White Sox have an Opening Day starter, but will they have an ace?

The White Sox have had a history of bona fide aces on their pitching staffs.

Chris Sale was the most recent one for an extended period, missing only one Opening Day start between 2013 and 2016. In the pre-Sale era, Mark Buehrle started nine of 10 openers between 2002 and 2011; Jack McDowell started four in a row in the early 1990s; knuckleballer Wilbur Wood started five in the 1970s; the trio of Gary Peters, Tommy John and Joel Horlen shared seven between 1964 and 1971; and Billy Pierce started five openers during an under-the-radar heyday in the 1950s.

Fast-forward to a 2024 Sox team that was left without an ace when Dylan Cease, who held the title for all of two seasons, was traded to the Padres as part of the Sox’ latest rebuild.

When manager Pedro Grifol named Garrett Crochet to be the Opening Day starter — a choice that surprised just about everyone — he sent historians searching for the last time a pitcher who never had started a major-league game would start an opener. Crochet will be the ninth pitcher in the last 100 years and the third since 1981 to do it.

The nod to Crochet was a tip of the cap to his pedigree as a first-round draft choice in 2020 and to his top-of-the rotation stuff that was on display during spring training. It also — wince — reminded fans recovering from a 101-loss season that there was no other obvious choice in a completely new rotation. Coming off elbow and shoulder issues in recent seasons, Crochet is building stamina and might last three or four innings Thursday against the Tigers, depending on his pitch count.

Crochet beat out Michael Soroka, a 2019 All-Star and the Braves’ Opening Day starter in 2020, and Erick Fedde, the MVP of the Korea Baseball Organization last season, for the honor. Soroka has appeared in only 10 games since 2019 because of two ruptured Achilles tendons, and Fedde wasn’t able to establish himself as good while making 88 starts for the Nationals in 2017-22.

Say hello to the Sox’ new ‘‘big three’’ — at least in terms of height. Crochet stands 6-6, Soroka 6-5 and Fedde 6-4.

Soroka will get the second game of the season Saturday, and Fedde will start Sunday. Chris Flexen, who came cheap at a cost of
$1.75 million in the offseason after posting a combined 6.86 ERA with the Mariners and Rockies in 2023, is expected to start Monday against the Braves.

‘‘I’m ready, I’m ready,’’ Soroka said after posting a 1.38 ERA in four Cactus League starts and tuning up with five good innings against a Triple-A Charlotte squad Monday before the Sox jumped on their charter flight to Chicago. ‘‘I’ve never actually broken with a team out of spring training. I did it out of the summer camp in ’20. Obviously would have [done it] that year had it not been for COVID. This is special. It’s a good feeling, so I’m very lucky to be here.’’

‘‘There’s going to be some excitement, some nerves,’’ Fedde said. ‘‘I’m ready to get this thing going.’’

‘‘I’m excited,’’ said Flexen, who had a 3.61 ERA in 31 starts for the Mariners in 2021 and a 3.73 ERA in 22 starts and 11 relief appearances for them in 2022. ‘‘I’m looking forward to competing with these guys. A lot of people have written us off as far as expectations. Hopefully we bust all of that.’’

NOTES: With the day off Friday, a fifth starter — possibly Nick Nastrini, who would make his major-league debut — won’t be needed till the sixth game. That will allow the Sox to have nine relievers for their first five games.

• Utility infielder Braden Shewmake will be on the Opening Day roster, according to a source. The roster will be announced Wednesday or Thursday.

• Right-hander Touki Toussaint, who was designated for assignment Monday, cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte.

• The Sox and Tigers will hold workouts Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.