Story bySam PhalenSat, January 3, 2026 at 11:35 PM UTC·3 min readRight-handed pitcher Zack Littell isn’t the type of free agent who gets a tone of media attention. His arsenal isn't overwhelming, and the underlying metrics that usually excite analytically driven front offices won’t jump off the page. And yet, Littell keeps producing. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHis elite control and makes him an intriguing — and potentially savvy — target for the Chicago White Sox in free agency to bolster their starting rotation. Typically, when you see a pitcher who doesn’t strike out many hitters, allows a fair amount of hard contact, and carries a modest expected batting average, the assumption is that success will be fleeting. That’s the kind of profile advanced analytics often flag for regression. Littell has defied that expectation for three straight seasons in his prime. Why?