward October.
For Gilbert, the DFA is another chapter in a six-season major-league journey that began with one of the more memorable debut starts in recent memory.
Whether he lands elsewhere or remains in the organization, the left-hander who once no-hit the Padres is again looking for his next opportunity.
