CHICAGO -- The date of May 17 has special meaning for White Sox starting pitcher Davis Martin.
In 2022, at Kauffman Stadium, Martin made his Major League debut by striking out seven over five innings. In 2023, Martin underwent Tommy John surgery.
Ok, not all the memories are perfect.
And in 2025? Well, the White Sox lost their second of three straight at Wrigley Field with Martin as a dugout bystander.
Two days later, in Monday’s series-opening 5-1 loss to the Mariners at Rate Field, Martin worked 7 1/3 innings for the longest outing at any level of his professional career. Martin (2-5) suffered the loss but gave up only two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk, as the White Sox (14-34) dropped a fifth straight.
“We were throwing a lot of pitches for strikes and in a lot of locations,” said Martin, who threw 56 of his 92 pitches for strikes. “[Catcher Matt] Thaiss did a great job of moving around, making sure we were on the same page. He called a great game. I don’t think I shook maybe two or three times. It’s just what happens when the catcher and pitcher are in sync.
“It felt good. I emptied the tank in the seventh and kept trying to empty the tank in the eighth. Whatever we had left is just ripping it and trying to execute at a high clip.”
Martin struck out Dylan Moore looking with a slider to start the eight, but gave up a Ben Williamson single to end his night with a 1-0 deficit. Southpaw Cam Booser walked left-handed hitting J.P. Crawford on five pitches as the first hitter faced and yielded pinch-hitter Mitch Garver’s single to load the bases with one out.
Julio Rodríguez unloaded the bases with a laser-like, first-pitch grand slam on a night when the baseball wasn’t carrying at the Rate. Martin was upset with himself postgame about the Williamson single, but also knew he was going hitter to hitter in the eighth.
“Everything I had for as long as they are going to let me throw it,” Martin said. “If that’s 110 pitches, 95 pitches, it is what it is. My job is to let it eat for as long as I can.”
“Yeah, uncharted territory for him. Davis had done his job and it was just a good spot to turn it over to Cam,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Outstanding, attacked the zone like he always does. Got a ton of soft contact and obviously no walks. Did a great job.”
According to Statcast, Martin threw six different pitches ranging from the cutter 31 times to the slider at five. This outing followed up one run allowed over 6 ⅔ innings during a victory at the Reds on May 14, and he has struck out 15 and walked two in total over four May trips to the mound covering 23 1/3 innings.
Big strikeout totals are not Martin’s specialty, as is the case for a number of the White Sox starters. But attacking the zone and trusting his catcher’s plan are important components, working in perfect sync with Thaiss Monday.
“[Thaiss] came up to me before our pitcher's meeting today and said, 'I've had experience with these guys. I know what they're doing. … I know what needs to be done today. Just trust me,’” said Martin of Thaiss. “You got it. Put a lot of trust in him today and it showed."
“That's the biggest thing, being confident in his stuff. I think he is and he knows it,” Thaiss said. “A couple times today he fell behind but made some good pitches to get some weak contact. Just gotta keep doing that."
When Martin made his triumphant return from extended rehab work following Tommy John surgery, he pitched 2 2/3 innings against the Mariners. So, Monday’s dominant performance basically was a full-circle moment.
Well, it would have been full-circle if the return had come on May 17. Martin’s ‘24 debut was at home on July 27.
“A lot of crazy stuff happens on May 17,” Martin said. “Debuted on May 17th, got TJ on May 17th. It seems right that something like this would happen on May 17. It's cool, it's exciting. I'm glad to have my wife and kid here too."
"He attacked the zone,” Thaiss said. “That's a good lineup over there. Had all five, six pitches of his working and really filled it up. To pitch that deep into the game is a great job."