Chicago White Sox slugger, first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami, has been on a tear to begin the year.

More News: Chicago White Sox return prospect to the Red Sox

Early into his big league career, Murakamai has mashed four home runs. According to MLB’s Sarah Langs, the 26-year-old’s four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player through their first eight games.

Murakami’s fourth home run came against Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Brandon Little. In the top of the sixth inning of Saturday’s game. Little threw Murakami a 1-0 sinker that ran back across the plate. Muraki didn’t miss and sent the pitch 431 feet to dead center field for a two-run homer.

Munetaka Murakami’s four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player in his first 8 career MLB games https://t.co/XYcYOjI9LT

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 4, 2026

Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery have proven to be the Chicago White Sox’s source of power

Murakami is settling into hitting at the top of the order. So far, he is the White Sox leader in home runs and RBI (seven). Shortstop Colson Montgomery is second after hitting his second home run in the same inning as Murakami.

Montgomery’s first home run was a grand slam against the Milwaukee Brewers. Little again threw a hanging sinker on a 3-1 count that Montgomery didn’t miss and deposited over the right field fence.

round trip for Colson Montgomery pic.twitter.com/tXXTsdaEwJ

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 4, 2026

The White Sox ranked 23rd in home runs last season (165). This means the White Sox will rely on Murakami (24 last season) and Montgomery (21) to continue to generate the team’s power.

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The Chicago White Sox’s experiment with right-hander Jedixson Paez has come to an end. According to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, Paez has cleared waivers and was returned to the Boston Red Sox organization.

More News: Chicago White Sox LHP will go for a personal feat vs. Blue Jays

The White Sox selected Paez in the Rule 5 Draft after finding success with right-hander Shane Smith. Smith was the White Sox’s lone All-Star in 2025, with a 7-8 record and a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts.

Jedixson Paez struggled in his three appearances with the Chicago White Sox

Paez, 22, didn’t have a good spring with the White Sox, having a 6.35 ERA in seven games (two starts). He also hadn’t pitched above High-A in his professional career before getting added to the White Sox Opening Day roster.

Paez posted a 5-4 record with a 3.17 ERA and striking out 113 in 96.2 innings last season. A right calf strain sidelined Páez for four months last season.

Making the jump from the lower levels of the minor leagues to the big leagues proved to be too much for Paez. In three innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers, Paez allowed six earned runs, two home runs, and walked three.

Two of Paez’s walks and three of his earned runs came in his failed mop-up role in the White Sox’s 14-2 loss on March 26. Back with the Red Sox, Paez will have time to develop, but since he’s appeared in the big leagues, his service time has started.

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Coming off a win in their home opener, the Chicago White Sox look to win two in a row against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Anthony Kay will try to get his first win in five years while pitching for the Chicago White Sox

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the weakest teams in the first week of the season. Their abilities on the mound have failed to live up to the hype. The team needs to figure out ways to pitch better in order to win games. One outlet is not too thrilled with the pitching performances so far this season. Let’s take a closer look at the outlet and what the White Sox’s issues are right now.

Bleacher Report labels the Chicago White Sox pitching staff as a loser

Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote an article discussing the winners and losers in the first week of the MLB season. One of the losers was the White Sox pitching staff. Below is a snippet of what Miller wrote:

“Only two White Sox pitchers have a sub-4.50 ERA—Lucas Sims, who pitched two scoreless innings in Wednesday’s 10-0 loss to Miami; and Anthony Kay, who had a 3.86 ERA in his season debut in the rotation, albeit with a 6.41 FIP that suggests even that was fool’s gold.

“The fun news here (unless you’re a White Sox fan) is we might be on the fast track to a scenario where Murakami—who signed a two-year, $34M deal this winter—enters the All-Star break with 30 home runs for a team that is 30 games below .500, thus becoming one of the biggest, gettable names on the trade block.”

After the first six games of the season, Chicago has an 8.63 team ERA. This is more than three runs above the second-worst team currently. Chicago needs to figure out how to correct their pitching woes, as it cannot survive with a league-worst .319 opposing batting average through two series. It will be interesting to see how the team is able to do better on the mound going forward.

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Despite the game having to go into extra innings, the Chicago White Sox won their home opener 5-4. Facing the reigning American League champions, the Toronto Blue Jays, a critical bunt by outfielder Derek Hill and a single by outfielder Tristan Peters sealed the victory.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect’s performance may force a tough decision

The White Sox’s resilient win came on the heels of manager Will Venable saying his team “needed to be better.” The White Sox currently have a Major League-worst 2-5 record and had a terrible road trip (1-5) to begin the season.

TRISTAN. PETERS. pic.twitter.com/GaBlnobkNe

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 3, 2026

Sean Burke’s bounce-back performance was key for the Chicago White Sox to win

Sean Burke’s first outing against the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t go well. He allowed seven hits, four runs (three earned), walked one, and struck out five in 4.0 innings. However, Burke showed some growth pitching against the Blue Jays. Burke told reporters postgame that he’s “trying to stay on my plan.”

“I think it’s been big,” Burke said to the media postgame. “I think that this year, just trying to stay on my plan and continuing to attack hitters and not let a couple hits or whatever it might be rattle me, and just trying to continue to flood the zone and make good pitches every single time out, I think the focus component, just being super, super focused on what I want to do with each pitch, and just being intentful behind it has been helpful.”

The 26-year-old threw six strong innings, allowing one run (earned), walking none, and striking out seven. Burke pitched behind right-hander Grant Taylor, who was the opener.

Right-handers Jordan Leasure and Seranthony Dominguez and left-hander Sean Newcomb also pitched well following Burke. Combined, all three went 3.0 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs (three total), walked one, and struck out three. 

According to ESPN, Taylor is the probable pitcher for Game 2 on Saturday. Left-hander Anthony Kay will likely be the “bulk” guy. Kay is also coming off a tough outing against the Brewers — Kay went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, four walks, and struck out five on 92 pitches.

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The Chicago White Sox have been struggling, and one player who may help is catcher Kyle Teel. He is yet to play this season due to an injury. He gave a bit of an update regarding his status and how he is feeling. Let’s take a closer look at what he said and what it means for the White Sox going forward.

Kyle Teel is feeling better as he recovers from his hamstring injury

MLB’s Scott Merkin talked with Teel ahead of the White Sox’s home opener. Teel provided a bit of an update regarding his status and how he is feeling better as time goes on.

“I feel much better this week, honestly. It’s going well. I would say that like I still don’t know exactly when on the timeline I’ll be back. From the way I’ve been feeling, it’s been a steady incline. From what everyone who has hamstring injuries tell me, there’s going to be a day where it just feels really really good. That’s when you make that big jump. I feel like I’m coming up on that day really soon. I love playing so it’s tough. But everything happens for a reason so going day by day.”

Teel suffered a hamstring injury in pool play for Team Italy during the World Baseball Classic on March 11. He was projected to have a 4-to-6 week recovery timeline, and we are approaching the four-week mark.  Chicago is hoping to have him back soon to continue his progression in the majors. Teel only played in 78 games last season and had a .273/.375/.411 slash line with eight homers, 35 RBI, and 38 runs scored while being an excellent catcher.

With the White Sox looking to get their core players together in the lineup, it will be interesting to see when Teel officially heads for a rehab assignment.

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The Chicago White Sox got off to a poor start to begin the season.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect’s performance may force a tough decision

Starting 1-5 on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Miami Marlins, manager Will Venable said his team “needs to be better.”

“However you want to characterize it, we fell short, right? And I think, you know, our message to the guys is that we need to be better,” Venable said before the home opener on Friday to 104.3 The Score.

White Sox manager Will Venable on his message after a disappointing start: “We’re moving forward.” pic.twitter.com/3n9OHfhu5k

— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) April 3, 2026

The White Sox’s pitching staff pitched poorly and ranks as the worst staff in baseball (8.63 ERA). The White Sox also gave up the most earned runs in the early goings (47).

The road ahead won’t get easier for the Chicago White Sox

Despite being back home, the White Sox welcome in some tough American League East opponents. The White Sox open a three-game series on Friday versus the reigning American League Champions, the Toronto Blue Jays (4-2). The Baltimore Orioles come to town on Monday (3-3, April 6-8).

The Blue Jays’ starting rotation has been hit hard with injuries. Right-hander Cody Ponce sprained his right ACL on Monday and will miss time.
The Blue Jays were already without right-handers Trey Yasavage (right shoulder impingement), Jose Berrios (right elbow stress fracture), and Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation) to begin the year.

Maybe now that they’re back at home and the Blue Jays are down some of their better arms, the White Sox could finish the home stand at .500.

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The Chicago White Sox are off to a horrendous start to the 2026 MLB season. They are currently 1-5, tied for the worst record in all baseball. What is more, their -31 run differential is, by far, the worst is both the American League and National League.

Indeed, this year projects to be another long-suffering season for White Sox fans, who have watched their team lose over 100 games in each of the past two seasons.

Even though the season is just one week old, many are starting to wonder what the All-Star rosters will look like. And as projections are made, there is only one White Sox player that some think will make the American League roster.

Grant Taylor predicted to represent the Chicago White Sox in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game

Last year, starting pitcher Shane Smith was named as Chicago’s lone American League All-Star. However, after his first two starts of the season this year, it does not seem like he will be repeating that honor. Smith is currently 0-2 with a 19.29 ERA.

Therefore, in Bleacher Report‘s first All-Star roster projection since the start of the 2026 MLB season, he is not the White Sox player they believe will represent Chicago. Instead, they predict it will be right-handed relief pitcher Grant Taylor:

“He is an under-the-radar candidate worth keeping an eye on this year. With an upper-90s fastball and wicked breaking stuff, he struck out 54 of the 157 batters he faced in 2025 while logging a 1.42 FIP in 36.2 innings.”

Currently, Taylor has a 4.50 ERA in two appearances. Last year, he was 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 36 appearances. He also recorded six saves.

This is a very interesting choice from BR because of the presence of Munetaka Murakami on the White Sox roster. While it is yet to be seen just how consistent he will be over the course of the season, one would assume his popularity in Japan will garner him millions of fan votes.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox call up Lucas Sims before series finale vs Marlins
• White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami included on hottest rookies list
• Former Cubs and White Sox starting pitcher impresses in Diamondbacks debut

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox are coming off three-straight seasons of 100-plus losses and are hoping 2026 goes differently. While they went from 121 losses to 102 from 2024 to 2025, there is some hope for the future in terms of prospects. They also have the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft.

But through the first week of the season, the White Sox are 1-5 and were swept in the first series in Milwaukee. They followed it up by losing the series down in Miami. A big reason why? Pitching. The pitching for the White Sox has been really bad this season, allowing 52 total runs compared to the 21 that they have scored on offense.

And it’s the worst pitching staff in baseball at the moment.

White Sox pitching has been MLB worst

Looking at the stats, the White Sox are dead last in earned run average through the first week of the season at 8.63. The next closest at No. 29? The Philadelphia Phillies with a 5.46 ERA.

Ouch.

It’s all been bad for the White Sox on the pitching side of things, including starter Shane Smith. In his latest start on Wednesday against the Marlins, Smith gave up eight hits, eight runs with seven earned, two walks and just one strikeout in three innings. That came after a bad start in the season opener against the Milwaukee Brewers as well.

What is going on with Shane Smith????

Through 3 innings:
8 hits
8 runs (7 earned)
2 walks
1 strikeout

Season ERA & WHIP: 19.29 & 3.21

Is it time to hit the panic button!? pic.twitter.com/o9xrxK9mZR

— SleeperWhiteSox (@SleeperWhiteSox) April 1, 2026

Overall, it’s been a nightmare start for the White Sox as they have also given up 65 hits which leads the majors. It doesn’t get much easier, either. The Toronto Blue Jays come to town this weekend for the team’s home opener and first series at Guaranteed Rate this season.

If the White Sox really want to improve, they need to figure out how to get this pitching staff back on track and do it quickly.

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The Chicago White Sox are not off to a good start in the 2026 MLB season. After going 41-120 in 2024 and 60-102 in 2025, fans did not have high expectations for them this year. The hope was that they would at least play decent baseball and show some improvement.

But they haven’t.

Through the first six games of the season, the White Sox are just 1-5. They are tied with the Boston Red Sox and Athletics for the worst record baseball.

But what is worse is the fact that Chicago has a -31 run differential right now, by far the worst in all the Majors. The next closest team to them is the Red Sox, who have a -15 run differential.

Munetaka Murakami gives the Chicago White Sox a much-needed silver lining

Indeed, the White Sox have not played very inspiring baseball early on in the season. And while there is still plenty of time, there is microscopic hope that they will right the ship.

That being said, rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami has at least given fans a new star to cheer for. MLB.com recently named him Chicago’s biggest takeaway from the first week’s worth of games:

“By his own admission, the left-handed-hitting first baseman from Japan has plenty of work to do as he begins his Major League career. In fact, Murakami has focused more on early shortcomings and the process for improvement even when opening weekend accolades were heaped upon him.

“But Murakami became the first player in White Sox franchise history to have a home run in each of his first three big league games, not to mention producing a hit in each of his first five, an RBI in four of those five and showing great patience at the plate with a walk in three of those five. He appears to be a needed bonafide power source.”

Through six games, Murakami is hitting .238/.360/.667 with three home runs and five RBI. As noted above, he hit a home run in each of his first three Major League games. Unfortunately, they were all solo shots and the White Sox lost each of those games.

An additional frustration is that he has struck out nine times in six games. It appears that the high strikeout totals that gave some Major League teams pause when he was on the market did indeed follow him over from Japan.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox call up Lucas Sims before series finale vs Marlins
• White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami included on hottest rookies list
• Former Cubs and White Sox starting pitcher impresses in Diamondbacks debut

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have not gotten off to a good start to the season. The team’s pitching not living up to expectations through the first handful of games. As a result, there are going to be some roster moves made to help that side of things. Let’s take a closer look at what the move was and what it means for the White Sox going forward.

The Chicago White Sox called up Lucas Sims from Triple-A Charlotte

Ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Miami Marlins, the team made some news regarding its roster. Chicago is calling up veteran pitcher Lucas Sims and designating pitcher Jedixson Paez for assignment. The White Sox will have to give Jedixson Paez back to the Boston Red Sox if unclaimed on waivers.

Paez has struggled out of the bullpen to begin the season as he has appeared in three games (3.0 innings) and has an 18.00 ERA with a 2,33 WHIP and .333 opposing batting average. He also has struggled with command, giving up three walks without recording a strikeout. Paez was the organization’s 19th-ranked prospect, so giving up on him so soon is intriguing.

The failed experiment of Chicago’s Rule 5 selection is going to be interesting. There is an off chance that Paez remains in the minor leagues, but this is certainly a swing and a miss for general manager Chris Getz. Sims has been a veteran reliever who has yet to make his White Sox debut. Last season with the Washington Nationals, he was 1-0 with a 13.86 ERA and a 2.27 WHIP in 12.1 innings (18 games).

Sims was one of the final players cut at Spring Training. Chicago’s 8.34 team ERA through five games is the worst in the majors by more than two full runs. It will be interesting to see how Sims looks in the majors for Chicago’s bullpen.

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The Chicago White Sox are off to one of the worst starts in Major League Baseball this season. They are currently 1-4 through their first five games and in last place in the American League Central Division. What is more, their -21 run differential is the worst in baseball. In fact, they are the only team with a run differential worse than -14.

This being said, no one expected the White Sox to be good this year. After going 60-102 a year ago, fans are hoping to see a bit more improvement in 2026 as they continue to rebuild.

Fortunately, Munetaka Murakami has given Chicago fans a fun player to rally behind and cheer for amid the team’s lack of winning.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami named one of MLB’s hottest rookies

When Murakami first announced that he was going to transition to Major League Baseball after eight seasons in Japan, many thought he would get a lot of interest from multiple teams. However, due to his high strikeout totals, that interest never really materialized.

As a result, Murakami signed a two-year $34 million contract with Chicago. So far, he has impressed fans by homering in his first three Major League games. Overall, he is hitting .278/.409/.778 with three home runs and 4 RBI through five games.

Buster Onley of ESPN recently named him one of the six hottest rookies in MLB:

“He is super determined,” White Sox head of baseball operation Chris Getz said of Murakami. “It’s very clear he wants to prove to someone that he’s real. He’s very serious.”

And very dangerous for pitchers: Murakami homered in each of Chicago’s three games against the Milwaukee Brewers. “Put the home runs aside — the quality of his at-bats really stood out,” Getz said, mentioning how his rookie faced some of the Brewers’ hard throwers, such as Jacob Misiorowski.

It’s clear to Getz that Murakami is not just an all-or-nothing slugger, with how he adapts throughout the ball-strike count, and Getz expects that as the 26-year-old faces more major league pitching he’ll continue to make adjustments.

Through the first five games of the season, Murakami has struck out seven times and has drawn four walks. As the year goes on, his individual success will rely on his ability to adjust further to Major League pitching.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Former Cubs and White SP impresses in Diamondbacks debut
• White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami left off top-25 rookie list
• Pair of White Sox grand slams make history

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Former Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox right-hander Michael Soroka had quite the debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

More News: Chicago White Sox’s pair of grand slams makes MLB history

Signing a one-year ($7.5 million) contract in the offseason, Soroka scattered four hits, struck out 10, and walked one in five innings against the Detroit Tigers. According to MLB Stats, Soroka’s 10 strikeouts surpassed Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson for most strikeouts in a Diamondbacks debut.

Dominance in the desert

Michael Soroka passed Hall of Famer Randy Johnson for the most strikeouts in a @Dbacks debut!

(MLB x @SageUSAmerica) pic.twitter.com/QAHCCE2kOq

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) March 31, 2026

Michael Soroka pitches an immaculate inning in his debut

Even more impressive the former All-Star (2021), Soroka pitched an immaculate inning (nine strikes, three strikeouts). Soroka struck out Tigers shortstop and former Cub Javier Baez, designated hitter Kerry Carpenter, and second baseman Gleyber Torres.

IMMACULATE INNING FOR MICHAEL SOROKA!

10 strikeouts through 5 innings in his @Dbacks debut! pic.twitter.com/M9hopu3jxN

— MLB (@MLB) March 31, 2026

The seven-year veteran knew he was in the middle of an immaculate inning with one strike remaining on Torres. Soroka called Torres a “good hitter” and tried to throw a pitch in the zone to complete the feat.

“It was pretty special,” Soroka said to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. “I think I’ve talked to you guys about not putting too much stock in results but I think that’s one that’s worth celebrating. Gleyber is a good hitter, he’s quite passive, too. So I wanted to make sure it was something in the zone and just give myself a chance to get it done right there. So pretty cool. I tried to play it off, but started smiling on the field.”

Soroka’s performance helped the Diamondbacks secure their first victory of the season. The 28-year-old filled up the strike zone, with 60 of his 89 pitches being strikes.
The Diamondbacks right-hander also threw first-pitch strikes to nine out of the 20 batters faced. He also recorded five outs via flyout (three) and groundout (two).

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The Chicago White Sox made one of the most surprising free agent splashes of the MLB off-season. When Munetaka Murakami first announced his intention to transition from Japan to Major League Baseball, few thought that the White Sox would be in play for the slugging first baseman.

However, because of concerns over Murakami’s high strikeout totals in Japan, Major League teams were hesitant to give him a long and lucrative contract. As a result, Chicago was able to swoop in and snag the slugger for two years and $34 million.

The 2026 MLB season is still in its infancy, but Murakami has already made a stellar impression on baseball fans in the United States. However, it somehow was not good enough to even crack a top-25 MLB rookies list.

Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami somehow left off top-25 rookie ranking

Recently, Bleacher Report released their list of the top 25 rookies around Major League Baseball. Their criteria was simply that the rookies begin the season on their team’s Opening Day rosters. Munetaka, of course, began the season on Chicago’s Opening Day roster.

However, for whatever reason, he was not included on the list of the top 25 rookies around baseball.

In his first four games in the Majors, Murakami is hitting .286/.444/.929 with three home runs and three RBI. He also has walked four times and struck out five times.

There are, of course, many talented young rookies across Major League Baseball. However, the fact that Murakami is not included on the list of the top-25 is highly questionable. Perhaps it is because he spent eight seasons playing professionally at the highest level in Japan, but he is still a Major League rookie in 2026.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Pair of White Sox grand slams make baseball history
• Korey Lee to stay with White Sox
• White Sox slugger makes history with his MUNEshot

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox blasted their way to victory over the Miami Marlins (9-4) on Monday to secure their first win of the season.

More News: Chicago White Sox slugger makes history with his MUNEshot

Infielder Miguel Vargas and outfielder Austin Hays were the White Sox’s sole run producers. Vargas tallied six RBI, with four coming on a grand slam in the fourth inning, while Hays hit a three-run home run in the third inning. 

Vargas’s grand slam Monday came on the heels of one hit in Sunday’s series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

A pair of Chicago White Sox grand slams makes history

According to OptaSTATS, the White Sox became the first team to hit grand slams consecutive games played in March. Montgomery’s grand slam on Sunday was a part of a five-RBI, two-hit game.

The @whitesox are the first MLB team ever to hit grand slams in consecutive games played in March. pic.twitter.com/K8IPKHbCKq

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) March 31, 2026

The White Sox offense may have woken up

Despite getting swept by the Brewers, the White Sox offense may have turned a corner. The White Sox’s nine-run outburst against the Marlins fell one run shy of the total runs scored (10) in the Brewers series.

Rookie first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami also kept his hot bat going, picking up his fourth straight hit on Monday. The 26-year-old also leads the team in home runs (three) and total bases (13).

The White Sox also had multi-hit games from three players in the lineup on Monday. Vargas 2-4 (.308 batting average) and two runs scored, outfielder Tristin Peters 2-3 (.444) scored a run, and Everson Pereira 2-4 (.286) with two runs scored. The White Sox are expected to face inexperienced right-hander Janson Junk (4.17 ERA in 2025) on Tuesday. 

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One of the more intriguing decisions that the Chicago White Sox had to make early on was with Korey Lee. The catcher was projected to make the Opening Day roster after the Kyle Teel injury, but would wind up missing out after Reese McGuire was signed late in Spring Training. As a result, he would be waived and able to search for a team to place him on their 26-man roster. There has been a new wrinkle added to the drama, so let’s take a closer look at what has happened.

Korey Lee clears waivers and returns to the Chicago White Sox

It was announced on Saturday afternoon, ahead of their game against Milwaukee, that Lee is returning to the organization. The 27-year-old catcher would clear waivers and return to the team, but be optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Lee has not been able to produce too much at the plate throughout his four-year career, posting a .555 OPS with 14 home runs in 186 games played. Having him return gives Chicago some veteran depth in Triple-A at catcher, as he and Drew Romo are the backstops for the Charlotte Knights.

What happens with the catcher depth is going to be intriguing once Teel returns to the team. Could general manager Chris Getz make an early trade to move one of these catchers off the roster? The team currently has five catchers between the majors and Triple-A, so it is likely one of them will be off the team soon. Lee is the most likely candidate if there were to be a move in the works, as he was initially waived. It will be intriguing to see what happens for the catcher depth chart going forward, as Getz has his hands full there.

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Chicago White Sox slugger, first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami, has been making waves three games into his MLB career.

More News: Munetaka Murakami historic 2 game effort is 1 bright spot for White Sox

The 26-year-old slugger has homered in the first three games to start his career, joining three others to do so. Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter recently accomplished the feat, having four total against the Seattle Mariners (March 26-28)

Infielder Trevor Story — four with the Colorado Rockies in 2016 — and outfielder Kyle Lewis — three with the Mariners in 2019 — are the other two.

Munetaka Murakami joins Chase DeLauter, Trevor Story, and Kyle Lewis as the only players to homer in their first three regular season MLB games https://t.co/QWxH7iZGDr pic.twitter.com/zcLA6kknK6

— MLB (@MLB) March 29, 2026

Munetaka Murakami is quickly becoming a force in the Chicago White Sox lineup

Murakami is quickly showing manager Will Venable why he should be batting him in the heart of the order. To open the season, Murakami has hit sixth, cleanup (fourth) and batting second in the finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sunday starters: pic.twitter.com/p3w64JJMEE

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 29, 2026

Murakami is picking up where he left off in spring training. In nine games, he batted .276 with a .771 OPS and a home run. The Japanese slugger also hit a home run in the World Baseball Classic for Japan.

If Murakami keeps mashing home runs, Venable will need to think about keeping him in the two through four spots in the lineup.

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The Chicago White Sox have not wasted time in making a change to their roster this season. General manager Chris Getz is staying busy as the team is making moves ahead of its second game of the season. One player on the MLB roster is going to be playing on another team as a result. Let’s take a closer look at what just happened and what it means for the White Sox going forward.

The Chicago White Sox traded Curtis Mead to the Washington Nationals

Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the White Sox announced they have made a trade with the Washington Nationals. The White Sox are sending infielder Curtis Mead to the Nationals in exchange for minor-league catcher Boston Smith. Smith has not played any professional baseball in his career, but the 23-year-old catcher was a sixth-round pick by the Nats in last year’s draft. While playing for Wright State last season in the Horizon League (college baseball), he showcased an incredible hitting ability. He would have a .330/.498/.770 slash line with 26 home runs, 70 RBI, 70 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases on 23 attempts over 59 games.

Giving away Mead is a tough loss for a player with promise, but he was designated for assignment ahead of Opening Day as one of the final roster cuts for Chicago. It is going to be some time before we hear about Smith’s abilities to affect the White Sox roster, but he certainly has shown the ability to swing the bat well. He has been assigned to the ACL White Sox to begin his professional career, but can be a fun prospect to keep an eye on in the coming years.

Mead played 41 games for Chicago after being traded by the Tampa Bay Rays last season. His bat has not been able to catch up in the majors thus far as he has a career .617 OPS across 152 games. It will be intriguing to see how this trade plays out for both sides in the future.

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Slugger Munetaka Murakami was the marquee signing for the Chicago White Sox this offseason, agreeing to a two-year, $34 million deal after establishing himself as one of Japan’s most prolific home run hitters. Through his first two Major League Baseball games, that power has carried over as he’s recorded one hit in each contest, and both have been home runs.

Having hit home runs in back-to-back contests to begin the 2026 season, Murakami has found himself in the White Sox history books as the only player ever with that accomplishment. He also joined Kenji Johjima as the second Japanese born and former NPB player to hit homers in each of their first two MLB games.

Munetaka Murakami is the second Japanese-born former NPB player to homer in each of his first two MLB games, joining Kenji Johjima

He’s. also the first player in White Sox history to homer in each of his first two career games https://t.co/X9WHyKYeGU

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 29, 2026

Munetaka Murakami is poised for a big year with the Chicago White Sox

Before arriving in MLB, Murakami spent eight seasons in NPB, launching 246 home runs. His peak came in 2022, when he blasted 56, and he topped the 30-homer mark in five of those eight seasons.

He won’t homer in every game this year, but already having two in March is an encouraging sign. It’s not unrealistic to expect him to finish among the league’s top power hitters this season.

In the long run, if this opening stretch is any indication, Murakami could quickly become a cornerstone for the Chicago White Sox lineup. His power has already translated against Major League Baseball pitching, offering a glimpse of the impact he can make over a full season. While consistency and adjustments will ultimately define his success, the early returns suggest he is more than capable of living up to expectations.

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The Milwaukee Brewers received terrible news on first baseman Andrew Vaughn’s status, with Vaughn expected to miss a chunk of time. According to USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale, the former Chicago White Sox will be out until early May with a fractured left hamate bone.

More News: Chicago White Sox swap out left-handers ahead of Brewers game

Vaughn was traded to the Brewers last season in exchange for right-hander Aaron Civale and cash considerations. The former first-round pick (third overall) was outstanding in 64 games, batting .308 with an OPS of .869.

Vaughn carried over his success from last year to the spring. In 16 games, Vaughn batted .367 with a 1.049 OPS, and hitting three doubles and home runs.

The Milwaukee Brewers call up top prospect to take Andrew Vaughn’s place

With Vaughn heading to the injured list, the Brewers decided to call up top prospect, catcher Jefferson Quero. Quero is the Brewers’ eighth-ranked prospect and appeared in one game at Triple-A — Quero went 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout. Last season, Quero batted .271 with a .839 OPS in 69 games between Rookie Ball and Triple-A.

Today's transactions pic.twitter.com/15wM1pRySi

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 28, 2026

Quero will give manager Pat Murphy some flexibility with his lineup, as he’ll have three catchers on his roster. Having Quero will allow Murphy to use Sanchez at first base, so all three bats are in the lineup.

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The Milwaukee Brewers lit up the Chicago White Sox to start the season, accounting for 14 runs. The Brewers’ pitching staff also struck out 20 White Sox, with right-hander Jacob Misiorowski having 11 of them (a franchise record).

More News: Chicago White Sox C left speechless after a tough day at the dish

Looking to bounce back on Saturday, the White Sox made a move to add a fresh arm to the bullpen. The White Sox used five arms of the bullpen in Thursday’s loss (14-2).

The Chicago White Sox swap out left-handers ahead of Brewers matchup

Before Saturday night’s matchup against the Brewers, the White Sox activated left-hander Bryan Hudson to the roster. To make room for Hudson, the White Sox optioned left-hander Tyler Gilbert to Triple-A. Gilbert pitched an inning in the loss and allowed two earned runs, a home run, and a walk.

The Chicago White Sox have activated left-handed pitcher Bryan Hudson and optioned left-hander Tyler Gilbert to Class AAA Charlotte.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 28, 2026

Hudson was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Friday and appeared in four games (5.79 ERA) for the White Sox last season.

Hudson will offer manager Will Venable a fresh arm from the left side after he used two out of his three lefties yesterday. Left-hander Chris Murphy did not pitch, while left-hander Sean Newcomb will be down after pitching 2.1 innings (33 pitches).

The White Sox bullpen needs to limit the walks

The White Sox bullpen needs to be more effective in Game 2. Right-hander Jordan Leasure was the only successful arm used on Thursday. Leasure didn’t allow an earned run or a hit in his one inning of work.

The rest of the bullpen combined to allow 10 earned runs on nine hits and gave up two home runs. The bullpen also allowed too many walks, seven, with right-hander Jordan Hicks having four of them.

Limiting walks needs to be a focal point for the bullpen moving forward, as walks are a death knell for relievers.

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The Chicago White Sox had to decide to cut some players ahead of Opening Day. One of the players they decided to release was LaMonte Wade Jr. He is a solid veteran presence, but he wanted to see if any teams were interested in putting him on their MLB roster. However, things did not go that way. Let’s take a closer look at what the latest news is and what it means for Chicago going forward.

The Chicago White Sox re-sign LaMonte Wade Jr.

Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown reports that free agent first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr is signing a minor league contract with the White Sox. He spent Spring Training with the team, but did not make the final 26-man roster. He spent 2025 with the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels and had a poor offensive showing. Over 80 games, he had a .167/.271/.254 slash line with two homers, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and a 27:58 walk-to-strikeout ratio. However, he was on fire in Spring Training with a 1.034 OPS in 38 at-bats.

Wade can be a solid bench player to be part of the infield if he is eventually called up. However, he is starting in the minor leagues and needs to prove that he can swing the bat well. Wade has also played some corner outfield in his career, so he can be a versatile player. In the minor leagues, he can be a veteran leader to help some of the prospects looking to get the call.

This does not mean we will see Wade get the call to the bigs anytime soon, but it is a good sign for depth in the minors. It will be interesting to see if and when he finds his way to the White Sox.

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The Chicago White Sox saw their pitching staff surrender 14 runs to the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day. Additionally, White Sox pitchers issued 10 walks while the hitters struck out 20 times. Clearly, it was not the start the team was hoping for.

As they had an off-day on Friday, the White Sox started scouring the waiver wire for some pitching help. And they found it in the form of one of their own former pitchers.

The Chicago White Sox claim Bryan Hudson off waivers from the New York Mets

On Friday, it was reported that Chicago has claimed left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson off of waivers from the New York Mets:

The Chicago White Sox have claimed left-handed pitcher Bryan Hudson off waivers from the New York Mets.

The White Sox will make a corresponding move prior to tomorrow’s game at Milwaukee.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 27, 2026

Hudson was originally claimed off of waivers by the White Sox from the Brewers last year. Prior to being waived by Milwaukee, he was 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA. In four games with Chicago after being claimed, he was 0-0 with a 5.79 ERA.

In 2024, while pitching for Milwaukee, Hudson was one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. He appeared in 43 games, went 6-1, and a stellar 1.79 ERA.

As noted in the post from the White Sox social media team, Chicago will be making a corresponding move prior to Saturday’s game against Milwaukee. This means that Hudson will be joining the Major League roster while someone that is already on it will be demoted to Triple-A or designated for assignment.

It is worth noting that many of the hitters that gave the White Sox trouble on Thursday were left-handed.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox on wrong side of 2 Brewers records on Opening Day
• White Sox catcher left speechless after tough day at the plate
• White Sox infielder’s home run on Opening Day makes history

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox 2026 season did not get off to a good start. In fact, it got off to arguably the worst start imaginable. After a spring full of hope, they fell to the Milwaukee Brewers by the score of 14-2 on Opening Day.

Chase Meidroth led off the game with a solo home run, giving fans false hope that this particular Opening Day game would go their way. Unfortunately, Milwaukee stifled the White Sox offense quickly and effectively for the rest of the day. Munetaka Murakami had his first Major League hit, a home run, later in the game, but it did not make a difference at that point.

In the end, Chicago was on the wrong side of history.

Chicago White Sox make a MLB first on Opening Day vs the Milwaukee Brewers

It has already been reported that the White Sox helped the Brewers make some history. Led by ace Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee struck out 20 Chicago batters, setting a franchise record of strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Misiorowski’s 11 strikeouts are a franchise record for any Opening Day.

Unfortunately, the White Sox made some Major League history themselves:

The White Sox are the only team in MLB history to have a game where the offense struck out 20+ times, got 4 or fewer hits and the pitching staff issued 10+ walks.

— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) March 27, 2026

As one can see from the post above, Chicago is the first team in MLB history to strike out 20 or more times, get four or fewer hits, and see their pitching staff issue at least 10 walks.

Meanwhile, the Brewers struck out only three times and their pitchers issued just five walks (Misiorowski gave up three of them).

All this to say that Opening Day was immensely forgettable for the White Sox.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox on wrong side of 2 Brewers records on Opening Day
• White Sox catcher left speechless after tough day at the plate
• White Sox infielder’s home run on Opening Day makes history

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Early this past off-season the Chicago White Sox traded former All-Star center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets. In return, they received Luisangel Acuna, who made the Opening Day roster and replaced Robert in center field. The trade followed many frustrating years in which Chicago waited patiently for Robert to find his swing.

In 2023, Robert hit .264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs, 80 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. He made the AL All-Star team, won the Silver Slugger, and finished 12th in AL MVP voting.

But over the next two seasons, he hit just .223/.288/.372 while averaging 14 home runs and 44 RBI a year. He also averaged 28 stolen bases a year, but his overall production plummeted.

Luis Robert Jr. took a shot at the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day

Robert made the Opening Day roster for the Mets, as expected. Before his first game in New York, he was asked by the media about his excitement level for playing in front of their fans. In his answer, he took a shot at the White Sox and fans in Chicago:

Luis Robert Jr: “I am sure that Thursday the stadium is going to be packed, which is something that over the last few years in Chicago I didn’t get to experience that. It’s going to be a new experience for me.”

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) March 26, 2026

The White Sox, of course, did not win very many games during Robert’s last two seasons in Chicago. Attendance was down, and he believes he will, for the first time in his career, play in front of bigger crowds.

To add to his insult, Robert went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored in his Mets debut. New York won 11-7.

Chicago, meanwhile, went down 14-2 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox on wrong side of 2 Brewers records on Opening Day
• White Sox catcher left speechless after tough day at the plate
• White Sox infielder’s home run on Opening Day makes history

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Chicago White Sox end of upon the wrong side of history on multiple occasions against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day

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The Chicago White Sox had a game to forget when playing the Milwaukee Brewers to open the season on March 26. The Brewers demolished the White Sox 14-2, with right-hander Shane Smith lasting 1.2 innings, allowing three earned and walking three. 

More News: Milwaukee Brewers leadoff hitter to start the season on the IL

All-Star right-hander Jacob Misiorowski struck out 11 to set a Brewers franchise record, while the White Sox struck out 20 times overall. Of all the White Sox hitters, three: shortstop Colson Montgomery, infielder Miguel Vargas, and outfielder Everson Pereira struck out three times.

The White Sox’s lone two runs came on home runs, with infielder Chase Meidroth and first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami hitting their first of the season. Murakami‘s home run was also the first of his big league career after signing a two-year ($34 million) contract in the offseason. 

Chicago White Sox catcher Edgar Quero wants to flush this game and look towards the next one

Quero put together a fantastic spring — batting .283, an OPS of .722, two doubles, and a home run — but nobody would know that after Thursday’s game. Quero was one of three players — outfielder/designated hitter Andrew Benintendi and outfielder Austin Hays being the others — striking out twice.

When speaking to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, Queros said he “didn’t have much to say” on the game.

“First game. I don’t have too much to say. Just ready for tomorrow. Just first game. Start of the season. It’s a lot of games coming up, so you get ready for tomorrow. New game, and that’s it.”

The White Sox don’t play on Friday, but will play the Brewers again on Saturday. Right-hander Sean Burke will take the mound for the White Sox, while the Brewers will counter with right-hander Chad Patrick.

Burke went 0-3 with a 4.58 ERA and allowed nine earned runs and six walks in 17.2 innings this spring. 

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The Chicago White Sox kicked off the 2026 season with a bang!

More News: Milwaukee Brewers leadoff hitter to start the season on the IL

Infielder Chase Meidroth launched his and the team’s first home run of the season in the first inning to put the White Sox up 1-0. On a 3-2 fastball from Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, Meidroth sent the offering into the left field stands.

Chase Meidroth opens the @WhiteSox season with a BLAST #OpeningDay pic.twitter.com/9q3eo4rwk4

— MLB (@MLB) March 26, 2026

Chase Meidroth makes Chicago White Sox history with his home run

Meidroth’s home run didn’t just give the White Sox the lead to begin the game, but made some history as well. In the White Sox’s 125 seasons as a Major League franchise, no player has hit a leadoff home run to begin the season until Meidroth.

what a way to start the season pic.twitter.com/qfO5mPcQam

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 26, 2026

In 122 games last season (450 at-bats), Meidroth hit five home runs. Meidroth hit only one in 54 at-bats this spring. Baseball Reference projects that the 24-year-old will hit eight this season.

Power is not Chase Meidroth’s game

Whatever the number of home runs Meiroth will finish with will be fine, as he is not a power hitter. Meidroth’s game is getting on base and walking, posting a .329 on-base percentage last season and walking 45 times.

Meidroth, in 2024, while with the Boston Red Sox organization, walked 105 times in Triple-A and struck out 71 times. As Will Venable’s leadoff hitter, Meidroth will need to continue to set the table for the White Sox for them to be successful.

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The Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers will square off on Thursday to start the 2026 season. The game will see two All-Stars start the game, with right-hander Shane Smith going for the White Sox and right-hander Jacob Misiorowski toeing the slab for the Brewers.

More News: Chicago White Sox finalize roster ahead of Opening Day vs. Brewers

Despite the solid pitching matchup, the Brewers will be without outfielder Jackson Chourio for Thursday’s game and beyond. According to USA Today columnist Bob Nightengale, Chourio was placed on the injured list with a left-hand fracture and will be out until mid-April.

Chourio’s injury is retroactive from Wednesday, March 25, and outfielder Blake Perkins was recalled from Triple-A to take his place, per MLB.com. In 10 games this spring, Chourio hit .267 with a .773 OPS.

The Milwaukee Brewers will be down their best leadoff hitter

Chourio is the Brewers’ best leadoff hitter last season, batting .265 with a .731 OPS and three home runs in 26 games. The Brewers also batted Chourio second (.259, .764), third (.283,.639), and fourth (.385, 1.174).

The 22-year-old also did well when leading off an inning versus the first batter of the game. In 26 games, Chourio hit .250 with a .683 OPS, while batting .354 with a .942 OPS to lead off an inning.

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The Chicago White Sox open their season on Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Right-hander and 2025 All-Star Shane Smith will take the mound against Brewers All-Star right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.

More News: Chicago White Sox make bold roster decision on prospect

Opening against the Brewers, the White Sox officially set their Opening Day roster, while placing some key personnel on the injured list.

The Chicago White Sox placed a handful of players on the injured list

A few players, like catcher Kyle Teel, were already going to begin the season on the injured list. Teel injured his hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Teel did provide an update on his injury, saying he could be back “soon after” the home opener. Infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin will also begin the year on the injured list with a right elbow sprain. Baldwin was limited to eight games (.286 average, .762 OPS).

Right-handers Prelander Berroa, Drew Thorpe, and Mike Vasil were all placed on the 15-day injured list as they recover from Tommy John surgery. Vasil left his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers after feeling elbow discomfort, while Thorpe progresses slowly.

The White Sox designate two interesting players for assignment

Out of minor league options, catcher Korey Lee and infielder Curtis Mead were designated for assignment. The White Sox brought in veteran catcher Reese McGuire on a one-year contract to back up catcher Edgar Quero, leading to Lee’s DFA.

Lee performed great showing this spring — batting .289 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBI. Lee will likely get picked up by a team. A few teams, such as the Colorado Rockies, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Kansas City Royals, could use someone like Lee.

Mead was in the running to be the White Sox’s third baseman and a backup to infielder Munetaka Murakami at first base. Sadly, Mead didn’t perform well enough this spring to win a job and stay on the roster. Mead batted .233 with two home runs and seven strikeouts in 10 games.

After these moves, the White Sox’s 26-man roster will include: 13 pitchers, 2 catchers, 5 infielders, and 6 outfielders. The White Sox have 38 players on the 40-man roster.

pic.twitter.com/631l8Ths3y

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 25, 2026

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The Chicago White Sox are set to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in their first series of the 2026 MLB season. It will kick off what is sure to be another rebuilding season on the south side. Unlike in previous years, though, there is a great deal of optimism regarding the direction of the team.

In 2025, the White Sox won just 60 games. However, that was a 19-win improvement from 2024. There are those that believe the team is not all that far off from being a contender.

That being said, Chicago needs to answer quite a few questions with their play in 2026, and one of the greatest unknowns regards their biggest off-season addition.

Munetaka Murakami named the Chicago White Sox greatest unknown

That addition, of course, is first baseman Munetaka Murakami, who signed a two-year $34 million deal with the White Sox after a successful eight-year career in Japan. Chicago landing the Japanese slugger took many by surprise, as they did not originally believe that the White Sox would be in the market for him.

However, Murakami’s high strikeout totals in Japan (he once struck out 180 times in one season) gave many Major League teams pause despite his high home run totals.

And it is his propensity to strike out that made him MLB.com‘s biggest unknown for the White Sox:

“Murakami is the biggest impact addition made by the White Sox during this current rebuild and the most accomplished player from the Pacific Rim to ever join the franchise. But there’s still a question as to how his skills will translate when coming to Major League Baseball.

“He not only has to adjust to a new league but a new country. The White Sox are helping forge a smooth transition, and Murakami is a tireless worker with a very regimented routine. If he takes off offensively, the White Sox could follow as a team.”

Indeed, Murakami’s bat has the potential to carry the White Sox to heights that they have not reached for years. The big question, though, is whether or not his game will translate to the Major Leagues. Japan has produced Hall of Fame stars like Ichiro, and future Hall of Fame talent like Shohei Ohtani.

But will Murakami reach that level, or will be end up a disappointment? There is only one way to find out:

Play the games.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox make bold roster decision on prospect
• Franchise legend Frank Thomas files lawsuit against White Sox
• Munetaka Murakami signing indicates White Sox intend to compete soon

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox made one of the biggest surprise signings of the MLB off-season when they landed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami. Indeed, very few, if anyone, believed that the White Sox would be in the market for such a high-profile player.

However, interest in Murakami did not materialize to the level that many expected. It would seem that many teams were hesitant to sign him because of his high strikeout numbers in Japan. As a result, Chicago was able to get him for two years and $34 million.

While his strikeout numbers were high, so were his home run totals. As such, he could provide a much-needed power injection into the White Sox lineup.

Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami predicted to win Rookie of the Year

In his first professional in 2018 season in Japan at 18 years old, Murakami hit .281/.383/.485 with 18 home runs, 72 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. It was just the beginning of what would be a great professional career (up to this point).

Four years later, at the age of 22, Murakami hit .318/.458/.710 with 56 home runs and 134 RBI.

Indeed, his strikeout totals may have been high, but he still hit for a high average and got on base regularly. If he can continue doing so, ESPN believes he could win the American League Rookie of the Year Award:

“Murakami will be a bedrock player in the middle of the White Sox lineup from the season’s outset, and if he stays healthy and mashes 25 to 30 dingers, he’ll get some support.”

Last season, the White Sox won 19 more games than they did in 2024. It was still only 60 wins, but that was much better than 41.

If Murakami can help lead Chicago to another 19-win improvement in 2026, he could win the Rookie of the Year Award quite easily.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox make bold roster decision on prospect
• Franchise legend Frank Thomas files lawsuit against White Sox
• Munetaka Murakami signing indicates White Sox intend to compete soon

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Former Chicago White Sox prospect and infielder Bryan Ramos didn’t make the Baltimore Orioles roster.

More News: Chicago White Sox C Kyle Teel provides an update on his injury

According to BBWAA member Francys Romero, Ramos will get designated for assignment, despite a solid spring. In 15 games with the Orioles this spring, Ramos batted .316 with a home run and three RBI.

Ramos has played in 36 games in the big leagues and is a .198 hitter with a .577 OPS. Ramos ranked as the White Sox’s 15th-best prospect last season.

Bryan Ramos could find his way onto another team

Ramos’s showing this spring could help him land on another team as Opening Day approaches. A primary third baseman, Ramos has also played some first base (seven games), second base (34 games) and left field (three games).

Despite not being a consistent contact hitter, Ramos has some power (hitting 16 home runs last season). The Cuban native has also shown some speed, stealing 13 bags and getting caught four times last season.

This combination of power and speed could be intriguing enough for a team to take a chance on Ramos as a bar off the bench. At 24, Ramos is still young enough to be molded into a productive big leaguer, if he can find the right team.

A team like the St. Louis Cardinals would be a decent spot for Ramos. He could be a potential platoon bat with infielder Nolan Gorman. The Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals could also take a chance on Ramos.

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The Chicago White Sox are one day away (March 26) from Opening Day. Right-hander Shane Smith will square off against Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.

More News: Chicago White Sox C Kyle Teel provides an update on his injury

Despite the rosters not officially getting finalized, the White Sox made a bold move by adding 22-year-old right-hander Jedixson Páez to the roster. According to BBWAA member Francys Romero, Páez will be jumping straight from Single-A to the Major Leagues without playing in Double-A.

Páez struggled in seven games, posting a 6.35 ERA, walking five and striking out 11 in 11.1 innings. Between High-A and Single-A last season, Páez had 5-4 with a 3.17 ERA and striking out 113 in 96.2 innings. A right calf strain sidelined Páez for four months last season.

The White Sox selected Páez in the Rule 5 Draft from the Boston Red Sox this offseason. Being a Rule 5 pick, Páez needed to make the Opening Day roster and spend the season with the White Sox, or get offered back to Boston.

Source: Right-hander pitching prospect Jedixson Páez has been informed he made the Opening Day roster of the Chicago White Sox.

Páez, 22, will go straight to the big leagues without passing through Double-A.

— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) March 25, 2026

Jedixson Páez offers the Chicago White Sox and Will Venable an interesting arm

A starting pitcher by trade, Páez will work out of manager Will Venable’s bullpen. Smith, right-handers Sean Burke, Erick Fedde, and Davis Martin and left-hander Anthony Kay will initially be in the starting rotation.

Given his starting experience, Páez could fill in the rotation in case of injury or spot start. Páez could also give Venable length in the bullpen if there’s a need.

The young right-hander will join right-handers Grant Taylor, Seranthony Dominguez, Jordan Hicks, and Jordan Leasure, along with left-handers Sean Newcomb and Chris Murphy in the bullpen. 

Páez is the White Sox’s 19th-ranked prospect and has a three-pitch mix. Páez throws a four-seam fastball (45/80 grade), a slider (50/80) and a changeup (55/80).

Despite having below-average stuff, Páez has exceptional control of his arsenal — grading out at a 70/80. Páez has also started experimenting with a cutter.

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There are few players in Chicago White Sox history as respected and beloved as Hall of Fame first baseman/designated hitter Frank Thomas. The “Big Hurt” played 16 seasons of his 18-year in Chicago and smashed 448 of his 521 career home runs wearing a White Sox uniform.

Unfortunately, it is that same White Sox uniform that he donned so well for so many years that has suddenly become the source of conflict between the legendary slugger and the team.

Frank Thomas is suing the Chicago White Sox

According to multiple reports, Thomas is suing the White Sox, as well as multiple jersey manufacturers, for selling city connect jerseys with his name and number on them. He has not received any form of payment for the use of his name.

Per Fox 32:

“Thomas filed the lawsuit March 19 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging violations of the Illinois Right of Publicity Act.

“The complaint claimed companies including Nike, Fanatics and the White Sox sold ‘City Connect 2.0’ jerseys featuring Thomas’ name and his No. 35 beginning in April 2025 without his consent or compensation.

“According to the filing, the jerseys were marketed and sold with team branding while using Thomas’ identity for commercial gain.

“Thomas argued he has not had a contract with the companies allowing use of his name and likeness and has not received payment tied to the merchandise sales.”

Here is a social media post depicting the jerseys that are the subject of the lawsuit:

Frank Thomas is suing the Chicago White Sox, Nike and Fanatics for selling City Connect jerseys using his name without receiving his permission or compensating him for it, per @royalpratt pic.twitter.com/XlMVXhyr6n

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 24, 2026

As Fox notes, the lawsuit was filed last week on March 19. Undoubtedly, this process will drag on for months before there is a resolution.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox signing of Munetaka Murakami heralded as sign team plans to contend
• White Sox projected win total points to minor improvement in 2026
• White Sox reunite with Reese McGuire on 1-year deal

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox landing Munetaka Murakami was one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 MLB off-season. After winning just 60 games in 2025, no one thought they would be big players in free agency at all. Yet, they were able to land the biggest free agent coming out of Japan.

To be fair, Murakami’s market did not really materialize the way many expected it to. While he has an impressive power bat, his strikeout totals in Japan were highly concerning to Major League teams. As a result, Chicago was able to land him on a short two-year deal worth $34 million.

But the fact that they were even in the market for Murakami is a great sign for White Sox fans.

The Munetaka Murakami signing hints the Chicago White Sox expect to compete very soon

MLB insiders and analysts from ESPN recently put together an article in which they detailed the off-season moves that were the most shocking. They included the White Sox signing Murakami because, according to them, it signals that Chicago intends to compete for an American League Division title either this year or next:

“Given the lack of power in the Chicago lineup and the need for a first baseman, it’s a worthy roll of the dice for the White Sox. There’s a chance he’s a Kyle Schwarber-like hitter with lots of home runs, walks and strikeouts, and the White Sox get a middle-of-the-order hitter to anchor a young lineup.

“And if the strikeouts pile up? Fine, the two-year commitment means there’s no long-term risk here. It was a surprise move given the White Sox lost 102 games in 2025, but they took advantage of the soft market for Murakami and can be interpreted as a sign the organization thinks it can compete for the division soon — if not 2026, then 2027.”

In eight professional seasons in Japan, Murakami struck out 1,068 times. However, he also had a career on-base percentage of .373 because of his propensity to take walks too.

The fact that he also averaged over 30 home runs a season is why MLB teams were interested in him in the first place. If he can bring that power over to MLB, his strikeouts won’t matter as much.

As ESPN notes, Kyle Schwarber strikes out a great deal, but is also one of the league’s biggest stars because of his power and ability to get on base via walk.

If Murakami ends up being that kind of player, the White Sox will be in a great position.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox reunite with Reeese McGuire on 1-year deal
• White Sox catcher Kyle Teel provides update on his injury
• Former White Sox pitcher ends Rays’ outfield home run drought

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have had two of the worst seasons in Major League Baseball history in back-to-back years. The good news, though, is that after winning just 41 games in 2024, they improved in 2025 by winning 60 games. Of course, that means they still lost 102 contests, but improvement is improvement.

As the White Sox prepare to start the 2026 MLB season, there is hope that they will, once again, show some improvement. However, their latest win projection for 2026 shows that the improvements fans may want to see are still a year or two away.

Chicago White Sox over/under set at 67.5

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently released his win projections for each Major League team in 2026. And while he does see Chicago taking a step forward, it is not that big of one.

“Make no mistake, the White Sox are still a few years away. But where there wasn’t anything to be excited about two seasons ago, you can start to see the makings of a core with Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami, Kyle Teel and Shane Smith. General manager Chris Getz also added two experienced veterans this offseason with outfielder Austin Hays and reliever Seranthony Domínguez, who can be the adults in the room.

“There’s still quite a bit of pitching development that needs to take place on the South Side, but there finally appears to be some light at the end of the tunnel for the Chi Sox.”

Prediction: 66-96 (Under)

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox reunite with Reeese McGuire on 1-year deal
• White Sox catcher Kyle Teel provides update on his injury
• Former White Sox pitcher ends Rays’ outfield home run drought

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox made a 40-man roster move Sunday, March 22 bringing back a familiar face behind the plate. Chicago signed veteran catcher Reese McGuire to a one-year, $1.2 million deal. He will join Edgar Quero and Korey Lee as healthy options at the position, as they are going to be starting the year without Kyle Teel as he recovers from a hamstring injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic.

Chicago White Sox reunite with catcher Reese McGuire on a 1 year deal

McGuire, age 31, recently exercised his ability to opt out of his minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, and was granted his release. The Sox didn’t waste time scooping him up. It’s not a flashy move, but it’s a depth play until Teel gets healthy.

McGuire gives the Sox a glove-first, left-handed bat with real major league experience. He hit nine homers in limited action with the Cubs last season and owns a respectable track record defensively, throwing out over 27% of would-be base stealers in his career. He previously had a brief stint with the organization in 2022, before being traded to the Boston Red Sox for Jake Diekman.

In the bigger picture, this is a good move for the White Sox. It may not generate headlines, but it addresses a temporary depth issue while keeping the organization from rushing a key young piece back onto the field. With three healthy catchers now on the 40-man roster, Chicago has the flexibility to mix and match behind the plate, manage workloads, and prioritize defense while Teel continues his recovery.

For a team still trying to establish consistency, especially during the early part of the season, having capable depth matters. If McGuire can provide solid defense and occasional offensive production, this signing could quietly pay off. More importantly, it allows the White Sox to be patient with Teel, which could prove far more valuable over the course of the season than any short-term gain.

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Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel has been on the sidelines dealing with a hamstring injury. Teel injured his hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

More News: Former Chicago White Sox pitcher ends Rays OF’s home run drought

Unfortunately for the White Sox and Teel, he won’t be ready for the home opener. According to the 24-year-old backstop, the odds aren’t good, and he’ll hopefully be ready not too long after Opening Day.

“From talking with the training staff, it doesn’t look like I’ll be back [for the] home opener,” Teel said to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. “But maybe soon after that, yes. But then again, they haven’t told me a specific time when I’m going to be back. It’s going to be playing it out.”

Teel struggled in five spring training games — .071 batting average and .378 OPS — before joining Italy. In two games in the World Baseball Classic, Teel had four hits, a home run, a double, and an RBI.

Until Kyle Teel returns, others will need to step up for the Chicago White Sox

The White Sox not having Teel’s offense — .273 average and .786 OPS in 78 games last year — will hurt their lineup. Others, like catchers Edgar Quero and Korey Lee, will have to pick up the slack until Teel returns.

Manager Will Venable wanted to carry three catchers on his roster to start the season until Teel got hurt.

Quero will likely get the bulk of the reps behind the dish to start. Quero had a fantastic spring, with a .304 batting average, a .773 OPS, and 12 RBI.

Lee has also done well this spring, batting .294 with a .975 OPS, two home runs, and six RBI. Lee was in the mix to catch last season before a left ankle sprain against the Cleveland Guardians ended his time in the big leagues.

Lee would spend the majority of last season at Triple-A and spend 25 games with the White Sox. Until Teel returns, Quero and Lee will be serviceable at the plate and behind it.

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Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson has not hit a home run since June 7, 2024. That changed on Saturday.

More News: Milwaukee Brewers AS will start Opening Day vs. the White Sox

In the bottom of the seventh inning versus the Minnesota Twins, Simpson barely hit a ball over the right field wall to secure his second career home run as a professional — though it didn’t count. According to The Athletic’s Dan Hayes, the home run came off Twins right-hander and former Chicago White Sox Dan Altavilla.

Altavilla appeared in 28 games for the White Sox last season and had a 2.48 ERA in 29.0 innings. A likely member of the Twins bullpen this season, Altavilla has a 2.25 ERA in four innings this spring.

Save that ball!

Chandler Simpson hit his first over-the-fence home run in professional baseball pic.twitter.com/WPtb7qQPuH

— MLB (@MLB) March 21, 2026

Despite hitting a home run for the Tampa Bay Rays, power is not Chandler Simpson’s game

Clearly, power is not Simpson’s specialty, as he has hit two home runs between the pros and college. Moreover, speed and a contact hitter: Simpson hit three triples, 15 doubles, and had 44 steals — caught 12 times, leading the American League — in 109 games with the Rays last year. Simpson had a .295 batting average in 414 at-bats (441 plate appearances).

On defense, Simpson needs to step up his game. In centerfield, he’s provided a -13 defensive runs saved and a -12 in leftfield. Simpson will likely be the Rays’ everyday leftfielder with Cedric Mullena patrolling centerfield.

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The Chicago White Sox are continuing to trim their Spring Training roster ahead of Opening Day. With just three Spring Training games remaining, the organization is making the final decisions on who will be on the 26-man roster. After Thursday’s Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels, the team made the decision on two more players. Let’s take a closer look at who learned their fate and what it means for Chicago’s roster going forward.

Jarred Kelenic and Drew Romo are not making the Chicago White Sox Opening Day roster

The White Sox have made a decision on two more players’ futures with the MLB team. Chicago said that both outfielder Jarred Kelenic and catcher Drew Romo will not make the Opening Day roster. However, they are going to remain with the major league camp through the final game on Monday afternoon. Neither player has been released, which means they will likely begin the season at Triple-A. This also means that Everson Pereira and Derek Hill likely will make the Opening Day roster, but that is not confirmed as of this writing.

Kelenic struggled a bit at the plate as he went 7 for 35 (.200) with two home runs and five RBI. He was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training when he signed his contract. Romo had a lot more success offensively this spring, going 6 for 17 (.353) with five RBI and a 4:3 walk-to-strikeout ratio. There was seemingly a chance for him to make the roster after the Kyle Teel injury, but instead, the team seemingly decided to go with Edgar Quero and Korey Lee as the two catchers on the roster.

It will be interesting to see if any other team is going to call looking to acquire either player for their roster. It should not take too long before either player finds his way into an MLB lineup.

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The Chicago White Sox are getting closer to Opening Day, as it is less than a week away. As a result, the roster is beginning to shrink as the front office makes the final decisions on which 26 players will be on the big league roster. Cuts continue to happen, but we have seen four players be outright released and become free agents. Let’s take a closer look at the news and discuss what this means for the White Sox going forward.

The Chicago White Sox released four players, bringing their roster down to 36 players in Spring Training camp

The White Sox announced that prior to Thursday’s Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels, they have released four players: Lucas Sims, Austin Voth, Ryan Borucki, and LaMonte Wade Jr. All four players were outright released, meaning they are free to sign with any team ahead of the 2026 season. Chicago is now down to 36 players on their roster, which is broken down to:

• 17 pitchers
• four catchers
• seven infielders
• eight outfielders

Players released breakdown

Sims looked sharp in Spring Training as he threw five scoreless innings with just three hits allowed over five appearances. The right-handed reliever will likely receive another option in the bigs by another team looking to get a quality bullpen arm. He struggled in 2025 with the Washington Nationals as he pitched to a 13.86 ERA in 12.1 innings over 18 appearances. Voth pitched in 2025 with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He made one appearance for the White Sox in Spring Training, so there is not much to go off of this year.

Borucki was the only left-handed pitcher released in this quartet, which makes sense. The White Sox have a few southpaw relievers expected to break camp, so they do not have that same need as other teams. Borucki showcased his skills this spring as he pitched five scoreless innings with just one walk and two hits allowed. Wade Jr is the singular hitter who was released today. He had a strong showing in Spring Training as he played in 14 games and across 45 plate appearances had a .794 OPS with one homer, six RBI, eight runs scored, and a pair of steals without being caught. With Munetaka Murakami projected to play first base, the team likely did not want a primary first base option off the bench and rather go with the youth on their roster.

It will be interesting to see which players wind up making Chicago’s Opening Day roster.

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The Chicago White Sox lineup will need to be on its game when facing the Milwaukee Brewers, as they announced their Opening Day (March 26) starter.

More News: Chicago White Sox slugger feels ‘ready’ to start the season

Squaring off against All-Star right-hander Shane Smith will be the Brewers’ All-Star right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Smith and Misiorowski were teammates in the minor leagues before Smith was selected in the Rule 5 Draft by the White Sox.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy is counting on his flamethrower to lead a relatively inexperienced starting staff. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff — who has had an injury-riddled past couple of years — has the most experience with over seven years of service time.

Opening Day just became even more electric @Jmisiorowski9 pic.twitter.com/VaBVxrq89Z

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 20, 2026

Jacob Misiorowski was outstanding last season for the Milwaukee Brewers

Misiorowski, in his rookie season, went 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA and struck out 87 in 66.0 innings. The soon-to-be 24-year-old had one of the better four-seam fastballs last season, ranking in the 99th percentile for velocity (99.3mph).

That outstanding performance has carried over to the spring, with Misiorowski striking out 12 in 7.1 innings. He has also allowed three earned runs, a home run, and three walks.

Pat Murphy explains his rationale for choosing Jacob Misiorowski as his starter

Woodruff, not being 100% ready to start Opening Day, created an opening for Misiorowski to get the nod.

“Obviously, if Woody is 100%, Woody would be in that spot,” Murphy said to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “Traditionally, people like Woody – he’s our one veteran starter. But ‘Miz’ is going to step up.”

Murphy didn’t commit to whether the two-time All-Star would start the season on the injured list or not. Murphy also wouldn’t say who would follow Misiorowski, saying he’ll have to be “creative” with his staff.

“I think we’re going to have to be creative on our pitching staff,” Murphy said. “But we’ve done that before. Miz being the Opening Day choice, I think he’s very capable.”

Right-handers Brandon Sproat and Chad Patrick, along with left-hander Kyle Harrison, are in line to possibly start.

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The Chicago White Sox are in a position where they need to figure out who is going to be remaining on the roster ahead of 2026 Opening Day. As we get closer to next week’s first game in Milwaukee, the front office has some decisions they need to make about the 40-man roster. The team has made a decision about one of the players who were borderline for the Opening Day roster. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what Chicago decided.

The Chicago White Sox are returning Alexander Alberto to the Tampa Bay Rays

The White Sox have been making some roster decisions in the winding days of Spring Training. One of the decisions they needed to make was on right-handed pitcher Alexander Alberto. The team selected him in the Rule 5 Draft from the Tampa Bay Rays. However, MLB’s Scott Merkin is reporting the team has decided to return him to Tampa Bay.

As part of the Rule 5 Draft, the White Sox needed Alberto on their 26-man roster to keep him. As a result, Alberto has been placed on waivers for any team to acquire. If he were to clear waivers, Alberto would return to the Rays and could be placed in the minors or majors.

Alberto did not look sharp in his Spring Training outings as he pitched seven times out of the bullpen. He finished 0-1 with 10 runs (eight earned) allowed in 6.2 innings. The White Sox wouldn’t place him on their MLB roster and now have 39 players on their 40-man roster. As a result, they can elevate another prospect to that status or return a player from the 60-day Injured List before the season starts.

It will be intriguing to see what other roster decisions general manager Chris Getz makes ahead of Opening Day.

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Chicago White Sox first baseman/third baseman Munetaka Murakami didn’t disappoint in his return from the World Baseball Classic, hitting his first home run of the spring.

More News: Chicago White Sox receive worst-case scenario for Mike Vasil

“It was perfect,” Murakami said through a translator to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.” “Just perfect.” Murakami added that he feels he’s seeing the ball better compared to when he left for the World Baseball Classic.

“Compared to when I left Arizona, I feel much better as far as conditioning, as well,” Murakami said. “I’m seeing the ball better, I’m swinging better, so I’ll keep that approach up and try to hit as much as possible.”

In five games, Murakami is batting .353 with an OPS of 1.000 and has three RBI.

ムーンに飛ばした！村上選手のスプリングトレーニング初ホームラン！ pic.twitter.com/hPJ9JcIukJ

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 17, 2026

Despite Munetaka Murakami struggling in the WBC, he enjoyed his experience with world-top-tier players

“The main thing is when I look back after the season, I would love to say that that experience in the WBC really helped me out with my accomplishment in the season,” Murakami said. “To be able to participate in a world tournament with world-tier players is just a blessing. For myself to be on a team with incredible athletes and incredible teammates, they were a pleasure to be with.”

In five games playing for Japan, Murakami had a .211 batting average with a .654 OPS, a home run, five RBI, and five strikeouts.

Munetaka Murakami is quickly getting comfortable with the Chicago White Sox

New to Major League Baseball, Murakami said to Feinsand, “I’m getting comfortable every single day,” “I think I’m ready.”

Primarily playing third base while in the NPB, Murakami will likely be the White Sox’s everyday first baseman. He should also get time at DH to get him off his feet, but keep his bat in the lineup.

Hopefully, Murakami’s hitting his first home run will lead to more, as the White Sox need more power in the lineup. Infielders Lenyn Sosa (22) and Colson Montgomery (21) were the team leaders in home runs last season.

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The Chicago White Sox are in a position where they need to figure out who is breaking camp with the team. With less than two weeks before Opening Day, difficult roster decisions are going to be made. The team had a position battle going on for spots in their starting rotation, but today they have one less pitcher competing for it. Let’s take a deeper dive into what happened and what it means for the team.

The Chicago White Sox sent down Jonathan Cannon to Triple-A team

The White Sox officially announced they are sending down Jonathan Cannon to Triple-A Charlotte to begin the 2026 season. Manager Will Venables would later announce the starting rotation of being:

1. Shane Smith
2. Sean Burke
3. Anthony Kay
4. Davis Martin
5. Erick Fedde

Cannon was competing for the final spot in the starting rotation, but the 25-year-old missed the cut. He had a decent Spring Training as he was 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP over 11.0 innings. However, the team has decided to let him get some more seasoning in Triple-A Charlotte before getting called back up.

Cannon has struggled throughout his young career in the majors as he has pitched in 45 games (38 starts) and was 9-20 with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in 228.0 innings. His control has been solid as he has a 78:177 walk-to-strikeout ratio throughout his career as well. Chicago is likely to call him up at some point as he continues to develop on the mound.

The White Sox are high on him being a starting pitcher in the majors in the future, but allowing him to start the season in Triple-A lessens expectations. Fedde is a good veteran arm, but this allows Cannon the ability to improve his stuff with less pressure. It will be intriguing to see how he does in the minors.

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The Chicago White Sox are hoping the 2026 sees them take another massive step forward in their rebuild. After winning just 41 games in 2024, they won 60 in 2025. And while a 60-102 season is still dismal, the fact of the matter is that they proved they are heading in the right direction.

The 2026 White Sox are going to have growing pains. Such is the case with every team that boasts numerous young players in its lineup. That being said, they also have more talent in their organization than they did even a few months ago, and the future is looking bright in Chicago.

The Chicago White Sox have named their Opening Day starting rotation

Not long ago, the White Sox revealed that 2025 AL All-Star Shane Smith will be their ace and Opening Day starting pitcher. On Tuesday, they announced the rest of their starting rotation:

White Sox manager Will Venable announced the team’s season-opening starting rotation: Shane Smith, Sean Burke, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin and Erick Fedde.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) March 17, 2026

Below are Chicago’s initial five-man starting rotation and their stats from 2025.

Shane Smith

29 starts, 7-8, 3.82 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 145 strikeouts, 146.1 innings

Sean Burke

28 games (22 starts), 4-11, 4.22 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 133 strikeouts, 134.1 innings

Anthony Kay

16 games (zero starts), 0-0, 6.14 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 11 strikeouts, 14.1 innings (pitched for New York Mets and Chicago Cubs)

Davis Martin

26 games (25 starts), 7-10, 4.10 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 104 striketouts, 142.2 innings

Erick Fedde

32 games (24 starts), 4-13, 5.49 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 83 strikeouts, 147.0 innings (pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and Milwaukee Brewers; also threw a shutout early in 2025 with the Cardinals)

On the surface, this rotation leaves much to be desired. However, it is just the beginning of what is sure to be a starting group filled with young talent as soon as it develops.

Hopefully this group can help the White Sox see another large step forward in 2026.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• This White Sox player apparently already made the Opening Day roster
• Hagen Smith threw new pitch in White Sox game 2-3 days after learning it
• WBC: Italy makes last minute starting pitcher swap vs Venezuela

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox are going to be one of the youngest teams in Major League Baseball this season. Indeed, they are in the midst of a rebuild that will see them boast many young players at various positions that have yet to prove themselves consistently on the Major League level.

And while these young players represent the future of the White Sox, it is imperative that the organization surrounds them with veterans who can help them through the mental and physical marathon that is a 162-game MLB season.

This is part of the reason why Chicago signed Austin Hays in free agency this winter.

Chicago White Sox veteran Austin Hays ranks 18th among MLB right fielders

Hays signed with Chicago on a one-year $6 million contract back in February. He projects to be the White Sox everyday right fielder even though he has not played the position since 2024. Last year, the Cincinnati Reds only played him in left field.

Still, Bleacher Report gave him the 18th overall ranking among the 30 projected starting right fielders in Major League Baseball:

“An All-Star in 2023 with the Orioles, Hays has four seasons with at least 15 home runs and 70 RBI over the last five years. He has crushed left-handed pitching throughout his career, but should fill an everyday role in the White Sox lineup after signing a one-year, $5 million deal that includes a 2027 mutual option.”

Last season, Hays hit .266/.315/.453 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI in 103 games for the Reds. He has appeared in 137 games in right field compared to 456 in left.

While Hays may not be a long-term part of Chicago’s future, he is here to provide some veteran leadership and stability to their lineup.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• This White Sox player apparently already made the Opening Day roster
• Hagen Smith threw new pitch in White Sox game 2-3 days after learning it
• WBC: Italy makes last minute starting pitcher swap vs Venezuela

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox had success in the year priors Rule-5 Draft, snagging now Opening Day starter Shane Smith from the Milwaukee Brewers. This year, they made two selections in the Major League phase, adding pitchers Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto.

With Smith, he had already gotten his feet wet in Triple-A before being selected by the White Sox. He still defied the odds by not only sticking on the 40-man roster all season but also excelling and earning the team’s All-Star nod.

This year’s selections were different, however, as neither had pitched above Single-A. Paez, 22, and Alberto, 24, were already considered long shots to make the Opening Day roster, and the team recently revealed that one has been waived.

Chicago White Sox waive Rule-5 Draft selection Alexander Alberto

Alberto, a reliever who can touch 100 MPH, has not had a good Spring Training with the White Sox. The former Tampa Bay Rays farmhand has a 10.80 ERA, as he has surrendered eight earned runs over 6.2 innings pitched. He’s been tagged with 12 hits allowed, four walks, and one wild pitch as well.

Now that Alberto has been waived, any other team could claim him and add him to their 40-man roster, which seems unlikely. Once he clears waivers, the Rays have a choice of paying half of the $100,000 selection fee they collected for him, working out a trade, or letting Chicago retain him.

Time will tell what happens with Alberto. His velocity gives him high upside as a reliever, so Tampa may be chomping at the bit to get him back. Arms with that kind of power don’t often stay available for long, which is why Chicago likely took a low risk flier on him in the Rule-5 Draft to begin with

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The Chicago White Sox received unfortunate news, as right-hander Mike Vasil will miss the entire 2026 season. According to CHSN reporter Chuck Garfien, Vasil will undergo Tommy John surgery in the coming weeks.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect receives high praise from Will Venable

Vasil got pulled from his last outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers after 3.2 innings with elbow discomfort.

The 26-year-old had an outstanding rookie season out of the White Sox bullpen, going 5-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 47 games (three starts), and had four saves and 82 strikeouts in 101.0 innings. The 25-year-old had been doing well this spring, going 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in four games. However, Vasil had eight walks and nine strikeouts in 11.0 innings.

Unfortunate news for Mike Vasil.
He will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery in the coming weeks.

— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) March 17, 2026

The Chicago White Sox will need others to step up on the pitching staff

The White Sox have done well to limit the number of pitchers who have undergone Tommy John surgery, after multiple pitchers went under the knife last spring. Right-hander Drew Thorpe is one arm recovering from Tommy John surgery and is slowly making progress toward a return.

Thorpe’s return will help manager Will Venable decide who will be in the starting rotation. Vasil was used out of the bullpen last season, but started two games this spring.

Having seven games left before traveling to Milwaukee to play the Brewers, Vasil’s injury creates openings for others to make the team.

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The Chicago White Sox may have won just 60 games in 2025, but that was a 20-game improvement from 2024. Additionally, the vast amount of young talent that they have throughout every level of their organization has given many hope that brighter days are ahead.

Over the course of Spring Training, multiple White Sox prospects have given fans glimpses of the good days to come. Among these is infielder Sam Antonacci, who is just returning to the team following Team Italy’s Cinderella run in the World Baseball Classic.

Antonacci has yet to play a game on the Triple-A level, but based on his performance this spring, it will not be long until he reaches the Major Leagues.

Chicago White Sox star prospect Sam Antonacci gets high praise from Chris Getz

Antonacci is the ninth-rated prospect in Chicago’s farm system, but thanks to the World Baseball Classic has become one of their more recognizable players. Jim Bowden of The Athletic named him as the White Sox player that has been turning heads the most this spring:

“Antonacci was the White Sox’s 2024 fifth-round pick out of Coastal Carolina. A left-handed hitter, Antonacci slashed .291/.433/.409 at three minor-league levels and stole 48 bases last season. He can play everywhere in the dirt except first base, with second base probably his best position. He profiles as a future table setter as a hitter.”

He also included the following praise for Antonacci from Chicago general manager Chris Getz:

“Sam continues to impress in March albeit most of his production has come on the WBC national stage with Team Italy. He’s been an organizational favorite since being drafted in 2024. His offensive process is advanced with plus swing decisions, high contact and increasing power. He runs the bases with his hair on fire and an overall baseball IQ that’s as high as anyone’s in the organization. He’s a fun player to watch.”

The comment about Antonacci’s WBC production is an interesting one, as the White Sox infielder hit .143/.333/.500 in five games. That being said, he also had a home run and drove in three runs.

In six games this spring, though, Antonacci hit .308/.500/.846 with two home runs, four RBI, and three stolen bases.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• This White Sox player apparently already made the Opening Day roster
• Hagen Smith threw new pitch in White Sox game 2-3 days after learning it
• WBC: Italy makes last minute starting pitcher swap vs Venezuela

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have some tough roster decisions to make ahead of Opening Day. The team has to figure out which players are going to be heading with the big league team to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in less than two weeks. With the roster crunch coming, one player reportedly learned his fate. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what it means for the White Sox going forward.

Pitcher Chris Murphy has reportedly made the Chicago White Sox Opening Day roster

One of the more exciting times for players is finding out they are going to be opening the season in MLB instead of being in the minors. Elijah Evans of Just Baseball is reporting that left-handed reliever Chris Murphy will be one of the players who made the White Sox roster. He is expected to be joining the bullpen, being one of at least two southpaw relievers Chicago will carry, alongside Sean Newcomb.

Murphy was traded to the White Sox during the offseason in a deal with the Boston Red Sox. He has pitched in the majors for a few years, making his debut for Boston in 2023. However, he has been one of those quadruple-A players who would pitch between Triple-A and MLB during the season. In 43 MLB games out of the bullpen, Murphy is 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP across 82.1 innings.

This was a surprising move for the fact that Murphy has minor league options available. Bullpens in the majors typically only carry a pair of left-handed relievers due to matchup restraints. However, there are other bullpen arms who are on the fringe that are lefties. It will be interesting to see how Murphy does out of the bullpen in the big leagues throughout the season.

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Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox former fifth overall pick out of Arkansas in the 2024 MLB Draft, is apparently a quick learner. The southpaw reportedly has added a new pitch to his already impressive arsenal and recently deployed it during a Spring Training game against the Royals on March 15.

One catch, prior to throwing a cutter for the first time in a live game, albeit a Spring Training game, he had just learned the pitch two to three days prior. Brooke Fletcher provided this initial report, adding that Smith was inspired by Anthony Kay to add in this pitch.

Hagen Smith throws cutters in a Chicago White Sox game after learning it 2-3 days prior

Against the Royals Smith threw 30 total pitches. He made it a point to incorporate his new pitch, the cutter. While he threw it just three times, it’s exciting to see him add another potential layer alongside his fastball, slider and changeup.

Statcast’s data on Smith’s cutter had it clocked at 89 MPH. This comes in five MPH faster than his slider and slightly above his changeup. Movement wise, the cutter showed more vertical break than horizontal break, which may not be a bad thing as his slider operates the other way around.

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Italy has changed its plans for who will start the Semifinal game against Venezuela. According to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extra Base, manager Francisco Cervelli will start right-hander Aaron Nola over right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect receives high praise from Will Venable

Nola has pitched five innings this World Baseball Classic, struck out five. Italy and Cervelli feel that the Philadelphia Phillies All-Star right-hander gives them the best chance to advance to the finals.

Cambio de planes en Italia: Aaron Nola será el abridor contra Venezuela, no Michael Lorenzen.

Es un movimiento meramente estratégico por parte de Francisco Cervelli. https://t.co/tPRNMqVyt4

— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) March 16, 2026

Italy has been perfect in the World Baseball Classic

Despite being an underdog in the World Baseball Classic, Italy is a perfect 5-0. Italy showed it could hang with teams like the United States, beating them 8-6 on March 10. Lorenzen went 4.2 innings, allowing two hits, a walk, and striking out two without allowing a run.

If Lorenzen had to pitch in the game against Venezuela, left-hander Sam Aldegheri would be an option to start. Aldegheri struggled in his last appearance against Puerto Rico, pitching 1.1 innings and allowing two earned runs and a home run while walking two.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has done well in the World Baseball Classic

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has done well filling in for Minnesota Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton, who got hit on his hand during an at-bat against Brazil. In five games, Crow-Armstrong is hitting .294, has hit two home runs, and driven in six RBI.

The United States will send New York Mets right-hander Nolan McClean to the mound. McClean struggled in his one outing against Italy, allowing three earned runs, two walks, and two home runs in four innings.

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Last July the Chicago White Sox drafted high school shortstop Billy Carlson 10th overall. They provided him with a franchise record signing bonus for a high schooler, $6.235,900, and have had him working diligently with the organization in Arizona over the past five to six months.

With the 2026 season approaching, Carlson is set to make his highly anticipated professional debut. Even without having played a game yet, he’s already ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 73 overall prospect and No. 100 by ESPN, while being Chicago’s No.5 prospect.

Given his high draft status, significant financial investment, and strong recognition among evaluators, there will be immediate pressure for him to perform. Recently, his starting assignment for the 2026 season was announced.

Chicago White Sox prospect Billy Carlson excited for Single-A Kannapolis Cannon Ballers assignment

Longtime White Sox beat reporter Scott Merkin recently reported that Carlson will report to Single-A Kannapolis to begin his professional career. The assignment is not surprising, as Carlson, who is 19 and will turn 20 this summer, will face many prospects around his age in the Carolina League.

When Carlson spoke about the news, he shared his excitement about the opportunity, saying, “All the guys hae been talking super highly of Kannapolis. So I’m super excited to goer to that tow nand help that team win.”

Carlson’s focus on helping the team win shows impressive maturity for a teenager. With the organization stocked with promising infield talent, building a group that bonds around winning will be important for the White Sox’s long-term outlook as they work to turn things around.

As for what Carlson will bring to Kannapolis individually, his defense is expected to stand out most to fans. Scouts have graded both his glove and arm at 70, and his speed and athleticism give him the potential to remain at shortstop long term. How his bat develops, however, will ultimately play a major role in determining his success as a player.

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Braden Montgomery is one of the future foundational pieces of the Chicago White Sox’s success

A center piece in the Garrett Crochet trade, Montgomery has shown he’s a future big leaguer. Ascending through three minor league levels last season — hitting .270 with an OPS of .804 and 12 home runs — Montgomery will likely start the season at Triple-A to offer him a challenge.

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Sadly for Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable, he could be down one arm for the rotation and his bullpen, with right-hander Mike Vasil leaving Saturday’s outing with right elbow soreness. According to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, Vasil will undergo further evaluation for his elbow.

More News: Chicago White Sox right-hander takes another positive step in recovery

Will Venable won’t commit to anyone else in his starting rotation other than right-hander Shane Smith. Smith will be Venable’s Opening Day starter on March 26 against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Vasil had an outstanding rookie season out of the White Sox bullpen, going 5-3 with a 2.50 ERA in 47 games (three starts), and had four saves and 82 strikeouts in 101.0 innings. The 25-year-old had been doing well this spring, going 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA in four games. However, Vasil had eight walks and nine strikeouts in 11.0 innings.

Upon being lifted from the game, Vasil went 3.2 innings, giving up two hits, two walks, and struck out three.

Mike Vasil has left the game with a trainer.

3.2 IP. 2 H. 2 BB. 3 K. 0 R pic.twitter.com/HdLJtqziFs

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) March 14, 2026

Mike Vasil is the latest Chicago White Sox player to have an arm injury

The White Sox are no strangers to arm injuries, as they have had a couple of arms last spring, right-hander Drew Thorpe and left-hander Ky Bush, losing all of 2025 to Tommy John surgery. Hopefully for Vasil’s sake, it is just a soreness.

Vasil was one of the White Sox’s stars out of the bullpen last season and was going to be relied on to take down high-leverage innings this season. Right-handers Grant Taylor, Seranthony Dominguez, Jordan Hicks, and left-hander Sean Newcomb will make up the rest of the White Sox bullpen.

Dominguez (40 career saves) and Hicks (35 career saves) will get the first shots at closing games for Venable.

Potentially losing Vasil for even a short period of time would hurt the White Sox bullpen, as there aren’t many better options to replace his production. Non-roster invites: Right-handers Lucas Sims (0.00 ERA, four games), Adisyn Coffey (3.00 ERA, three games), and left-hander Ryan Borucki (0.00 ERA, five games) offer suitable replacements for Vasil.

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The Chicago White Sox have a lot of question marks that they are filling during Spring Training. One of them is which pitchers are going to be in the starting rotation and which are going to be bullpen options. Figuring out roles for manager Will Venable is going to be critical for the season. It appears one has been made about one possible starting pitcher. Let’s take a closer look at which pitcher it is and what the decision was.

The Chicago White Sox will have Sean Newcomb come out of the bullpen

Chicago has made a decision on what role pitcher Sean Newcomb will be starting the season as. Venable made the decision to have Newcomb come out of the bullpen to begin the season. At this point, outside of Shane Smith starting on Opening Day, the rotation is not set. Back in December, Newcomb signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the White Sox.

He pitched a majority of last season out of the bullpen for the Boston Red Sox and Athletics. In 48 combined games (five starts), he went 2-4 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in 92.1 innings. Newcomb would also tally a pair of saves, proving he could be pitching in the back-end of games as well.

He has a six-pitch arsenal (fastball, slurve, sinker, cutter, changeup, curveball) that will keep the opposing batter off-balanced. Newcomb has made four appearances so far in Spring Training with a pair of starts. He has allowed eight runs (six earned) in 11.0 innings thus far. There have been no other decisions made outside of Newcomb, so it will be interesting to see how the White Sox starting rotation looks this season.

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While Kyle Teel, catcher for the Chicago White Sox, saw his time with Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic come to an end prematurely due to a hamstring strain, he left having gained valuable experience as a player and potentially a future leader in the clubhouse.

Teel spoke highly of Italy’s Vinnie Pasquantino. What stood out to the young 24 year old was the way Pasquantino prepared, talked to everyone in the clubhouse, and mixed in a perfect amount of seriousness and fun.  Part of the fun, which has taken the baseball world by storm during this year’s WBC, is the team’s tradition of taking espresso shots after a home run.

Since Teel has returned to the White Sox’s Spring Training camp, he has made the suggesting of Chicago adopting the espresso shot tradition. It may sound a bit silly at first, but it’s actually a proposal the organization might be wise to consider.

Kyle Teel’s proposed use of Team Italy’s espresso shot celebration could be a smart move for the Chicago White Sox

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The Chicago White Sox are getting ready for the regular season, as it is only a few weeks away. However, the injury bug has seemingly bitten the team towards the tail end of Spring Training. The team could be missing another player off its 26-man roster to begin the season, so let’s take a deeper dive into the news surrounding the situation.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Brooks Baldwin has inflammation in his right elbow

The White Sox are going to be monitoring the situation of outfielder Brooks Baldwin. Baldwin was dealing with right elbow soreness after throwing to bases and was shut down for a few days. The team did imaging on the elbow, and it revealed inflammation. As a result, it will likely shut him down for the remainder of Spring Training.

Baldwin has been competing with Luisangel Acuna and Everson Pereira for the starting center field position throughout Spring Training. If he were to land on the Injured List to begin the season, expect to see Pereira and Jarred Kelenic make the 26-man roster.

Baldwin has played 136 games over his two years in the bigs. He is posting a .232/.279/.382 slashline with 13 homers, 46 RBI, 41 runs scored, and nine steals without being caught. This injury can test the depth that the White Sox have for the outfield before games even begin. With the injury landing catcher Kyle Teel on Injured Reserve, Chicago is already going to need to have other players step up.

It will be interesting to see how severe the inflammation is in Baldwin’s elbow. It could be the difference between being ready for Opening Day or having to miss a few games/weeks at the beginning of the season.

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The Chicago White Sox received some promising news on right-hander Drew Thorpe, who missed all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery.

More News: Chicago White Sox: Two options to be Will Venable’s third catcher

According to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, Thorpe will throw another side session on Friday, which is another step closer to his returning to action. Thorpe last pitched for the White Sox in 2024, going 3-3 with a 5.48 ERA in nine starts.

Thorpe was a part of two major trades in his career before joining the White Sox:

1. The deal that sent outfielder Juan Soto from the New York Yankees to the San Diego Padres in December of 2023. 

2. He was also a piece that helped the Padres acquire right-hander Dylan Cease in March of 2024.

The Chicago White Sox could use Drew Thorpe in the starting rotation

The White Sox will need all the arms they can muster to take down innings in 2026, as they ranked dead last in starting pitchers’ innings pitched last season (758.2).

Right-hander Shane Smith will be the White Sox’s Ace this season, as he will start Opening Day. Others, such as right-handers Sean Burke, Erick Fedde, Davis Martin, and left-hander Anthony Kay, will fall in behind Smith.

Having four out of the five spots filled leaves the fifth spot and depth pieces up for grabs, which Thorpe and left-hander Sean Newcomb will try to fill.

Thrope throwing another side session shows that he isn’t far off from throwing off a mound. If all continues to progress well with Thorpe’s throwing program, he could make a rehab start and possibly return to the White Sox soon.

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The Chicago White Sox and manager Will Venable planned to go into 2016 with a three-catcher mix. However, that will change with catcher Kyle Teel missing four to six weeks with a hamstring injury.

More News: Chicago White Sox starter officially out for Opening Day with injury

With Teel down and missing the beginning of the season, catchers Edgar Quero and Korey Lee will get the bulk of the duties.

Quero showed that he could be an everyday catcher last season — batting .268 with an OPS of .689 in 111 games. Quero is also going off this spring — .367 batting average and .920 OPS in nine games.

Venable has a couple of other options if he wants to start with three catchers.

Two choices to be Will Venable’s and the Chicago White Sox’s third catcher

Catcher Drew Romo | Non-roster invite |

Drew Romo, like Quero, is a switch-hitter and was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets in January. A former first-round (35th overall) draft pick of the Colorado Rockies, Romo has 19 big league games under his belt. In 15 games behind the plate in 2024, Romo had 21 defensive runs saved.

Romo has a great chance to be the White Sox’s third option at catcher, given his defensive skills and having a great spring. In 12 games, Romo is batting .385 with a 1.145 OPS, a double, a triple, and five RBI.

Catcher Michael Turner | Minor Leaguer and non-roster invite |

Michael Turner is a 27-year-old catcher from Warren, Ohio, and is a former ninth-round draft pick of the White Sox (2022). In four minor league seasons, Turner showed promise offensively, having a .262 career batting average and .730 OPS.

Turner was limited to 35 games in 2025 due to injuries, but batted .279 with a .720 OPS between Rookie ball and Double-A. Turner and Romo would need to get added to the White Sox 40-man roster, which is at capacity. 

The White Sox don’t necessarily need to carry three catchers to start the season

With Teel starting the season on the injured list, wasting a roster spot to carry three catchers doesn’t make too much sense. The smart move would be to add another pitcher, as injuries are a factor to begin the year.

Teel could likely be mid-April, missing the White Sox’s first 17 games. Teel could likely return during the White Sox series with the Tampa Bay Rays, or meet them in Sacramento (April 17-19) when they play the Athletics.

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The Chicago White Sox have a very young roster full of players that have a great deal to prove in 2026. On the bright side, the team saw a 20-game win improvement from 2024 to 2025, and things really cannot get worse on the South Side than they have been.

Indeed, there are many young players that have the potential to make the White Sox somewhat relevant for the first time in years. Among these is centerfielder Luisangel Acuna, who was acquired by Chicago in the Luis Roberts Jr. trade with the New York Mets.

And while Acuna is having a good Spring Training, he still has been ranked near the bottom of Major League Baseball’s projected starting centerfielders.

Chicago White Sox young star Luisangel Acuna ranked near bottom of MLB’s starting centerfielders

In a recent article in which they rank the projected starting centerfielders in Major League Baseball, Bleacher Report listed Acuna as the 28th-best out of 30:

“Acuña has a top prospect pedigree and is coming off a terrific performance in the Venezuelan Winter League where he posted a .939 OPS with 18 extra-base hits and 12 steals in 39 games. The White Sox acquired him in the deal that sent Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets, and he is competing with Brooks Baldwin for the starting center field job this spring. The 23-year-old is out of minor league options, so he is a safe bet to be on the roster in some capacity.”

As noted above, since Acuna is out of minor league options, he is likely going to be on the Major League roster coming out of Spring Training. That being said, his performance this spring warrants his inclusion on the roster anyway. So far, he is hitting .429/.478/.619 with a home run, three RBI, and two stolen bases in eight games played.

Acuna exceeded his rookie status last year in 95 games played with the Mets. In parts of two Major League seasons, he has hit .248/.299/.341 with three home runs and 14 RBI.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox catchers Kyle Teel exits WBC game with injury
• White Sox RHP Shane Smith named one of the worst aces in baseball
• White Sox name Shane Smith as 2026 Opening Day starter

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have a lot of expectations for their young players heading into the 2026 season, but one of them had to leave Tuesday’s World Baseball Classic with an apparent injury. Let’s take a closer look at what happened and what it means for the White Sox going forward.

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel exits the World Baseball Classic with an apparent injury

White Sox fans are currently holding their collective breath as catcher Kyle Teel exited tonight’s game with an injury. In the top of the sixth inning of tonight’s Team Italy vs. Team United States pool play game, Teel would hit a double down the first base line. After rounding first base, he would slide into second base and grimace while getting up.

Teel would be checked out by Team Italy’s trainer and immediately be taken out of the game. There has been no official word on what the specific injury is at this time. It will be interesting to see what the diagnosis of Teel’s injury is and what his status will be for the remainder of the World Baseball Classic, as well as for Opening Day for Chicago.

Teel has played in two games for Team Italy so far and is 4 for 6 (.667) with one home run, two RBI, one walk, and two runs scored.

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In December of 2024, the Chicago White Sox took advantage of a massive mistake by the Milwaukee Brewers. As the Rule 5 Draft approached, Milwaukee failed to protect pitching Shane Smith. As a result, Chicago was able to select him away from the Brewers. The stipulation, of course, was that he needed to remain on their Major League roster.

As it turned out, the move could not have worked out any better for the White Sox. As a rookie in 2025, Smith was 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts. He was named to the American League All-Star team and finished tenth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Shane Smith named one of the worst aces in MLB

When the 2026 MLB season begins, Smith will be just 25 years old. Indeed, he has a very long Major League career ahead of him, and has already shown that he is among the best pitchers in the game.

However, on their recent ranking of every MLB team’s ace, Smith was found near the bottom of Bleacher Report‘s list, coming in at 27th:

“Shane Smith was an All-Star for a lowly White Sox team as a rookie, striking out 145 batters and logging 146.1 innings.

“Perhaps Smith—who wasn’t drafted out of Wake Forest in the 20-round MLB Draft in 2021—isn’t destined to be an ace moving forward. But he is a controllable starter who could realistically be part of the next White Sox team that contends.

“Smith probably isn’t going to be taking the ball in October this year, but with him, Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Chase Meredith, and Munetaka Murakami, there does finally seem to be some light at the end of the tunnel on the South Side.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox announce All-Star will start 2026 Opening Day
• White Sox agree to terms on contracts with 31 players
• 3 players vying to be the White Sox third baseman

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have announced their Opening Day starter for the 2026 season, with right-hander Shane Smith getting the nod from manager Will Venable. Ironically, the start comes against his former team, the Milwuakee Brewers. 

More News: Chicago White Sox agree to terms on contracts with 31 players

Smith, 25, was the No. 1 overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft in the 2025 offseason and was the White Sox’s lone All-Star last season, going 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts. Right-hander Sean Burke was the White Sox Opening Day starter last season, pitching six scoreless innings of three-hit baseball, hitting one batter, striking out three, and earning the win.

On the bump for Opening Day pic.twitter.com/L8uRawDtjn

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 8, 2026

Shane Smith is the Chicago White Sox Ace, with manager Will Venable starting him on Opening Day

Even though he has one season under his belt, Smith is clearly the “Ace” of the White Sox starting staff, with a decent supporting cast surrounding him. Right-handers Erick Fedde, Davis Martin, and Burke will follow Smith in the rotation, with left-handers Anthony Kay and maybe Sean Newcomb offering left-handed options to round things out.

Smith’s struggles didn’t affect Venables decision to make him the Opening Day starter — having a 5.79 ERA, allowing four runs (three earned), two walks (two hit batters) in 4.2 innings. According to FanGraphs, they project Smith will go 7-8 with a 3.98 ERA and make 28 starts, and strike out 140 in 144.0 innings in 2026.

Being asked to be the ace in his second season in Major League Baseball is a lot of pressure to put on a former Rule 5 pick, but Smith and his calm demeanor appear to be up to the task.

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The Chicago White Sox on Friday agreed to terms with 31 out of 32 of its pre-arbitration players, with infielder Miguel Vargas’ contract getting renewed for 2026, according to a press release.

More News: Chicago White Sox: 3 players vying to be the third baseman

Vargas put together a great second half last season — batting .267 with a .790 OPS post-All-Star Break — and will look to be the White Sox’s starting third baseman come Opening Day, or a platoon bat with first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami if he can’t hit left-handers.

Other notable Chicago White Sox players to have contracts for the 2026 season

Of the pitchers who agreed to terms to pitch for the White Sox in 2026, we’re right-handers Shane Smith — the White Sox’s only All-Star in 2026 — Davis Martin, and Sean Burke, who will all be a part of Will Venable’s starting rotation. Right-handed relievers Grant Taylor and Mike Vasil also got contracts and will be options for Venable to use in the backend of his bullpen.

All three of the White Sox’s potential catchers for this season, Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, and Korey Lee, were also given contracts. Teel and Quero split the catching duties last season, while Lee spent most of the season at Triple-A, but Venable could tryout a three-catcher mix to start the season.

Infielders Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Curtis Mead, and Brooks Baldwin will all be back as well. Montgomery and Meidroth will occupy shortstop and second base, with Baldwin offering versatility playing both infield and outfield. Mead will be in the running with Vargas to start at third base or platoon at first base.

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The Chicago White Sox have many young players vying for a spot to make the Opening Day roster, with only a handful of positions open.

More News: Chicago White Sox reliever makes bold bullpen prediction

Third base is one position available, with three players competing to be the everyday player for manager Will Venable.

Three Chicago White Sox infielders are vying to be the everyday third baseman

Infielders Curtis Mead, Miguel Vargas, and Sam Antonacci (White Sox No. nine prospect) are competing to be the everyday third baseman, and all three have stood out this spring for the White Sox — Antonacci (Italy) and Mead (Australia) left camp to play in the World Baseball Classic.

Infielder Sam Antonacci |

Antonacci has been raking at the plate this spring, batting .308 with a 1.346 OPS and two home runs in six games. Antonacci got an RBI in Italy’s 9-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on March 3.

A combination of contact, power, and speed, Antonacci is giving Venable something to think about, with the 23-year-old being a non-roster invite to camp.

Infielder Miguel Vargas |

Vargas struggled before the All-Star break last season, batting .218 with an OPS of .680 in 93 games, but turned things around post-All-Star break, batting .267 with a .790 OPS. Having made the necessary changes to show he’s worth starting at third base and batting .409 with two doubles and two RBI in eight games this spring, Vargas could likely get the first crack to start at the hot corner.

Infielder Curtis Mead |

Mead got traded over to the White Sox from the Tampa Bay Rays in the deal that sent right-hander Adrian Houser over. Mead has also been productive at the plate in four games this spring, batting .308 with a home run and three RBI. Playing for Australia in the World Baseball Classic, Mead went 2-4 with a pair of singles in his first game against Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) and started at third base.

His production during the World Baseball Classic and the rest of spring should help his chances of being an option to start over Vargas.

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Two seasons ago, the Chicago White Sox had one of the worst records in Major League Baseball history. The 1899 Cleveland Spiders still hold the all-time record for fewest wins, having finished that season 20-134. However, the White Sox hold the modern record, having finished 2024 with a record of 41-121 (the 1962 New York Mets were 40-120).

2025 saw Chicago finish 60-122, which of course was awful, but a near 20-game improvement. Indeed, White Sox fans are ready to see the city’s south side team finally put together a winner and return to postseason contention.

Colson Montgomery does not think they will have to wait much longer.

Colson Montgomery believes the Chicago White Sox will surprise people

Montgomery, Chicago’s former top prospect, is one of the reasons why White Sox fans have been holding out hope that improvements will come. In 71 games last season, he hit .239/.311/.529 with 21 home runs and 55 RBI. Despite playing less than a full Major League season, Montgomery finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

And as Spring Training progresses, the young short stop does not think fans will have to wait much longer for the White Sox to be competitive:

“I think it’s easy to say that we will surprise people. And we’re not even thinking it’s a surprise. We all believe it. I’m telling you, I’ve been here for five years now, and even last year it was different. Felt a little different.

“And now this year, everything is just trending in the right direction. I feel it. I believe it. I think that’s the biggest thing, everyone else believes it. It’s not like we think we have the pieces, we think it could go right. It’s like, no. We’ve seen it happen. We have seen us win. We believe that’s what is going to happen.”

As can be seen from Montgomery’s comments, the White Sox believe that they can win many games this year. Not next season. Not in a couple of years. Now.

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens with this young team full of promising young talent. Another 20-win improvement in 2025 would put them right around the .500 mark, and right in the thick of the MLB postseason picture.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Edgar Quero gives honest response to 3-catcher situation in Chicago
• White Sox reliever makes bold bullpen prediction
• Braden Montgomery reveals Hall of Fame goals amid White Sox Spring Training

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox are in re-building mode. Despite this, they have a plethora of young and exciting players with which to build their 2026 MLB roster. While many do not expect the White Sox to compete for much this year, the future is certainly bright as their most talented young players compete for Major League at bats.

This is particularly true at the catcher position. Edgar Quero, Kyle Teel, and Korey Lee are all having solid starts to Spring Training, and each would easily be a part of any MLB team’s Major League roster.

The problem, though, is that teams do not usually carry three catchers on their rosters. In a few short weeks, the White Sox may be faced with a very difficult choice.

Edgar Quero is enjoying his time with the rest of the Chicago White Sox catchers

Of the sudden quality depth he has at catcher, White Sox manager Will Venable said, “I think it really is going to take care of itself. We know that we like Kyle catching and hitting against righties. We know that Edgar can DH. We’ll have a couple of guys who will fill that DH spot vs. right-handed pitching.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox reliever makes bold bullpen prediction
• White Sox top prospect Braden Montgomery reveals Hall of Fame goals
• White Sox infield prospect may force his way onto team

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Chicago White Sox reliever Grant Taylor got his feet wet in the big leagues last season, pitching out of a shaky bullpen (dead last in saves, 25), and he believes things will be better in 2026.

More News: Chicago White Sox infield prospect may force his way onto the team

“I think we can be one of the best bullpens in the game,” Taylor said to Elijah Evans of Just Baseball Media. “I’d say we’re close to that just purely based on stuff.”

In 36.2 innings pitching out of the bullpen, Taylor had a 2-4 record with a 4.91 ERA, with six saves and striking out 54. Taylor should be an important member of manager Will Venabale’s bullpen, which will feature some new faces.

The Chicago White Sox’s new faces in the bullpen should help Grant Taylor’s prediction come true

Taylor is one of a handful of arms returning to occupy a spot in the bullpen, with right-handers Mike Vasil and Jordan Leasure — the White Sox leader in saves last season with seven — also returning. Right-handers Seranthony Dominguuez — free agent signing for two years, $20 million — and Jordan Hicks — traded over from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-hander Gage Ziehl and a player to be named later — were brought in to offer some experienced arms.

Dominguez will likely get the first crack at being Venable’s closer, with 40 career saves under his belt, but Taylor or Hicks (35 career saves) could also see time in the ninth inning.

Others like left-handers Tyler Gilbert, Brandon Eisert, and Sean Newcomb (who could also be in the starting rotation), and right-handed Wikelman Gonzalez, will offer suitable depth pieces to fill things out.

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The Chicago White Sox have already made a decision on where Braden Montgomery will start the 2026 MLB season. Despite his production in Spring Training, they have announced that their top prospect will begin the year in the minor leagues.

This, of course, makes sense. He has not even played a Triple-A game yet. But the hype surrounding him is real. Last year, which he spent climbing Chicago’s farm system, he hit .270/.360/.444 with 12 home runs, 68 RBI, and 14 stolen bases.

In the 2025 Arizona Fall League, he hit .366/.527/.634 with a home run and 11 RBI (12 games).

Chicago White Sox top prospect Braden Montgomery wants to be a Hall of Fame player

In the weekend’s win over the Cubs, Montgomery hit a home run and a triple. After the game, he revealed to Scott Merkin that he has his sights set on being a Hall of Fame player:

“But after homering and tripling during a 5-1 victory over the Cubs at Sloan Park Sunday, the White Sox second intracity win in two tries in Arizona, Montgomery listed a more grandiose baseball goal in line with his meticulous preparation and abundance of talent. The 22-year-old eventually wants to be a Hall of Famer.

“’I’ll take it a day at a time,’ a smiling Montgomery said after hitting one of four White Sox home runs. ‘We’ll see what happens at the end of it. We’ll see what happens when you’re goal-oriented and you take a pitch at a time, a second at a time.’”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox infield prospect may force his way onto the team
• White Sox-Pirates predicted to make a massive trade
• Cubs All-Star gives valuable insight on White Sox slugger

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have a great young core and prospects developing to add to it, with one prospect, infielder Sam Antonacci (White Sox 11th prospect), who may force his way onto the Opening Day roster.

More News: MLB: Bruce Meyer continues to prepare for a potential 2027 lockout

Antonacci is a local product, hailing from Springfield, Illinois, and the White Sox drafted him in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Coastal Carolina University.

Sam Antonacci may force the Chicago White Sox’s hand to add him to the Opening Day roster

Antonacci has the knack for the ball to find him, and not in the field, but as a target when at the plate, getting hit by a pitch 39 times in 2025 and walking 69 times. Having a great ability to get on base (.439 career on-base percentage), Antonacci showcased his hitting skills, batting .291, and his speed, swiping 48 bases (getting caught 10 times).

Antonacci has brought those talents into White Sox camp this spring, batting .308 with two home runs and three RBI, while stealing three bases (hasn’t been caught), walking three times, and hit by a pitch twice. The 23-year-old recently left camp to join Team Italy along with his teammate, catcher Kyle Teel, to play in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The WBC will take place from March 5 to 17, and will be in Japan, the United States, and Puerto Rico.

Depending on how well Antonacci does during the World Baseball Classic, where he’ll see some major-league-caliber arms, and the rest of spring training, he could force the White Sox to add him to the 26-man roster. With the White Sox needing a starting third baseman, Antonacci could work his way into a platoon role with third baseman Miguel Vargas, who showed some signs of growth at the plate last season.

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News for the 2027 season for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and the other 28 baseball organizations continues to look bleak as the new executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Bruce Meyer, makes his rounds during spring training.

More News: MLB: St. Louis Cardinals entrust Oliver Marmol to continue leading the way

On Sunday, Meyer met with the Detroit Tigers and continued to prepare players for a potential lockout in 2027.

“The league has pretty much already said there’s going to be a lockout,” Meyer said to the Tigers. “I think the commissioner (Rob Manfred) more or less guaranteed it. I would be shocked if they didn’t do a lockout when the agreement expires. Having said that, as I’ve said in the past many times, we’ll start negotiating not long after Opening Day, and we’ll be ready to meet wherever and whenever and bargain in good faith. If there’s a way to avoid it and get a fair deal for the players, we’re always looking to do that. I think the expectations of a lockout upon the expiration of this agreement are very high — almost guaranteed.”

Bruce Meyer said a salary cap would be bad for players

“Our position, both historically and now, is pretty clear. This union, and every executive director of this union, has always been of the view that it’s bad for players, and for that reason, historically, we’ve been opposed to it. I don’t see any reason to change our view on that subject. It’s a subject I can and have gotten into at great length, but at the end of the day, the owners want it — not because it’s good for players, but it’s good for them. That’s always been the position of this union. We have a legal duty to consider anything they propose, and whatever they propose, we will evaluate it and report to our players. The fundamental nature of a salary cap is bad for players on multiple levels, so that’s always been our view.”

Owners — in particular in smaller TV markets — pushed the idea of a salary cap, which is a sticking point for players. An idea of a $280 million cap was out there, which would cause five major league organizations to shed payroll to meet the cap: the Los Angeles Dodgers ($381.6 million), the New York Mets ($368.7 million), the New York Yankees ($329.6 million), the Philadelphia Phillies ($311.2 million), and the Toronto Blue Jays ($300.3 million.

The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox would not be affected by a salary cap either way

Neither the Cubs nor the White Sox would benefit from a salary cap, as the Cubs enter 2026 with a payroll of $240.9 million, and the White Sox $101.5 million. However, the White Sox would be affected by a floor, which always comes with a cap, with a proposed floor of $140-$160 million.

The Cubs and White Sox spent big this winter, with the Cubs breaking open the checkbook for All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman (five-year, $175 million) and the White Sox signing Japanese slugger first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami (two-year, $34 million). But the White Sox would need to give out at least two contract extensions or sign one major free agent to meet the floor requirement if there were a salary cap.

The two sides (MLBPA and MLB) can reach an agreement before the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires on Dec. 1, 2026.

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The Chicago White Sox shocked Major League Baseball by coming out as the winners of the Munetaka Murakami sweepstakes this off-season. They signed the Japanese slugger to a two-year $34 million, a significant investment for a team that has struggled to return to competitive levels for a long time.

Of course, signing Murakami was not the only free agent addition that the White Sox made. He was, however, the most notable and arguably could have the biggest impact on the team.

Which begs the question: what if the White Sox struggle in 2026 as they have over the last several years? There is a belief that Murakami could get traded, if that ends up being the case.

Chicago White Sox predicted to trade Munetaka Murakami to the Pittsburgh Pirates

Bleacher Report recently posted an article in which they predicted where the biggest names in trade rumors will end the season. Despite the fact that Murakami has not yet taken an official Major League at bat, he was on the list.

And if the White Sox fail to be competitive in 2026, they believe Chicago will trade the slugger to the Pittsburgh Pirates:

“What happens if Murakami does a pretty good impersonation of “peak Joey Gallo” for four months while things otherwise go every bit as poorly for Chicago as the past three seasons have?

“Goodness knows, these would-be sellers don’t have a whole lot to sell. The White Sox only have eight players on the payroll who aren’t under team control for at least four more years, and most of them are regrettable contracts (Andrew Benintendi, Jordan Hicks) and/or reclamation projects (Erick Fedde, Anthony Kay).

“If they were to make him available, there’s a good chance the Pirates would come calling.

“Pittsburgh upgraded a bunch of spots in its lineup this offseason, adding Marcell Ozuna, Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn, Jake Mangum, and Jhostynxon Garcia to what had been a hapless offense in 2025. But both corner infield spots remain a considerable weak point, with Jared Triolo the projected starter at third base and Spencer Horwitz probably the choice at first.

“They tried to get Eugenio Suárez late in the offseason, but missed out as he went back to Cincinnati instead. If this much busier than usual winter gets them into the running for October for a change, maybe they trade for a big bat at either corner.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs All-Star gives valuable insight on White Sox slugger
• Colston Montgomery reflects on his 2026 season with White Sox
• Will Venable is excited for the White Sox new identity

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox have the most Japanese talent outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

More News: Colson Montgomery reflects on his 2025 season with the Chicago White Sox

The Cubs have left-hander Shota Imanaga and right-fielder/designated hitter Seiya Suzuki on their roster, while the White Sox recently signed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami (two years, $34 million). Imanaga, who accepted the qualifying offer ($22.025 million) to return to the Cubs, gave some insight into what type of hitter Murakami will be, while also providing a scouting report for the Toronto Blue Jays’ offseason signing, third baseman Kazuma Okamoto (four years, $60 million).

“So I wouldn’t say, you know, they’re underrating them [Murakami and Okamoto]. I think, you know, with MLB, there’s going to be a lot of changes that are going to happen,” Imanaga said on the “Foul Territory” podcast. “So I think there are factors of that involved. And then regarding, you know, the players like, I mean, they’re superstars in Japan, and they’re fantastic players, and Murakami and Okamoto. I mean, they’ve hit many home runs off of me. So I think in their contract, I mean, you know, some of the home runs they hit off me was it were in there. So I would factor that in.”

Imanaga played and faced Murakami and Okamoto during his time in the NPB, where he spent eight seasons.

The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox have shown they’re destinations for Japanese talent

Since the Dodgers seemingly have a stranglehold on the Japanese market — signing the likes of two-way star and reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani, and right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki — Chicago quickly became a nice alternative. Former Japanese great right-hander Koji Uehara, outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, and current San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish played in Chicago.

Imanaga and Suzuki are both free agents after this season, and their futures with the Cubs and in Chicago remain uncertain. As for Murakami, even though he signed a two-year deal, general manager Chris Getz could capitalize on his production and trade him at the deadline for players to contribute to the rebuild.

With a pool of Japanese talent increasingly available, and the World Baseball Classic offering a perfect opportunity for others to showcase their talents, the Cubs and White Sox have a good chance to get first cracks at signing these players.

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Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery emerged as a future star for the team last season after getting called up and putting together a solid second half.

More News: Chris Getz has confidence in the Chicago White Sox’s future

Reflecting on the struggles he faced to start the 2025 season, Montgomery is confident he’ll do well this year after struggling to start 2025.

“It felt good, especially just where things kind of started, you know, coming into camp, you know, battling for position on the team, and for that to not happen you know, it could definitely get you discouraged, and, you know, your confidence low, and everything like that,” Montgomery said to MLB Network Radio on his 2025 season. “And so I just knew that, you know, there’s certain timings for things. And went to Triple-A, and was still kind of sulking about it, and, you know, that kind of went into not really playing very good in Triple-A. So definitely had to put a lot of ego aside and kind of just get back on track of just being one day at a time, one at bat at a time.”

“So then, you know, a lot of the White Sox, they definitely helped out with a lot of that stuff, you know, just kind of tell me how much they still believe in believe in me and things like that. And at the end of the day, I just felt like things started just aligned pretty good for me, you know, routines and preparation, everything was really good so and then everyone always asked me, like, what changed? And I don’t really feel like anything changed. I just felt like, you know, my confidence was at a high, and I just felt like I knew going into each day that I was gonna give everything I had, and I think that’s why it resulted in a pretty good second half.”

"I had to put a lot of ego aside and get back on track with being one at-bat at a time."

After a successful second half of his MLB debut, shortstop Colson Montgomery is feeling a new wave of confidence this camp:#WhiteSox | @whitesox
https://t.co/WG5zyiVTKm pic.twitter.com/x9lKv8hEOi

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 23, 2026

Colson Montgomery has the runway he needs to continue to grow with the Chicago White Sox

During his time at Triple-A last season, Montgomery hit .218 with an OPS of .733 and 11 home runs, while driving in 30 RBI in 216 at-bats. Montgomery’s struggles while in the minors became so profound that he took some time to work with the White Sox director of hitting, Ryan Fuller, who helped turn Montgomery’s swing around. Once he got called up after working with Fuller, Montgomery batted .239 with an OPS of .840 and was second on the team in home runs (21) in 71 games.

Montgomery’s success in the second half of last season should slot in the top four of manager Will Venable’s lineup, with first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami (246 career home runs, NPB) and second baseman Lenyn Sosa (team leader in home runs, 22) providing him protection.

This protection could help bring up Montgomery’s power numbers, as he’ll see more pitches to hit. However, he’ll need to cut down on his strikeouts, striking out 83 times in 255 at-bats (284 plate appearances).

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The Chicago White Sox will be a team to watch this season, improving in 2025 (60-102) after setting the all-time loss record in 2024 (41-121).

More News: Chris Getz has confidence in the Chicago White Sox’s future

The White Sox and general manager Chris Getz did well to supplement the roster, and it will be on manager Will Venable to get the most out of his players. In his second year as the White Sox skipper, Venable is excited about establishing a new team identity with the players he has, but emphasizing that they’ll need to remember to do the little things to win games.

“It’s been exciting, you know, one we were all just excited to get back together after a long offseason,” Venable said on MLB Network Radio. “These guys did a great job being connected during the offseason and going about their offseason the right way. Our staff did a great job continuing to help them develop. And yes, we’re just excited to be here, and this is extremely competitive group that’s just itching to get going.

Obviously, wins and losses matter, and they’re going to matter every year. But for us, it’s going to be at the process. And really, like we have identified these things, you know, up front that we want these guys to create habits around. You know, the first step on defense, you know, the first step out of the box, simple things like covering first base, you know, things that you have to do to win games, knowing that there’s more layers to it, and these guys will figure the rest out. But That for me is, you know, as we experienced 2025 towards the end of the year, that’s what we were pounding our fist on the table for. We imagine that it’s going to be more of the same, but hopefully we just get a couple more wins.”

After an 102-loss season, the #WhiteSox are looking ahead to establishing a new team identity within the clubhouse:#SpringTrainingTour
https://t.co/WG5zyiVTKm pic.twitter.com/D44WDRZefd

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 23, 2026

The Chicago White Sox have a chance to make some noise in the American League Central

The White Sox’s offseason moves, which include signing Japanese Slugger Munetaka Murakami to a two-year deal ($34 million), offer more power (246 home runs in the NPB) to a team that finished 23rd (165) in the league last season. Second baseman Lenyn Sosa (22) and shortstop Colson Montgomery (21) were the team leaders in home runs last season, with Sosa almost tripling his home run total from 2025 (eight).

The White Sox, with its lineup, could make waves in the American League Central in 2026, but the starting rotation will need to step up. The White Sox finished dead last in innings pitched last season (758.2).

With right-hander and the White Sox’s lone All-Star, Shane Smith, likely leading the rotation, right-handers Davis Martin, Erick Fedde, Sean Burke, and left-handers Anthony Kay and Sean Newcomb will fill out the rest of the spots. White Sox top pitching prospect Noah Schultz (MLB No. 49 prospect) could potentially debut this season to offer another arm in the rotation, but that will depend on his success in the minor leagues.

With talent surrounding the roster and the potential to add more through call-ups and trades, the White Sox could make some noise next season.

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The Chicago White Sox have had one of the best offseasons to position themselves to at least try to make a playoff push, if all goes well.

More News: Chicago White Sox All-Star SP perfect response to potential Opening Day start

General manager Chris Getz showed a willingness to add to the young core the White Sox have formed, and feels the team enters 2026 in a good position, with the players they have.

“The best way to kind of summarize it where we were a year ago, and I was talking to Will Venable, looking out on the field, and we didn’t know who was going to be playing shortstop coming into this year, and we know who that person is,” Getz said to MLB Network Radio. “We’ve got two young catchers, and Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero, we got Miguel Vargas, who, initially, when he came over in trade [with the Los Angeles Dodgers], had his struggles, and, you know, made a lot, you know, leaps and bounds of a better season last year, you had a Murakami to the mix. Now, you look at our the depth of our starting pitching, our bullpen, just will and the coaching staff, you know, the front office, you know, the first couple years you’re forming, you’re developing, you’re growing up together and and now to go into year three, year two. For Will Venable, we feel really good about, you know, what this where this club is, and the direction it’s headed.”

“We feel really good about where this club is heading.”

After three straight 100 loss seasons GM Chris Getz and the #WhiteSox are excited about the direction of the team.

 https://t.co/WG5zyiWrzU pic.twitter.com/Oc9n28moTw

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 23, 2026

The Chicago White Sox need to prove that there is an end goal to this rebuild

In year three of the rebuild, the White Sox need to start showing their fans and the American League that they’re going to give their counterparts a run for their money. Two seasons removed from setting the all-time loss record in 2024 (41-121), the White Sox losing over 100+ games for a fourth straight season could happen. But it doesn’t seem likely, given the 19 wins added last season (going from 41 to 60).

Players like shortstop Colson Montgomery and starter right-hander Shane Smith (All-Star in 2025) need to take major steps forward in their development, as they’re cornerstones to the franchise and critical to the rebuild. Others, like infielders Chase Meidroth and Lenyn Sosa, catchers Teel and Quero, and first baseman/designated hitter Murakami, provide a great supporting cast.

The White Sox could win 60-70 games in 2026, according to some models, but will need to show that this is the core that could make a run at a World Series. 

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The Chicago White Sox were able to sign one of the most coveted international free agents on the market this winter. Munetaka Murakami is only 26 years old and has played eight seasons of professional baseball in his native Japan. In those eight years, Murakami hit .273/.394/.550 with 265 home runs and 722 RBI.

As a member of the White Sox, Murakami is going to primarily play first base, a position he was familiar with in Japan. That being said, nearly 75% of his games in Japan were spent playing third base, so he will likely see time there as well in Chicago.

Indeed, Murakami brings an exciting power bat to the offensively-starved White Sox lineup. So much so that he has been named one of 20 rookies to watch in the 2026 MLB season.

Chicago White Sox 1B Munetaka Murakami named rookie to watch in 2026

In his recent article in which he listed 20 rookies to watch in 2026, Jim Bowden of The Athletic, included Murakami, writing:

“Murakami, 26, is also making the jump from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB. He has legitimate plus power but also had significant contact issues in Japan. That said, despite the high strikeout totals in Japan, he had a career on-base percentage of .394. He’s a below-average defender at third, but should be at least adequate at first, where he is expected to play for Chicago.

“He’s a fascinating player to watch as his comparables from scouts have ranged from Dave Kingman to Joey Gallo to Max Muncy to Luke Voit to Matt Olson to Rafael Devers and even to Kyle Schwarber. He’s probably somewhere in the middle but none of us will know until he shows us.”

The strikeout totals that Bowden references were a reason many MLB teams did not show much interest in signing him. In 2024, for example, Murakami struck out 180 times in

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox All-Star SP offers perfect response to potential Opening Day start
• White Sox prospect’s hilarious response to getting on base
• White Sox slugger already turning heads in Spring Training

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Entering the fourth year of a rebuild and setting the record for the most losses in a season in 2024 (41-121), the Chicago White Sox should be a lot better in 2026.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect’s hilarious response to getting on base

Finally spending this offseason, the White Sox’s biggest question at the moment, outside of who will make the 26-man roster, is who will be the Opening Day starter? Manager Will Venable has a ton of arms to choose from, with All-Star right-hander Shane Smith being one of them, who said about making his first career Opening Day start, “Whatever shakes out, I can live with.”

“No,” Smith said to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “Everybody in here wants it. I’m included in that,” he added. “Whatever shakes out, I can live with. But as long as I put my best foot forward, and try to do everything I can in the days leading up and make sure I’m a professional in all aspects, that’s all I can do.”

Shane Smith would be the proper choice to be the Chicago White Sox’s Opening Day starter

Turning 26 on April 4th, Smith has the pedigree to be Venable’s Opening Day starter, as he was the team’s lone All-Star last season, going 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 18 starts (86.2 innings) before the All-Star break, and then went 4-1 with a 3.17 ERA in 11 starts (59.2 innings) after the break. A Rule 5 Draft pick from the Milwaukee Brewers organization last season, Smith has shown tremendous growth since joining the White Sox staff.

Other potential Opening Day starters for Venable could be right-handers Erick Fedde, who recently re-signed with the team, and Sean Burke, who was the White Sox Opening Day starter last season. Burke pitched six scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels for the White Sox’s 8-1 victory.

All three would be solid options to choose from, with left-handers Sean Newcomb and Anthony Kay providing other alternatives, but spring training will be the battleground for who will ultimately get the nod to kick off the season.

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The Chicago White Sox have many prospects who could potentially join their core this season, including infielder and Chicago native Sam Antonacci.

More News: Chicago White Sox GM mispeaks about trade acquisition

Antonacci is one of the White Sox’s top prospects and showed a lot of progress last season, jumping three levels in the White Sox system (Rookie Ball to Double-A). Antonacci also appeared in the Arizona Fall League, where he showcased his hitting tool and ability to get on base, batting .378 in 74 at-bats (93 plate appearances) and had a .505 on-base percentage.

Antonacci’s ability to get on base is one of his strongest skills (career .439 OBP), with a knack for getting hit by pitches, which helps with his goal of getting on base. Antonacci got hit a total of 49 times last season.

“Definitely hurts a little bit, but you have to grow up at some point and just be able to play through it,” the non-roster invite to White Sox Spring Training told Scott Merkin of MLB.com prior to Tuesday’s workouts. “It was instilled in me in college, especially when kind of getting screamed at it if I got out of the way. I’m happy I have those teachings.

My mom hates me for it. I found that out in the offseason,” said Antonacci with a laugh. “She said I’m going to get hurt that way. She could be right. But I would rather get hurt for wearing a pitch to help my team out than getting out of the way and then striking out. So, she can be mad at that, but we’ll have our differences. I’m just here to try to get on first base.”

Sam Antonacci is excited to play with his future teammate, Kyle Teel, in the WBC

Antonacci will not be in spring training with the White Sox for long, as he will be joining his teammate, catcher Kyle Teel, to play for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Antonacci said he’s excited to play with his future teammate, saying, “It should be fun.”

“I’m excited to play alongside Teel. That should be fun,” Antonacci said. “Right now, I’m honestly just here to meet all these guys and kind of just get together with them and build on what the White Sox are doing, and then when Team Italy comes, I’ll focus on that. My sole focus is here and getting better with these guys.”

Sam Antonacci could be up with the Chicago White Sox at some point this season

Antonacci isn’t a top-100 prospect in baseball. Still, he could turn out to be a productive big leaguer, given his hitting abilities, posting a career .298 batting average, and his ability not to strike out, walking 69 times to 73 strikeouts in 2025 (86 walks and 86 strikeouts for his career).

Unlikely to break out of camp with the White Sox, it isn’t out of the question that Antonacci could get a call-up this season, as his ability to play third base, shortstop, and second base could help his chances. The White Sox currently have an opening at third base, but given his power and speed, Antonacci would be more suited to play centerfield, where there’s also a need.

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The biggest storyline going into this year’s spring training for the Chicago White Sox is the arrival of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murkami.

More news: This Chicago White Sox player is projected to hit 30 HR in 2026

It seem’s that the power hitter is already turning many heads within the White Sox’s coaching staff.

According to Sox beat writer Scott Merkin, the team’s director of hitting gave an update on Murkami that will make many fans very excited.

The White Sox slugger is already impressing many

More news: This Chicago White Sox newcomer is one of the top hitters to watch in spring training

Ryan Fuller told the media that Murakami is “special” and that there’s immediately been a level of confidence he has brought since reporting for spring training.

White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller on Munetaka Murakami: "Mune is special, and I think you see immediately there’s a level of confidence here amidst everything being new here."

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 16, 2026

The signing of Murakami has brought a massive level of excitement to the Sox’s 2026 campaign.

With the Japanese power hitter being apart of an improved roster, Chicago might have a much more exciting season than everyone expected.

It’s only batting practice, but here are five swings from Munetaka Murakami.
First swing: HR to center
Fourth swing: HR to left.
Fifth swing: HR to right. pic.twitter.com/4UtK1dMbRW

— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) February 12, 2026

First look: Munetaka Murakami at Camelback Ranch pic.twitter.com/nuzl8PUM7h

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) February 8, 2026

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Though the Chicago White Sox have done well to revamp their roster this offseason, they may have made a blunder with general manager Chris Getz’s comments regarding newly acquired infielder Luisangel Acuna. Acuna was one of the players acquired in the trade that sent Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets.

More News: Chicago White Sox GM Chris Getz feels good about his roster

According to Sam Phalen on X/Twitter, Getz has mislabeled Acuna as a switch-hitter in multiple interviews, when the 23-year-old infielder strictly bats right-handed.

Great job by many of you flagging this.

Here are FOUR different times this offseason where #WhiteSox GM Chris Getz has referred to Luisangel Acuña as a switch hitter.

Acuña is, in fact, NOT a switch hitter.

Not great. Four times isn’t a misspeak. pic.twitter.com/yYYsHBH49w

— Sam Phalen (@Sam_Phalen) February 11, 2026

Chris Getz’s not knowing what handedness his players are signals a bigger problem

The fact that Getz didn’t know, or intentionally misspoke, signals a wider problem regarding the White Sox front office, as it begs the question: are they properly evaluating players?

Acuna is an infielder by trade, with his primary position being shortstop. But with Colson Montgomery set to be the everyday shortstop and Chase Meidroth occupying second, Acuna likely will get reps out in center field. Acuna could struggle playing center for the White Sox, as he has just 43 career games between the big leagues and minor leagues in center.

Hopefully, the players brought back in the return for Robert Jr. don’t pan out. However, if they don’t, it might be time to question Getz’s ability to continue as the general manager for the rebuild, as the White Sox need to find hidden talent to compete.

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The Chicago White Sox made a big splash this offseason after signing Japanese standout Munetaka Murakami. The White Sox emerged as the big winners of the race for Nippon Professional Baseball’s two-time Central League MVP.

Murakami became one of the most sought-after free agents because of his stellar play in Japan. He won the Central League Rookie of the Year in 2019 and was named an NPB All-Star that same year. He quickly established himself as one of the best baseball players in the country. Murakami also led the Japanese team to a gold medal during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami gets Caleb Williams welcome 

With Murakami’s arrival, the Windy City rejoices as it welcomes another cornerstone for the city of Chicago.

It was not too long ago when the Chicago Bears drafted Caleb Williams with the first overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. He quickly emerged as one of Chicago’s sports icons as he became the centerpiece of the Bears’ offense. Williams helped the Bears capture their first NFC North title since 2018 and their first playoff win since 2011.

Williams’ rise is somewhat similar to what Michael Jordan did to the Chicago Bulls back in the 1980s. Which is why it’s just right that the White Sox welcome their new player with two iconic Chicago jerseys.

 

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A post shared by Chicago White Sox (@whitesox)

The White Sox gave Murakami a Williams jersey to welcome him to the city. Mune said “Bear Down” and “It’s Chicago” while wearing Williams’ #18.

Not only that, but the White Sox also gifted him the iconic #23 of the Chicago Bulls. Murakami quickly put on Jordan’s jersey and said he plans on wearing it on the way to the game.

The White Sox expect great things from the 6-foot-2, 230-pound slugger from Japan. Murakami heads to the MLB with his 246 home runs for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. He joins a rebuilding White Sox with impressive young talent such as Colson Montgomery. This is why the future is looking bright for the organization.

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Last season, the Chicago White Sox made the understandable decision to trade first baseman Andrew Vaughn to the Milwaukee Brewers for Aaron Civale. After all, at the time of the trade, he was hitting just .189/.218/.314 with five home runs and 19 RBI in 48 games. He had even been demoted to Triple-A where he hit just .211/.328/.351 with two home runs and 11 RBI.

Civale, on the other hand, at the time of the trade, was 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA in five starts with the Brewers. His ERA, though, was inflated after he gave up five runs in his start of the year. In his following four starts, he was actually pretty solid.

Unfortunately for the White Sox, the trade did not work for them.

Aaron Civale struggled with the Chicago White Sox while Andrew Vaughn thrived with the Milwaukee Brewers

After the trade, Vaughn spent some time down in Triple-A for the Brewers, too. However, he was called up shortly after and hit .308/.375/.493 with nine home runs and 46 RBI in 64 games. And while no one blamed Chicago for trading Vaughn when they did (he had been struggling for a long time), it was painful to see him turn it around so quickly for another team.

Civale, meanwhile, struggled mightily in his tenure with the White Sox. In 13 starts, he was 2-7 with a 5.37 ERA. So poor was his performance that Chicago waived him.

And if the trade did not go bad enough for the White Sox, Civale was claimed by the Chicago Cubs. He then posted a 2.08 ERA for them at the end of the season.

Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Aaron Civale signed with the Athletics

On Tuesday, it was reported that Civale, who pitched for three teams in 2025, has agreed to join his fourth organization in less than one year. He has agreed to a one-year $6 million contract with the Athletics. Civale can earn $1.5 million more if he hits certain incentives.

Right-hander Aaron Civale and the A’s are in agreement on a one-year, $6 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Civale, 30, adds a veteran arm to an A’s team with hopes of competing for a postseason spot this year and can make an additional $1.5 million in incentives.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 10, 2026

If Civale emerges as a solid starter for an Athletics team that accomplishes it goal of reaching the postseason, the deal will look even worse for the White Sox.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox GM Chris Getz feels good about 2026 roster
• White Sox reunite with quality right-handed pitcher on 1-year deal
• Former White Sox All-Star retires after 13 MLB seasons

For More Chicago Sports

Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Robin Adams via email at robadams14@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox had a great offseason, in which general manager Chris Getz added pieces to pair with the young core that is forming.

More News: Chicago White Sox reunite with quality right-hander on a one-year deal

Recently signing right-hander Erick Fedde to fill out the rotation, the White Sox still have some room to spend and add at least one more piece. However, Getz seems content with the roster he’s constructed, saying, “We do feel good about the group we have in here.”

“We’ve got flexibility, we do. But we do feel good about the group we have in here,” Getz said to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “So much of this year will be the continual development of the young players we have on this roster.”

Chris Getz could increase payroll in the form of an extension or by acquiring a bigger contract at the trade deadline

Despite Getz stating the White Sox are basically done adding on the free agent market, that doesn’t mean the White Sox won’t increase their payroll in other ways. Signing one of their young players to a contract extension, like the Athletics are doing with their core, signing four players in the last two years:

• DH Brent Rooker: five years, $60 million
• OF Lawrence Butler: seven years, $65.5 million
• OF Tyler Soderstrom: seven years, $86 million
• INF Jacob Wilson: seven years, $70 million

Athletics have signed four players to longterm extensions since last offseason pic.twitter.com/9i0lXBmMwt

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) January 30, 2026

Infielder Colson Montgomery (.239 average, .840 OPS) and right-hander Shane Smith (3.81 ERA) would be the first two players to look at to sign long-term. Montgomery showed the ability to be a franchise player, and Smith made the All-Star team in his rookie season.

Catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero could be others worthy of an extension, with both showing the ability to hit — Teel batted .273 with an OPS of .786 in 78 games, while Quero (switch hitter) hit .268 with an OPS of .689 in 111 games. The White Sox could also acquire a player at the trade deadline who is under a long-term contract to help increase payroll.

Someone like the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (five years, $77 million) could be an option to give the White Sox another experienced arm. Keller has three more years remaining on his existing contract (55.7 million) and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2029.

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Despite having a great offseason in which the Chicago White Sox signed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami (two years, $34 million), they still needed to add another starting pitcher. The White Sox ranked dead last in baseball in innings pitched by their starters (758.2 innings).

More News: Chicago White Sox trade infield depth to the Baltimore Orioles

The White Sox have options to fill out their rotation, but added some more depth, with New York Post columnist and MLB Insider Joel Sherman reporting right-hander Erick Fedde is finalizing a one-year deal with the White Sox.

Fedde, who will be 33 when the season starts, was with the White Sox to start the 2024 season and was a part of a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals, where Fedde went to St. Louis.

Source: The White Sox and Erick Fedde are in agreement on a 1-year deal, pending physical

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 9, 2026

Erick Fedde gives the Chicago White Sox another quality starter to move at the trade deadline

Despite doing well in 2024, Fedde didn’t do great in 2025, pitching for three teams (the Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and Milwaukee Brewers), and went 4-13 with a 5.49 ERA in 32 games (24 starts). Fedde, however, has proven to be an innings eater in his career, pitching over 125.0 innings for four straight seasons.

A quality starter who is mainly a sinker (34% usage) and cutter pitcher (28%), Fedde also has a sweeper (26%) and a changeup (12%) in his repertoire. Looking to bounce back, Fedde will give the White Sox another potential trade chip to use to get a prospect or a quality big league-ready talent at next season’s trade deadline.

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Recently, the Chicago White Sox announced that they will be having an alumni home run derby at some point during the 2026 MLB season. This was an idea pioneered by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025. The idea pitted multiple franchise legends against each other in a derby. They were divided into two teams and the team with the most home runs won the derby.

Multiple MLB teams contacted Milwaukee after their event to find out the logistics of pulling it off. Chicago is now the second MLB team, after the Brewers, to announce an alumni home run derby.

And with Avisail Garcia‘s recent announcement, he could very well be a participant.

Former Chicago White Sox All-Star Avisail Garcia has retired

After not playing Major League Baseball in 2025, former White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia has announced his retirement:

Avisail Garcia Announces Retirement https://t.co/QEvO1G49zO pic.twitter.com/VCmxAPAYuE

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) February 2, 2026

Originally brought up by the Detroit Tigers, Garcia was traded to the White Sox in 2013. He was an instant success, hitting .304/.327/.447 with five home runs and 21 RBI following his arrival in Chicago.

His best season, though, came in 2017 when he hit .330/.380/.506 with 18 home runs and 80 RBI. That year, Garcia was named to his only career All-Star team.

In six seasons with Chicago, Garcia hit .271/.322/.424 with 74 home runs and 289 RBI.

Following his time with the White Sox, Garcia played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Brewers, and Miami Marlins.

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The Chicago White Sox made an intriguing trade with the Boston Red Sox as they acquired veteran pitcher Jordan Hicks and minor league pitcher David Sandlin for minor league pitcher Gage Ziehl. With Hicks being a major arm looking to bounce back from a rough 2025, he has shown the ability to pitch both as a starter and reliever. While things are still fluid, his role is critical to see how the White Sox will utilize their pitching staff. Let’s take a closer look at what Hicks said about his preference.

Jordan Hicks discusses that he is open to being either a reliever or a starting pitcher for the White Sox

While talking about what his projected role could be after being traded to the White Sox, pitcher Jordan Hicks made it clear that he is fine with either starting or coming out of the bullpen.

“I am fine with either role (starting or bullpen). I am feeling well and got it up to 99.5 MPH the other day with the velocity consistently 96 (MPH). I think we are on the same page (with GM Chris Getz) so we will see how the role ends up.”

Hicks split time between the San Francisco Giants and Red Sox in 2025 and pitched in different roles. With the Giants, he was primarily a starting pitcher last year while he only came out of the bullpen for the Red Sox. Overall, he pitched 34 games (nine starts) and was 2-7 with a 6.95 ERA and a 1.663 WHIP in 67.1 innings. As of this writing, Fangraphs projects Hicks to be coming out of the bullpen right now.

It appears that the White Sox could keep him stretched out a bit, but having the starting pitcher depth, they do not necessarily need Hicks in the starting lineup. With the bullpen needing help, Hicks appears to be better suited as a bullpen pitcher than a back-end starting pitcher for Chicago this season.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the more active teams thus far this offseason, with their latest move coming as a trade with the Boston Red Sox for right-hander Jordan Hicks and pitching prospect David Sandlin.

More News: Chicago White Sox pull off pitching trade with Red Sox

Though the White Sox have made headlines with some of their moves this offseason, they have also made some under-the-radar moves, like sending infielder/outfielder Bryan Ramos to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations, according to the Orioles X (Twitter) account.

We have made the following trade: pic.twitter.com/5rVpweU2BD

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) February 2, 2026

The Chicago White Sox are shedding their old players to make way for new ones to add to what they’re building

Ramos, 23, has been with the White Sox since 2018 when he signed a minor league deal at 16. However, Ramos never found his footing with the White Sox, spending parts of two seasons with the big league club (36 games), with the majority of his career coming in the minor leagues, where he hit .249 with an OPS of .757 in six seasons; at the big league level, Ramos hit .198 with an OPS of .577.

Ramos will add valuable depth to a deep Orioles roster, which includes All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso, but he will have to compete for a bench role if he wants to make the big league roster.

The White Sox jettisoning Ramos shows they’re willingness to build around their young core and find better options available to add depth.

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The Chicago White Sox and general manager Chris Getz have had a great offseason, which culminated in the team signing Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami to a two-year ($34 million) deal.

More News: Chicago White Sox sign veteran $6 million All-Star outfielder

Also adding reliever Seranthony Dominguez (two years, $20 million) to be their closer, the White Sox still needed to add more depth to their starting rotation after ranking dead last in innings pitched by their starters (758.2). With there being a need for another starter, Getz decided to go out and make a trade with ESPN’s Jeff Passan reporting the White Sox are acquiring right-hander Jordan Hicks and right-handed pitching prospect David Sandlin from the Boston Red Sox.

Trade news: The Chicago White Sox are acquiring veteran right-hander Jordan Hicks and right-handed pitching prospect David Sandlin in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 1, 2026

According to Red Sox beat writer Chris Cotillo, the White Sox are sending their No. 21 prospect, right-hander Gage Ziehl, to the Red Sox. Along with Hicks and Sandlin, the Red Sox are sending $8 million to the White Sox to help pay for Hicks’ $24 million remaining salary, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon.

Sandlin, 24, had a 9-6 record with a 4.50 ERA in 32 games (14 starts) last season between Double and Triple-A.

The Red Sox are sending $8 million (of Hicks’ $24 million) to Chicago as part of this trade, league sources said. https://t.co/Gd5ukaKToS

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) February 1, 2026

Jordan Hicks offers more depth for the Chicago White Sox in their starting rotation

Hicks struggled to put together another quality season as a starter, posting a career-worst 2-7 record with a 6.95 ERA in 34 games (nine starts) between the Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. Joining a rotation that saw rookie right-hander Shane Smith be the team’s lone All-Star, a change of scenery, and lower expectations could help Hicks revamp his career.

Having as much depth as the White Sox do, Hicks could wind up being a valuable weapon for manager Will Venable out of the bullpen, if Dominguez can’t get the job done as the team’s closer. Hicks has 35 career saves under his belt.

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On Saturday, the Chicago White Sox added to the outfield by signing a veteran leader for the young clubhouse in 2026.

More News: Chicago Cubs: Good Riddance Kyle Tucker?

The White Sox recently traded center fielder Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets, sending a key piece of the team to a new city.

With Chicago needing help in the outfield this offseason, the team is adding a 2023 All-Star for the upcoming season.

Per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the White Sox are set to sign Austin Hays to a one-year deal worth $6 million.

Austin Hays is in agreement with the White Sox on a 1-yr, $6M contract … so far have used $$ made available by trading Robert Jr on Dominguez for pen and 1 of better RH vs LHP options in Hays.

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) January 31, 2026

Can Austin Hays play All-Star baseball for Chicago White Sox?

More News: Cubs All-Star pitcher could announce retirement soon

Hayes, 30, hit .315, .453, .768 with an OPS of 105 in 2025. He hit 15 home runs and added 64 RBI for the Cincinnati Reds.

When returning to the field last season after dealing with kidney issues, Hays wanted to prove he could return to All-Star form.

“I just want to be myself in a uniform again,” Hays said, via MLB.com. “I just want to prove I am myself and back to who I can be on the field, the level of effort I can play with. I felt unable to get there when I was playing through the stuff I went through last year.

“Just the energy I play with, I felt so low. I was doing all I could do to get through games. I had always been a high-energy player. That’s how I play the game.”

Hays should be a bright spot on the White Sox roster during his one season with the club. If he can return to his All-Star form this summer, Chicago could win some extra games as they continue their long rebuild on the South Side.

For More Chicago Sports:

Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at jordanmsigler@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have a say as one of the winners of the offseason after finally spending to add to their young core.

More News: The Chicago White Sox have the ‘financial flexibility’ to spend after trading Luis Robert Jr.

Highlighting some of their moves, the White Sox landed Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami on a two-year deal ($34 million) and added a solid back-end of the bullpen option in right-hander Seranthony Dominguez (two years, $20 million) to be their closer. The White Sox ranked deadlast in Major League Baseball in saves last season (25).

Despite not having a great bullpen last season, Dominguez will help lock down the backend of games, which will help others like right-hander Mike Vasil, who was one of the unsung heroes on the White Sox bullpen, settle into a role. Even though he was a rookie, Vasil proved to be one of the best relievers, leading all of MLB in innings pitched (90.0), which is the most by a White Sox pitcher since Keith Foulke (105.1) and Sean Lowe (95.2) in 1999.

Mike Vasil appreciation post pic.twitter.com/K6UMf2nX6h

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) January 27, 2026

The Chicago White Sox could have one of the better bullpens in 2026

Entering the fourth year of their rebuild, the White Sox could take a step toward being more competitive in 2026, and it could come from having a strong bullpen. Having Dominguez get the first crack at being the closer should allow Vasil, Grant Taylor (4.91 ERA), and Jordan Leasure (3.92 ERA) to fill in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.

However, the White Sox lack a solid left-handed reliever who can take down high-leverage innings. Left-handers Brandon Eisert (4.39) and Tyler Gilbert (3.88) are options, but are more suited for long relief or mop-up roles. With some good veteran relievers still on the market, Justin Wilson and Andrew Chafin, the White Sox should add one to fill out the rest of their bullpen.

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The Chicago White Sox have been excited about the debut of third baseman Munetaka Murakami, as he is coming over from Japan this season. With the World Baseball Classic taking place this Spring Training, the rosters are expected to be stacked. Team Japan has named some players to the team earlier today, so let’s take a look at one White Sox player heading to play in this international tournament.

Munetaka Murakami will be playing for Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Team Japan announced 10 players to be part of the 2026 World Baseball Classic roster to bring the roster to 29 players. One of them was Murakami, who is in his first MLB season. In a translated version of his quote, Murakami would discuss joining Team Japan for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Below is the statement he provided:

“I am truly proud to be able to compete once again as a member of Samurai Japan. The WBC is a special tournament for me. With the emotion and thrill I felt in the last tournament in my heart, I am determined to do my best to help Japan become the world’s best. This is a very important time for me as it is my first year after the transfer [to MLB], but I am truly grateful for the team’s deep understanding and willingness to send me off. I will be beginning my challenges in a new environment, but first and foremost, I will put my soul into every at-bat so I can contribute to Samurai Japan’s victory and prove to the world the greatness of Japanese baseball. The enthusiastic cheers of the Japanese fans will give me strength. I would appreciate your support.”

Murakami is entering his first season in Major League Baseball as he signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the White Sox. He is one of seven MLB players playing for Team Japan this year, including:

• Yuki Matsui (San Diego Padres)
• Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Yusei Kikuchi (Los Angeles Angels)
• Yoshinubo Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers)
• Kazuma Okamoto (Toronto Blue Jays)
• Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs)

It will be intriguing to see how Murakami plays in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, as it takes place from March 5-18, and he competed in the 2023 version of the tournament. This also means he will not be with the White Sox for his first Spring Training outside of a handful of games to see how he does.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the more active teams throughout the offseason, and continue to make moves as it continues on. There are some holes on the roster, and with an inexperienced team, adding a veteran could be worth it for the experience alone. Chicago made a move on Friday afternoon to bolster the team, so let’s take a closer look at who the team added and what it means for them going forward.

The Chicago White Sox sign Seranthony Dominguez to a multi-year deal

ESPN’s Jeff Passan has reported that the Chicago White Sox have made another signing as they have agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract with reliever Seranthony Dominguez. Dominguez spent time with the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays last season and combined for 67 appearances. He ended the season 4-4 with a 3.16 ERA and a 36:79 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 62.2 innings. Dominguez is projected to be the White Sox’s closer, and this gives the team a pitcher with experience, as no other reliever has at least three years of MLB service time.

Dominguez had some control issues as his 12 wild pitches last season were the most in MLB. However, he has a five-pitch arsenal with his fastball, sweeper, and splitter all being great putaway pitches.

This deal is essentially using the money that was earmarked for Luis Robert Jr. before he was traded away to the New York Mets. This contract also allows Chicago to be able to use him as a tradable piece when the MLB Trade Deadline approaches if they are too far out of it. Teams are going to be aggressive to add bullpen help, and this contract makes him movable. It will be intriguing to see how he does with the White Sox going forward, as he has a good chance to be successful with a young team.

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The Chicago White Sox are going to have a lot of young talent littered throughout their roster. With the 2026 season approaching, there are a lot of reasons to be excited. While the team is not projected to do too much winning, they have a core of players who are continuing to develop. However, the MLB Top 100 has one of the young stars being named as one of the top players in all of Major League Baseball. Let’s take a deeper dive into who it is and why he was named to the list.

The Chicago White Sox see Colson Montgomery on the MLB Top 100 list

After trading away Luis Robert Jr, it seemed like the roster may be bereft of talent. However, they have some young talent for their core, and shortstop Colson Montgomery seems to be the centerpiece. According to MLB Network’s Top 100 Players list, Montgomery is the 88th-best player entering the 2026 season. He is the only member of the team to be named to the list, and he has a lot of hype entering the season. One writer even predicted him to hit 40+ home runs in the 2026 season.

The one flaw in his game has been a high strikeout rate, finishing with a 29.2 strikeout percentage in the majors. It is something we have seen over the years for young players, and some players are able to improve on that number with more experience against major-league pitching.

Montgomery played 71 games as a rookie in 2025 and was fifth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. He finished the season with a .840 OPS with 21 home runs, 55 RBI, and 43 runs scored while also fielding well from both shortstop and third base. With a full season to put up numbers, it will be intriguing to see how he performs throughout the season on a team not expected to do much winning. If he can continue to showcase his abilities at that same level in 2026, this White Sox team will be exciting.

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The Chicago White Sox have accomplished everything they needed to do this offseason, with the biggest hurdle being trading centerfielder Luis Robert Jr.

More News: Chicago White Sox trade away Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets

With $20 million now off the roster, general manager Chris Getz now has the “financial flexibility” to add to their young core, according to CHSN’s Chuck Garfien, which could come in the form of two or three more players. According to Garfien, Getz says the White Sox are going to be “very active,” and they’re already talking to agents.

With the Mets taking on Luis Robert’s $20 million salary for 2026, Chris Getz says “We’ve got financial flexibility now to bring in (more) talent. We’re going to be very active.”

He’s already been talking with agents and clubs.

— Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) January 21, 2026

The Chicago White Sox still need a few arms and a bat to fill out their roster

Having an extra $20 million to spend, Getz and the White Sox have some options on the free agent market to spend on. With the White Sox needing pitching, they could sign free agent right-hander Zac Gallen, who remains unsigned. That likely won’t happen, as Gallen is seeking a longer-term deal and more money.

Other potential options that could fill out that $20 million are right-handers Nick Martinez, Lucas Giolito, or Griffin Canning, whom the White Sox have expressed interest in signing. The White Sox could also use another bat in the outfield now that Robert Jr. is gone, with Andrew Benintendi, Brooks Baldwin, Derek Hill, and Everson Pereira being the options to fill the outfield.

With only a few weeks remaining until the start of spring training, the likelihood of the White Sox spending this $20 million is slim, but it could happen.

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The Chicago White Sox have been making moves during the 2026 MLB offseason, and on Tuesday night, they continued to do just that. The team has reportedly been talking to multiple teams regarding making a trade, and they have finally done so. Let’s take a closer look at the trade package between the White Sox and the New York Mets and discuss what this means for the White Sox going forward.

The Chicago White Sox traded away Luis Robert Jr. for 2 prospects

The White Sox have finally pulled the trigger on a long-rumored trade as they traded away center fielder Luis Robert Jr. The trade sees him going to the Mets in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuna and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Robert Jr. is being paid $20 million this season and has a club option for the same amount in 2027 before becoming a free agent.

Acuna is projected to be Chicago’s center fielder and has positional flexibility, playing second base, third base, and center field in his young career. He has appeared in 109 games and has a .640 OPS with three home runs, 14 RBI, 36 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases on 18 attempts. In the field, Acuna has been excellent, only committing three errors in 580.0 innings defensively. Pauley is a Single-A pitcher who was drafted in the 12th round of the 2025 MLB Draft. He made three starts with the St. Lucie Mets last season and was 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 4.1 innings.

This is clearly the White Sox shedding Robert Jr’s salary and getting some young talent in return. This seemingly is not a terrible trade for Chicago, but takes away arguably their most well-known player. This will open up a chance for Everson Pereira to get some action and compete with Acuna for the starting center field spot. This young core of Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, and Brooks Baldwin now adds another young player to the mix. It will be intriguing to see how the White Sox look with so much young talent.

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The Chicago White Sox have had many legends in their history, but none can compare to White Sox icon Wilbur Wood, who sadly passed away Sunday, Jan. 18. According to the White Sox on X, the three-time All-Star was 84.

More News: Chicago White Sox sign 8-year veteran pitcher to minor league deal

Along with being named an All-Star, Wood finished in the top five for the Cy Young award three times, with his highest finish being second in 1972 (24-17, 2.51 ERA). Wood also pitched over 300.0 innings four times in his career (1971-74), with 376.2 innings being his career high.

The White Sox send our condolences to the family, friends and fans of 3x All-Star Wilbur Wood, who has passed away at the age of 84.

Wood appeared in 578 games (286 starts) over 12 seasons with the White Sox from 1967-1978. pic.twitter.com/cFU4IZlohI

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) January 19, 2026

Wilbur Wood was not just an icon for the Chicago White Sox, but for Major League Baseball

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wood made his major league debut on June 30, 1961, with the Boston Red Sox as a 19-year-old. While facing the then-Cleveland Indians, Wood showed what made him a great major leaguer, pitching four innings, striking out three, allowing three hits, one walk, and allowing two earned runs.

Wood would eventually make his way to the White Sox in 1966 after bouncing from the Red Sox to the Pittsburgh Pirates when the Pirates traded Wood to the Sox for pitcher Juan Pizarro. Wood would then spend the rest of his career (12 seasons, 1967-78) with the White Sox, going 163-148 with a 3.18 ERA and striking out 1,322 batters.

What made Wood so unique in his career, and what gave him the longevity he had (17 seasons), was his ability to master the ever-elusive knuckleball. Wood was the most notable left-handed knuckleballer the game has seen, with the rest being right-handed.

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