The Chicago White Sox called up right-hander Jake Woodford from Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday in order to make a spot start against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays after the team placed right-hander Mike Clevinger (elbow) on the 15-day injured list. Woodford, 27, will be making his 19th career MLB start and first with Chicago in the big leagues after spending his first four big-league seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2020-23. In 10 starts at Charlotte this year, he's gone 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 17 walks and 42 K's in 49 2/3 innings. In his four years with the Cardinals, Woodford had a 4.29 ERA (4.94 FIP) and 1.37 WHIP with a poor 15.1% strikeout rate in 80 appearances (18 starts). Woodford will be a poor streaming option on Tuesday but could be worth a look in AL-only leagues if he makes more than one spot start in the wake of Clevinger's injury.

Free-agent right-hander Jake Woodford signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, according to sources. Woodford had a 4.29 ERA in his four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also had a 1.37 WHIP, 63 walks and 119 total strikeouts over 80 appearances (18 starts) covering 184 2/3 innings pitched. Woodford became a free agent this offseason when he was non-tendered by St. Louis in November. The 27-year-old had a bloated 6.23 ERA with 22 walks and 29 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings over 15 appearances (eight starts) in 2023 for the Red Birds. Given the White Sox's rebuilding direction heading into the 2024 season, there's a good chance that Woodford will get opportunities as a starter and reliever at the major-league level this upcoming campaign.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jake Woodford will be removed from the starting rotation. Manager Oliver Marmol said that Woodford will pitch in relief going forward with Adam Wainwright (groin) returning on Saturday. Woodford should be available out of the bullpen as early as Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Woodford holds a rough 5.72 WERA, 1.62 WHIP and 18/10 K/BB ratio across six starts. He can be dropped in all formats with his move to the bullpen. Fantasy managers should check the waiver wire to see if Wainwright is available with him being activated soon.

With St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright (groin) opening the 2023 regular season on the injured list, right-hander Jake Woodford will open the year in the team's starting rotation as the No. 5 starter. The 26-year-old should get at least a couple of starts early on as Wainwright tries to recover from a strained groin. Woodford has looked good in the Grapefruit League, posting a 2.04 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, five walks and 18 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings over five appearances (two starts) for the Red Birds. He doesn't miss enough bats to be a real target in mixed-league drafts, but Woodford could be an effective streamer in the short term for those in NL-only leagues to start the 2023 campaign.