The Chicago White Sox were among the busiest teams at this year’s trade deadline. Between Aug. 2 and the 5 p.m. CT deadline on Aug. 3, they acquired four players: right-hander Luis Castillo, reliever Huascar Brazoban, center fielder Brenton Doyle, and catcher Joey Bart.

To complete those deals, the White Sox parted with reliever Seranthony Domínguez, catcher Boston Smith, outfielder Nolan Jones, pitchers Gabe Davis, Zach Franklin, Mason Adams, and Duncan Davitt, as well as shortstop Carlos Vielma.

All told, general manager Chris Getz addressed every area he identified as a priority without dismantling the farm system he has spent years rebuilding. By strengthening the major league roster while preserving much of the organization’s prospect depth, the White Sox have positioned themselves to compete not only this season but for years to come.

Perhaps most importantly, each of Getz’s four trade acquisitions remains under team control beyond 2026, reinforcing that these moves were made with both the present and the future in mind.

All four of the Chicago White Sox 2026 trade acquisitions are under team control for multiple more seasons

Thirty-three-year-old Luis Castillo is under contract beyond this season after signing a five-year, $108 million deal with the Seattle Mariners. Following his trade to the White Sox, he is owed $24.15 million in 2027 and has a $25 million vesting option for 2028 that will trigger if he reaches 180 innings pitched in 2027.

Huascar Brazoban, who is already 36 years old, also provides long-term value, despite his age. He remains under team control for three additional seasons beyond 2026, all years of arbitration, giving the White Sox another controllable arm in the back end of their bullpen.

• Related: Newest White Sox Huascar Brazoban has underdog story Chicago fans will love 

In the outfield, Brenton Doyle also has three years of arbitration left before free agency and catcher Joey Bart is under control through the 2027 season.

Taken together, those contract situations reveal a clear theme with Chris Getz’s trade deadline strategy. Rather than adding short-term rentals, the White Sox targeted players who can contribute immediately while remaining part of the club’s core beyond this season.

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A few weeks ago, Kyle Teel suffered a high ankle sprain while attempting to apply a tag at home plate. Given that it was already his third injury of the season, and with how much pain he appeared to be in afterwards, many feared the White Sox rookie’s year could be over.

The uncertainty surrounding Teel’s recovery, and poor performances of those at the position this year, ended up influencing general manager Chris Getz’s approach at the trade deadline. With Chicago’s remaining catching options providing little offensive production, adding help behind the plate became a clear priority. Getz ended up adding veteran Joey Bart, who is a former second overall selection by the San Francisco Giants in 2018.

In 2026 alone, Chicago will be the third organization for Bart. He began the campaign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was dealt to the Atlanta Braves in June, and then most recently to the White Sox. Among fans, the move was viewed as a low-risk transaction, one that doesn’t look like an obvious solution to their problem, but certainly could pan out if the talented catcher finds lighting in a bottle with yet a new organization.

Amid all the trade deadline excitement, one important update may have flown under the radar. According to James Fegan, the White Sox believe Teel is roughly four weeks away from returning, putting him on track to return around September 1.

The Chicago White Sox are not only confident Kyle Teel will return in 2026, but he will continue to be their guy at catcher

There is little doubt that Teel remains the White Sox’s catcher of the future. However, after three separate injuries this season, the organization could have opted to shut him down and turn its attention to 2027. Instead, the White Sox reiterated their confidence that he will not only return before the end of the season, but they hinted that he will be their guy behind the plate.

Chris Getz said for Kyle Teel’s return to action:

“Sept. 1 is kind of a rough timeline. As we move along, further along from when the injury happened, we’ll get a better idea. He will be back this season. I think we’re confident in that, and that’s a big boost too.”

— James Fegan (@JRFegan) August 3, 2026

That perspective helps explain the modest acquisition of Joey Bart. Rather than replacing Teel, Bart gives Chicago a short-term option while Teel recovers, adding needed depth without altering the organization’s long-term plans. Additionally, Bart remains under team control after this season as well, meaning the two could continue to work together after this year.

For Teel, this injury-plagued season has undoubtedly been frustrating, but he can continue his rehabilitation knowing the organization still views him as a key piece of its playoff push. The White Sox have made it clear they expect him to reclaim the starting catcher role once he’s healthy, giving him the opportunity to return for the stretch run and, potentially, experience postseason baseball.

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The Chicago White Sox approached the Major League Baseball’s trade deadline with three goals in mind. First they wanted to add a starting pitcher. They accomplished this by acquiring three-time All-Star Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners. They also got reliever Huascar Brazoban from the New York Mets.

Additionally, Chicago wanted to get some quality outfield depth. This they accomplished by trading for outfielder Brenton Doyle from the Colorado Rockies.

All that was left was finding a catcher, and this they did in a last-minute deal with Atlanta Braves.

The Chicago White Sox have traded for catcher Joey Bart

In the final minutes before the MLB trade deadline, it was reported that the White Sox have added catcher Joey Bart, whom they have acquired from the Atlanta Braves:

The White Sox finally get the catching help they’ve been looking for, acquiring Joey Bart from the Braves for RHP Duncan Davitt, per source.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 3, 2026

Chicago is sending Duncan Davitt to Atlanta. Davitt, a relief pitcher, was recently recalled from Triple-A following the Castillo trade.

Bart fills a dire need for the White Sox, who have been struggling to find consistent offense at the catcher position all season long. Kyle Teel missed the first few months of the season, and then struggled at the plate before going on the injured list again.

Edgar Quero has not been the answer.

Hopefully, Bart will have more success with the White Sox than he has throughout the majority of his career. This season, he is hitting just .226/.303/.477 with four home runs and 13 RBI.

This is actually the second time Bart has been traded this season. The Pittsburgh Pirates traded him to Atlanta back on June 18. His numbers with Atlanta are even worse (.188/.316/.375).

A former second overall pick by the San Francisco Giants, Bart has all the potential in the world. Hopefully Chicago can help him realize it.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox shockingly named possible trade destination for Mason Miller
• Sky guard Jacy Sheldon turns heads at White Sox game
• White Sox add 9-year MLB veteran catcher ahead of MLB trade deadline

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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With the success the Chicago White Sox have had this season, they put themselves in a spot to be a buyer at the MLB Trade Deadline. Going into Monday’s deadline, the White Sox have a three-game lead in the AL Central and are looking to get even better.

Chicago has already made a few big moves, headlined by acquiring Luis Castillo over the weekend. That helped the White Sox rotation for their postseason push. Now, they are adding another player to the outfield.

On Monday, the White Sox agreed to a deal to acquire outfielder Brenton Doyle from the Colorado Rockies. Chicago will send right-hander Mason Adams and shortstop Carlos Vielma to Colorado in the deal.

White Sox acquiring CF Brenton Doyle from the Rockies, sources tell me and @WillSammon

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 3, 2026

Chicago White Sox make buy low deal to acquire Brenton Doyle

The addition of Doyle is huge defensively for the White Sox. He’s a two-time gold glove winner and a really good option in center field for the White Sox. He now gives them a good option to put in the outfield to showcase his defense.

On offense, he’s still a work in progress.  Here is what MLB Trade Rumors wrote on the deal to send Doyle to Chicago:

In 129 plate appearances this year, he’s batting just .214/.287/.282 with a single home run. Doyle is striking out at a 32.6% clip, and 54.8% of his batted balls are on the ground, a marked increase from 46.2% last year and 41.0% in his solid 2024 season. He is walking at a career-best 9.3% rate, but that’s about the only thing going well for him at the dish.

In that 2024 season, Doyle produced a line of .260/.317/.446 in just over 600 plate appearances. He struck out at a more manageable 25.4% clip while showing decent power and speed, including 23 home runs and 30 stolen bases. The end result was a 97 wRC+, indicating that Doyle was 3% below league average when adjusting for Coors Field.

Chicago may not be done adding at the deadline just yet.

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The Chicago White Sox entered the 2026 trade deadline as buyers, a dramatic shift after years of rebuilding. Following several difficult seasons spent trading established veterans for young prospects, the organization’s long-term plan is finally coming to fruition, and Chris Getz is rewarding the club by acquiring players that will help position the club to not only contend for a playoff berth, but make a legitimate post season run.

With the trade deadline set to pass later this afternoon, Getz has already been busy reshaping the White Sox roster. He began with lower-profile additions, acquiring José Urquidy and signing Eric Haase to a minor league deal, before making a much bigger splash by landing Luis Castillo, a move that immediately strengthens Chicago’s starting rotation.

The Castillo trade came at the cost of reliever Seranthony Domínguez, who was sent to Seattle, creating an opening in the White Sox bullpen. Getz wasted little time addressing that need, acquiring Huascar Brazoban from the New York Mets in exchange for pitching prospects Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin.

Brazboan, age 36, is currently in the middle of his best MLB season yet, a journey that began at age 32. This year, he owns a 2.61 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 22 walks over 51.2 innings pitched. He should immediately slide in as a high leverage reliever as his 96 MPH sinker and devastating changeup, one opposing batters are whiffing on 30% of the time this year, has been dialed in all year.

Newest Chicago White Sox addition Huascar Brazoban has an amazing underdog story

Brazobán’s road to the major leagues was anything but conventional. He didn’t make his MLB debut until 2022, when he broke through with the Miami Marlins at 32 years old.

His journey began after signing with the Colorado Rockies as an international free agent in 2012, but reaching the majors required years of perseverance. Along the way, he pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League, Dominican Winter League, and independent baseball, remaining outside affiliated baseball as recently as 2021 before finally earning an opportunity with Miami.

Since breaking through, Brazoban has looked the part in the Majors. He owns a career 3.49 ERA across 258 big league innings. He also have 42 holds and two saves under his belt, further proof that he should make an immediate impact in the White Sox bullpen. Under team control through the 2029 season, Brazoban could remain a key fixture for years to come yet, which may be why the Mets received two prospects in return for his services this year.

Overall, Brazobán’s story is one built on perseverance. After spending a decade grinding through the minors, winter leagues, and independent baseball before finally reaching the majors at 32, he has never taken his opportunity for granted. In many ways, that journey mirrors the White Sox’s own path. After years of enduring losses, rebuilding the organization from the ground up, and waiting for young talent to develop, Chicago has finally emerged as a contender. Now, their paths intersect at the perfect time, with both hoping their perseverance is rewarded by a deep postseason run.

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The Chicago White Sox were expected to be buyers ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline. While the deadline has not yet passed, Chicago has already proven that they are, indeed, trying to improve their roster. At 58-52, the White Sox are the only team in the American League Central Division with a winning record. Of course, they want to maintain their lead.

It is no secret that, in order to remain competitive this year, Chicago needs both pitching and catching help. On Saturday night, they addressed one of these needs, which caused a domino effect on their active roster.

The Chicago White Sox move Erick Fedde to the bullpen after acquiring Luis Castillo

On Saturday night, it was announced that the White Sox had acquired three-time All-Star starting pitcher Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners. In order to get him, they had to give up reliever Seranthony Dominguez, Nolan Jones, and catching prospect Boston Smith.

Adding Castillo gave them an All-Star caliber starter (in theory), but the return package they had to give up left a hole in the bullpen. To address this, Chicago decided to move Erick Fedde to the pen:

Will Venable said with the trade, they’re moving Erick Fedde to the bullpen. #whitesox

— Brooke Fletcher (@BrookeFletcher) August 2, 2026

Castillo is having a down year, and is just 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA. The hope, of course, is that a change of scenery will help him return to form.

Fedde, meanwhile is 6-6 with a 4.13 ERA in 22 games (12 starts).

The White Sox also announced that they have recalled right-handed pitcher Duncan Davitt from Triple-A.

Prior to today’s game at Tampa Bay, the Chicago White Sox recalled right-handed pitcher Duncan Davitt from Class AAA Charlotte.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 2, 2026

Davitt pitched in one game for the White Sox already this year (his Major League debut) and did not give up a run in one inning of work.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox shockingly named possible trade destination for Mason Miller
• Sky guard Jacy Sheldon turns heads at White Sox game
• White Sox add 9-year MLB veteran catcher ahead of MLB trade deadline

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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At 58-52, the Chicago White Sox are the only team in the American League Central Division with a record over .500. They currently have a three-game lead over the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians, while the Detroit Tigers (who have won two games in a row), are 5.5 games back.

It would appear, though, that the Tigers have waved the white flag on their season. On Saturday night, they traded two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. What is more, they are expected to trade more of their players ahead of Monday’s deadline.

For their part, the White Sox made a trade last night, though not as notable of one as fans may have wanted.

Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz does not want to part with top prospects’

Last night, it was reported that Chicago had acquired three-time All-Star Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners. The White Sox sent reliever Seranthony Dominguez, Nolan Jones, and catching prospect Boston Smith to the Mariners in return.

Castillo has made 20 starts this year, but is just 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA. He is, though, under club control through next season.

On Sunday, White Sox general manager Chris Getz revealed that they were not and are not in the market for any rentals that would cost them any top prospects.

According to Chicago insider Jesse Rogers, Getz said, “When you’re having these conversations about potential rental starters or controllable starters and you get an idea of what the cost is going to be, and candidly, with some of these meaningful rental starters that will be available here in the next day or so, we didn’t want to go into our top 100 prospects.”

Castillo may not have been on many fans’ radars, especially considering he is having a down year. But the White Sox have turned their ship around quite quickly and, at this point, should be given the benefit of the doubt.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox shockingly named possible trade destination for Mason Miller
• Sky guard Jacy Sheldon turns heads at White Sox game
• White Sox add 9-year MLB veteran catcher ahead of MLB trade deadline

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 58-52 on the season and hold a 2.5 game lead in the American League Central Division. As they prepare for an unexpected playoff push, it is clear that the team is in need of starting pitching and catching help.

On Saturday night, they addressed one of those needs, agreeing to a trade with the Seattle Mariners for a three-time All-star starting pitcher.

The Chicago White Sox acquire Luis Castillo in a trade with the Seattle Mariners

As first reported on X by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the White Sox have acquired three-time All-Star pitcher Luis Castillo:

BREAKING: The Chicago White Sox are acquiring right-hander Luis Castillo in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2026

In order to get Castillo, Chicago had to send reliever Seranthony Dominguez, Nolan Jones, and catching prospect Boston Smith.

Castillo is having a down year in Seattle. Leading up to the trade, he was 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA in 20 games (17 starts). This is a huge plummet in production from 2025, when he was 11-8 with a 3.54 ERA.

He was last an All-Star in 2023 when he went 14-9 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 starts for the Mariners.

In his career, Castillo is 87-93 with a 3.65 ERA. He spent the first five-and-a-half years with the Cincinnati Reds before being traded to Seattle in 2022. That was the year he made his second career All-Star team. In 25 starts between the Reds and Mariners, he was 8-6 with a 2.99 ERA.

Castillo’s first All-Star season was in 2019 when he was 15-8 with a 3.40 ERA.

In 2021, he led the Major Leagues in losses, going 8-16 with a 3.98 ERA.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox shockingly named possible trade destination for Mason Miller
• Sky guard Jacy Sheldon turns heads at White Sox game
• White Sox add 9-year MLB veteran catcher ahead of MLB trade deadline

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 58-52 on the season following their 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. As of this writing, they still hold a 2.5 game lead in the American League Central Division.

This is a huge weekend in Major League Baseball because the trade deadline lands on Monday. The White Sox are a surprise contender this year, and for the first time in a while will be buyers at the deadline as opposed to sellers.

As the trade deadline nears, Chicago is in need of both pitching and catching. A recent trade proposal would solve both problems.

Trade proposal with the Cincinnati Reds would give the Chicago White Sox 2 pitchers and a catcher

Bleacher Report recently published an article in which they proposed a trade for every team that is believed to be buyers at the deadline. For the White Sox, they suggested a trade would would bring pitchers Brady Singer and Brock Burke as well as catcher Tyler Stephenson to Chicago:

“The White Sox are known to be looking for rotation help and catching depth after Kyle Teel was injured, and every contender can use more quality bullpen pieces, so this is a quantity package that addresses multiple needs.

“Singer has been hit-and-miss, but with a 4.24 ERA in 962.2 career innings, there is a long enough track record of production to believe he can potentially be a playoff starter. Stephenson is a league-average hitter who can handle a staff, while Burke has a 2.61 ERA over an NL-leading 56 appearances.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox shockingly named possible trade destination for Mason Miller
• Sky guard Jacy Sheldon turns heads at White Sox game
• White Sox add 9-year MLB veteran catcher ahead of MLB trade deadline

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 55-51 on the season, good for first place in the American League Central Division. They currently have a 1.5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians with just a little over two months remaining in the regular season.

Obviously, the division is still wide open. However, the fact that the White Sox are even in a position to be in the conversation this year (after three consecutive 100+ loss seasons) is nothing short of amazing. Clearly, they are further ahead in their rebuild than many believed they were.

And with the MLB trade deadline looming, Chicago is poised to be serious buyers for the first time in a while.

The Chicago White Sox named a possible landing spot for Mason Miller

One of the areas in which the White Sox must see improvement if they are to continue contending in 2026 is the bullpen. Obviously, Mason Miller, the two-time All-Star closer from the San Diego Padres, is the most high-profile name on the trade market as the MLB deadline nears.

It is not yet known whether or not Miller will even be moved, but if he is, Fox Sports believes that Chicago is a possible destination:

“Acquiring Miller would give the White Sox their undisputed closer, taking the burden off younger/less experienced relievers like Bryan Hudson and Grant Taylor to shut the door. Plus, veteran Seranthony Domínguez, who owns a 4.21 ERA and is 12 of 17 in save situations for Chicago, previously found more success in a setup role with the Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.”

Miller, who has a 0.81 ERA and 27 saves so far this season, would give Chicago the chance to move their current relievers into roles in which they have been more successful, as noted above.

Additionally, Miller has three more seasons of club control remaining after the 2026 season. While this makes him all the more enticing for teams interested in trading for him, it also makes him more expensive. The White Sox would have to give up significant prospect resources in order to acquire him.

That being said, Chicago has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to middle infield prospects. They could certainly offer the Padres an intriguing package.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Sky star Jacy Sheldon turns heads at White Sox game
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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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Jacy Sheldon is playing her first season with the Chicago Sky after being traded from the Washington Mystics. She is currently averaging 6.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

The fifth overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft spent the majority of the 2025 season with the Connecticut Sun before a mid-season trade to the Washington Mystics. 

Sheldon has been a solid rotation piece for the Sky. However, they are currently 13th in the WNBA standings. Chicago is 9-18 this season.

The 2021 WNBA Champions last made the playoffs in 2023. Since then, they have yet to crack more than 13 wins in a season. 

Chicago Sky’s Jacy Sheldon attends a Chicago White Sox game

On Tuesday, Sheldon as tasked with throwing the first pitch of the Chicago White Sox’s game against the New York Yankees. 

The White Sox shared the moment on their Instagram page.

“From the court to the mound. @chicagosky’s own, Jacy Sheldon! ,” the team said in the caption.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chicago White Sox (@whitesox)

The 5-foot-10 guard represented the Sky at the Rate Field, home of the White Sox. Her appearance garnered multiple reactions from Chicago fans.

“The sky looks good in black and white!” a fan commented.

“Goooo Jacy! @jacysheldon,” another wrote.

“Jacy!” a user mentioned.

“Yeah Jacy!!” a supporter said.

“@jacysheldon let’s gooooo south side ,” another added.

“she’s beautiful asf,” a comment mentioned. 

The White Sox dropped to 55-51 on the season after suffering a 2-3 home loss to the Yankees on Tuesday. They are now 0-2 in the series with the third of four games scheduled for Wednesday.

After hosting the 2026 WNBA All-Star Weekend, the Sky are preparing for the next match. Chicago looks to snap their two-game losing streak as it will host the Connecticut Sun on July 30. 

Sheldon has only scored a total two points on 2-of-8 shooting in their last two games. She’ll be looking to bounce back and help the Sky get their 10th win of the year.

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It’s no secret that the Chicago White Sox are prioritizing upgrades to both their pitching staff and catching position ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. However, instead of making a splash right away, the organization has taken a more measured approach to the market.

Chicago has already added right-hander José Urquidy via trade and has now signed nine-year MLB veteran catcher Eric Haase to a minor league deal, signaling a willingness to improve the roster while continuing to evaluate for bigger opportunities.

Catcher Eric Haase has joined the Chicago White Sox on a minor league contract

Haase, a 33-year-old catcher, has historically provided value with his bat and the ability to impact the game offensively. He owns a 22-home run season on his resume, which came with the Detroit Tigers in 2021, but his recent MLB opportunities have been limited. He has appeared in fewer than 30 games in each of the past three seasons, including 2026, when he spent time with the San Francisco Giants before being released.

Now with the White Sox organization, Haase will need to earn his way back to the major leagues while the team continues to evaluate its options behind the plate ahead of the trade deadline. Still, the timing of the signing makes it a smart move for Chicago. By bringing him in now, Haase remains eligible for the postseason if other additions don’t materialize and he performs well enough in the minor leagues to force his way into the conversation.

While Haase is far from a guarantee to solve the White Sox’s catching situation, the move represents the type of low-risk addition that makes sense before the trade deadline. Chicago can continue exploring larger upgrades while adding experienced depth and a potential offensive spark if Haase finds his swing again. With a proven track record and postseason eligibility, Haase gives the organization another option as it looks to strengthen the roster for the stretch run.

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The Chicago White Sox opened trade deadline week by trading for veteran right-hander José Urquidy, a low-risk move that carries intriguing upside if he can rediscover his form. While the addition adds experienced depth to the pitching staff, it shouldn’t signal the end of general manager Chris Getz’s deadline activity.

If the White Sox are serious about making a postseason push, more moves are likely still to come. One area they desperately need to see improvement in is catcher. Kyle Teel hasn’t been able to stay healthy this year, and a combination of Edgar Quero, Drew Romo, and Reese McGuire hasn’t worked out.

Fortunately, it seems like the White Sox have a few rental options to choose from, which makes sense given Teel has incredible upside when healthy. Here are two of those options.

Catchers Ryan Jeffers and Tyler Stephenson make a ton of sense for the Chicago White Sox to target at the 2026 trade deadline

Ryan Jeffers

While intra-division trades are somewhat rare, it will be intriguing to see if Chicago and Minnesota link up for a deal involving Ryan Jeffers. The 29 year old catcher is enjoying one of his best offensive seasons so far, evidenced by a .930 OPS through 48 games. Jeffers missed time earlier this year following a hamate fracture, but has been back in the big leagues since July 10.

Jeffers is playing on a $6.7 million contract that expires at the end of the season, and Chicago could ask Minnesota to absorb a portion of his remaining salary. While doing so might increase the Twins’ asking price if they decide to sell, it shouldn’t dissuade the White Sox from addressing a clear area of need ahead of the trade deadline.

Tyler Stephenson

Another right-handed catching rental who could be available at this year’s trade deadline is Tyler Stephenson. The 29-year-old is slashing his way to a .712 OPS with eight home runs and 28 RBIs this season. While his offensive ceiling may not be quite as high as Jeffers’, Stephenson would still represent a significant upgrade and would immediately become the White Sox’s top offensive option behind the plate.

Stephenson also comes with a modest financial commitment, earning $6.8 million in 2026. As a pending free agent, he’d be an affordable rental whose remaining salary shouldn’t prevent the White Sox from pursuing other upgrades before the trade deadline.

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Before the All-Star break, the Chicago White Sox were expected to be in the market for pitching help as they plan to make an aggressive push for the postseason.

The White Sox have been the surprise of the MLB this year, and they lead the American League Central by 2.5 games over the Cleveland Guardians after defeating the Houston Astros 12-3 on Sunday.

Following Sunday’s win, the White Sox appear to have made a move that will help the bullpen this summer.

Per Robert Murray, Chicago is set to trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Jose Urquidy.

“The Chicago White Sox are acquiring pitcher Jose Urquidy from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to sources familiar with the deal,” Murray posted on X.

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The Chicago White Sox trade for a Pirates pitcher

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Urquidy, 31, won a World Series with the Houston Astros in 2022. The right-handed pitcher appeared in five  games for the Pirates this season, earning one save and one loss in 6.1 innings pitched. He has an ERA of 8.53 this season and a career ERA of 4.07.

Urquidy has given up 15 hits, 10 runs, and earned six strikeouts this season.

The White Sox are gaining a pitcher with postseason experience, but Urquidy has not been as dominant since he left the Astros organization. He had a 7.71 ERA with the Detroit Tigers in two games pitched last season.

Urquidy signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Pirates before the season.

The bullpen for the White Sox is ranked No. 14 in the MLB with an ERA of 4.03. Urquidy could do better on the White Sox with a change of scenery.

Chicago could still use starting pitching help this summer. The starting rotation for the White Sox ranks No. 29 with an ERA of 4.70.

The trade deadline is set for Aug. 3, giving the White Sox a week to add help as they make a late-season push for the playoffs.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox are in a position that very few, if anyone, expected them to be in at this point in the season. Prior to 2026, Chicago had lost more than 100 games in three consecutive seasons. This included a Major League record 121 losses in 2024.

As it stands now, though, they are 54-48 and in first place in the American League Central Division. In the past, the White Sox have been one of the worst teams in baseball and, as such, traded away many of their more productive players at the MLB deadline each year. Now, though, they are making a push for the postseason and are expected to trade for talented Major Leaguers instead of sending them away.

In order to add, though, they are going to have to part with notable prospects.

The Chicago White Sox are predicted to trade Billy Carlson

There are multiple holes that Chicago has on its roster as they enter the season’s home stretch. Among these are pitching and catching, two positions that are going to cost a bit to address due to the scarcity of high-profile players that will be available at those positions.

This is not to say that there will not be any, but rather that any needle-pushers that are on the trade block are going to cost interested teams some noteworthy prospects.

With this in mind, The Athletic believes that 2025 first round pick Billy Carlson is the White Sox prospect most likely to be traded:

“Carlson was Chicago’s first-round draft pick in 2025, taken 10th overall as a high schooler out of California. The White Sox, notably, drafted another shortstop No. 1 overall earlier this month. That’s to say nothing of their current young shortstop, Colson Montgomery, who is a bona fide great player.

“So while you can never have too much shortstop talent in your system, parting with Carlson might make some sense to bolster a club that could win the AL Central, and maybe even get a postseason bye. It’s been an incredible turnaround, and Chicago needs to capitalize at the deadline by adding some pitching.”

The 19-year-old shortstop is hitting .263/.391/.354 with no home runs and 18 RBI in 48 games this year, which is his first season of professional baseball.

As The Athletic notes, the White Sox just drafted a shortstop with the first overall pick this year, and Colson Montgomery has established himself as a great player in the Majors already.

In other words, they can afford to part ways with Carlson, who has a former first round pick would draw interest from teams looking to add prospects.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox trade acquisition is leading MLB’s hottest bullpen
• White Sox ideal target ahead of MLB trade deadline revealed as former NL Cy Young winner
• Anthony Kay called out to be White Sox 2nd half All-Star

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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In February, the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox agreed to a trade that sent pitchers David Sandlin and Jordan Hicks to Chicago and Gage Ziehl to Boston. Hicks, who has been both a starter and reliever throughout his career, has strictly been a bullpen arm under Will Venable this year, but his season did not start off all that strong.

Before landing on the injured list with a lat strain at the end of May, Hicks owned a 5.60 ERA. Since returning on June 21, he has been virtually untouchable, not allowing an earned run across 11 appearances. During that span, Hicks has logged 10.2 innings, struck out 18 batters, posted a 0.47 WHIP, and held opponents to a .093 batting average, lowering his season ERA to a better looking 3.49.

Coincident or not, the White Sox bullpen has been equally as dominant as a unit over the last month, ranking among the leagues best in several pitching categories.

Jordan Hicks return from injury is fueling the Chicago White Sox bullpen, which since has been among the best relief corps in the league

Since June 23, just two days after Hicks returned to the White Sox bullpen, Chicago’s relief corps has been one of the most dominant units in baseball. Entering play on July 23, White Sox relievers ranked first in the majors with 119 strikeouts during that span while also placing second in ERA (2.21), opponent batting average (.194), opponent slugging percentage (.293), and innings pitched (105.2).

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The Chicago White Sox are 54-47 on the season and clinging to a one-game lead for first place in the American League Central Division. Indeed, Chicago has been one of the best stories in Major League Baseball this year. After three straight seasons of losing more than 100 games a year, they have put a contender together that is poised to compete for years to come.

As is the case with every contender, though, they have some pieces missing. While the offense generally puts up a plethora of runs each game, the pitching has turned out to be suspect. As the MLB trade deadline nears, it is clear that the White Sox will need to add to their pitching staff.

Sandy Alcantara named the ideal trade target for the Chicago White Sox

There are, of course, many pitchers that are going to be available leading up to the MLB trade deadline. One interesting name that could be moved is 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.

Recently, Bleacher Report named him as Chicago’s ideal target:

“If the White Sox can get that ace for a prorated $5M this year and a $21M club option next year, that would be huge. After entering this season feeling at least one more year away in their rebuild, they’re not likely to be a “swapping prospects for rentals” deadline team. But maybe they get a bit aggressive for a guy who would also be their Opening Day starter in 2027—assuming there eventually is an Opening Day in 2027…”

Back in 2022, Alcantara won the Cy Young Award in the National League by going 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. He also threw six complete games and one shutout.

Since then, however, he has been a shadow of his former self. In 2023, he was 7-12 with a 4.14 ERA, and he missed all of 2024 due to injury.

Last season, Alcantara was 11-12 with a 5.36 ERA, and this season is 10-6 with a 4.01 ERA.

The good news is that he leads all baseball with 22 starts, indicating that he is healthy. He also leads the Majors with 143.2 innings pitched.

Chicago may be taking  risk by adding Alcantara to the rotation at the deadline, but if he can get better with a change of scenery, he would be a huge boost to a team that is right in the thick of a postseason berth.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Anthony Kay must pitch like an All-Star for the Chicago White Sox in the second half
• White Sox predicted to add Jose Soriano at the MLB trade deadline
• White Sox place C Kyle Teel on 10-day injured list

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 53-46 on the season. Not only is this immensely better than anyone thought they would be at this point in the year, but it is also good enough for first place in the American League Central Division. Whereas many thought that Chicago would, once again, be among the worst teams in the league, they are now among the best.

The reason for this has primarily been the high-powered White Sox offense. All season long, they have ranked among MLB leaders in team home runs. Unfortunately, their starting pitching, by in large, has not been able to match how impressive their batting order is.

In order for them to continue stacking wins and secure a postseason spot, they need the pitchers they already have to step up.

Chicago White Sox LHP Anthony Kay gets called out in latest MLB power rankings

One of the pitchers that Chicago hoped would be a reliable starter for them in 2026 was Anthony Kay. After playing two seasons in Japan and seeing some success, returned to MLB by signing with the White Sox.

He has not been as good as the team had hoped, as The Athletic wrote in their weekly power rankings:

“After two seasons in Japan, where he posted a 2.84 ERA in 48 games, the White Sox signed Kay to a two-year, $12 million contract with a mutual option for the 2028 season. So far, his return stateside has been a mixed bag of sorts.

“Entering Monday, Kay had a 4.24 ERA over 20 games (18 starts), though xERA (5.34) and FIP (5.08) suggest he’s been a bit worse than advertised. There have been some highlights, like six scoreless innings against the Guardians in June, as well as some lowlights, like a six-run blowup against the Phillies, also in June.

“Kay also leads the league with 18 hit-by-pitches. Any more and he’s putting himself in territory with guys named James McJames and Phenomenal Smith.”

The White Sox, by the way, were slotted in at tenth in the power rankings. These particular rankings not only listed each MLB team in order from best to worst, but also identified the player on each team that needs to improve the most.

Obviously, they believe the White Sox player that needs to show some improvement is Kay.

The fact of the matter is that Chicago likely is not going to land one of the big-name rental starting pitchers on the trading block. In order for their staff to improve, pitchers like Kay need to realize the potential the team saw in them.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Another frustrating Kyle Teel injury should force White Sox hand at trade deadline
• MLB analyst reveals White Sox most important player for remainder of 2026 season
• White Sox stand pat in top-10 of latest MLB power rankings

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 53-46 on the season, which is good for first place in the American League Central Division. They currently have a +52 run differential, which is the second-best in the American League and fifth-best in all Major League Baseball.

Indeed, the White Sox are the biggest surprise in baseball this year. From 2023-2025, they lost 100+ games every season. No one expected them to be much better in 2026, but here they are knocking on the door of a postseason berth.

As the MLB trade deadline approaches, Chicago is now seen as a buyer whereas previous seasons saw them selling their best players to contending clubs.

The Chicago White Sox are predicted to trade for Jose Soriano

Recently, Bleacher Report published an article in which they made eight bold predictions for the 2026 MLB trade deadline. One of them was that the White Sox would acquire Los Angeles Angels right-handed starting pitcher Jose Soriano:

“Will José Soriano really be available in the next two weeks? According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, he is, in fact, expected to be.

“But one is skeptical, precisely because one knows the Los Angeles Angels are still ultimately in Arte Moreno’s hands. If there’s anything he hates, it’s greenlighting trades of star players.

“There’s perhaps even more uncertainty on the Chicago White Sox’s side of this. They lead the AL Central and do need starting pitching, but this is Year 1 of hopefully a multi-year contention cycle. As per Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Pale Hose GM Chris Getz should not be expected to sacrifice the farm depth he’s built just to ‘jump at a one-year possibility.’

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Another frustrating Kyle Teel injury should force White Sox hand at trade deadline
• MLB analyst reveals White Sox most important player for remainder of 2026 season
• White Sox stand pat in top-10 of latest MLB power rankings

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 improved to 53-46 on the season with their 10-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Unfortunately, though, they also suffered a devastating loss.

Catcher Kyle Teel was injured early in the contest as he attempted to dive across home plate to apply a tag. He was removed from the game, of course, in a development that continues an unfortunate trend for the young catcher in 2026.

The Chicago White Sox have placed Kyle Teel on the 10-day injured list

On Tuesday afternoon, it was reported that Teel suffered a sprained ankle. As a result, the White Sox are placing him on the 10-day injured list. They also have recalled Edgar Quero from Triple-A:

Prior to tonight’s game at the Texas Rangers, the Chicago White Sox placed catcher Kyle Teel on the 10-day injured list with a left ankle sprain and recalled catcher Edgar Quero from Class AAA Charlotte.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 21, 2026

This is just the latest in line of frustrating injuries for Chicago’s young catcher. He was initially injured during the World Baseball Classic, suffering a strained hamstring. While on rehab assignment for that injury, he sprained his knee, which delayed his 2026 debut even further.

Teel has only appeared in 19 games for the White Sox this season. What is more, he has not been very productive either. In that time, he is itting just .190/.271/.317 with two home runs and 14 RBI.

Quero has not been much better while filling in for Teel this season. He is hitting .187/.253/.233 with two home runs and 15 RBI in 55 games played at the Major League level.

In 15 games down in Triple-A, Quero was hitting just .230/.295/.295 with a home run and six RBI.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Another frustrating Kyle Teel injury should force White Sox hand at trade deadline
• MLB analyst reveals White Sox most important player for remainder of 2026 season
• White Sox stand pat in top-10 of latest MLB power rankings

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 high expectations for Kyle Teel in 2026. After a strong showing across 78 games in 2025, consisting of a .273/.375/.411 slash line, the 24 year old catcher hasn’t been able to stay healthy in 2026, thus impacting his performance.

After initially injuring his hamstring during the World Baseball Classic, Teel sustained a knee sprain while on minor league rehab assignment. This delayed his 2026 debut until June 22, but now, less than a month afterwards, a new injury to his ankle has him likely landing on the injured list, according to Francys Romero anyway.

The Chicago White Sox have recalled C Edgar Quero, per sources.

He’s expected to join the team tomorrow in Texas.

— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) July 21, 2026

Prior to this ankle injury, which per Teel occurred while diving across the plate to apply a tag early in the game, he was slumping at the plate. Over 19 games, he owns a .190/.271/.317 slash line. Unfortunately his struggles have been a continuation of poor production from the catcher position this year, which should force the White Sox hand at the upcoming trade deadline.

Between Kyle Teel’s new injury, and the Chicago White Sox lack of production at catcher this year, a move at the upcoming trade deadline feels imminent

Including Kyle Teel’s numbers, no White Sox catcher has hit above .200 or posted an OPS higher than .588 this season. The combination of Edgar Quero (55 games), Drew Romo (37 games), and Reese McGuire (11 games) has provided virtually no offensive production, leaving Chicago with one of the least productive catching groups in baseball.

With Teel now sidelined again and the position already struggling offensively, the White Sox would be wise to pursue an upgrade before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Even if Teel’s ankle injury proves to be minor, counting on him to suddenly rediscover the form he showed in 2025 after an injury-plagued season is a risky proposition. For a team trying to maintain its hold atop the AL Central, adding a proven catcher could be a worthwhile investment.

Internally, 23-year-old Boston Smith, acquired in the Curtis Mead trade earlier this season, has enjoyed a breakout campaign. The left-handed slugger has launched 20 home runs across three minor league levels, but with only 12 games of Double-A experience, promoting him to the majors this season would likely be too aggressive. As promising as Smith’s future appears, he doesn’t seem like a realistic solution for Chicago’s 2026 playoff push.

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The Chicago White Sox have taken Major League Baseball by surprise in 2026. From 2023-2025, they lost more than 100 games every single year. Very few thought that this season would be any different.

Over the course of this past off-season, Chicago did not make very many noteworthy moves. The one that stood out, though, was the signing of Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami to a two-year $34 million contract. Every other MLB team passed on him due to his high strikeout totals in Japan, but the White Sox were willing to take the risk.

And it has paid off for them.

Munetaka Murakami named the Chicago White Sox most important player for the rest of 2026

The biggest question surrounding Murakami, other than his strikeouts, was whether or not his power would translate to the Majors. It did not take long for everyone find out that it did.

Prior to missing a month before the MLB All-Star Game with a strained hamstring, Murakami had already hit 20 home runs. He was able to return to play right before the break, and was one of three White Sox players named to the AL All-Star roster.

In order for Chicago to continue their winning ways, MLB.com believes that Murakami will have to continue hitting home runs at a prolific rate:

“Simply put, the slugging first baseman from Japan has changed the franchise in so many positive ways. Murakami missed 35 games before the All-Star break due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, with the White Sox posting a 17-18 record in his absence.

“He went 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts in his return this past weekend, but the White Sox also comfortably won all three games over the A’s. His mere presence helps the lineup and gives a greater overall feeling for victory.”

As one can see, the Japanese rookie slugger has struggled in his return from the injured list. Chicago currently has a one-game lead in their division, and will need him to get back to hitting consistently in order for them to maintain their pace.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• 3 former White Sox thriving elsewhere further validates Chicago’s turnaround
• White Sox predicted to lead MLB in this statistical category in 2026
• White Sox reportedly scouting 2x All-Star on Mets trading block

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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Prior to the start of the 2026 MLB season, the Chicago White Sox were listed last or second-to-last in just about every publication’s power rankings. And who could blame them! After all, the White Sox had gone three straight years without fielding any semblance of a competitive team. They lost more than 100 games in each of thoes three seasons.

But as the 2026 season has progressed, Chicago has emerged as one of the best teams in the American League. At 52-46, they are in first place in the AL Central by a full game, and have one of the most exciting young rosters in the game.

The Chicago White Sox maintain the ninth spot in Bleacher Report’s MLB power rankings

Going into the MLB All-Star break, Bleacher Report had the White Sox listed as ninth on their power rankings list. After Chicago won two out of three against the Toronto Blue Jays, they have maintained that spot:

“At 31-17, the White Sox have one of the best home records in baseball, so picking up a series win on the road against a Blue Jays team fighting to stay in the contender hunt was a nice way to start the second half. Over his first 162 career games, Colson Montgomery logged a 119 wRC+ with 44 home runs and 108 RBI, and he has quickly developed into a franchise cornerstone.”

As one can see, White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery got special recognition in their explanation for the White Sox ranking. So far this season, he is hitting .224/.307/.477 with 24 home runs and 57 RBI. Since he came into the league, he leads all MLB shortstops in home runs.

The power from Montgomery is undeniable, and ensures that he will be a useful player for years to come. That being said, he needs to draw more walks in order to really be considered an elite batter.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• 3 former White Sox thriving elsewhere further validates Chicago’s turnaround
• White Sox predicted to lead MLB in this statistical category in 2026
• White Sox reportedly scouting 2x All-Star on Mets trading block

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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For much of the past several years, joining the Chicago White Sox wasn’t viewed as an especially appealing opportunity, particularly for newcomers. Entering the 2026 season, the franchise had endured three consecutive 100-loss campaigns and had not posted a winning record since 2021, when they last reached the playoffs and were eliminated in the American League Division Series.

That said, the organization has undergone significant change over the past three to four years. Since taking over as general manager on Aug. 31, 2023, Chris Getz has overseen a major overhaul of the roster and farm system. After weathering two more difficult seasons, the White Sox now appear to be on solid footing, with a first-place major league club and a farm system stocked with promising talent for the future.

Additionally, the club has received contributions from unexpected players, a testament to Getz’s ability to find and acquire talent. All-Star Tristan Peters is a prime example of this, but players like Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Miguel Vargas all came over via trade.

Even so, roster turnover inevitably comes with difficult decisions, and not every move works out as planned. Along the way, the White Sox have watched several former players go on to find success elsewhere. In 2026, three former members of the organization stand out as prime examples of players who have flourished after Chicago moved on from them.

Three former Chicago White Sox thriving elsewhere actually further validates the organizations turnaround

1) 1B Curtis Mead

After being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the Adrian Houser trade a year ago, Curtis Mead didn’t make a huge impression over 41 games with the organization in 2025, posting just a .584 OPS. With the addition of Munetaka Murakami over the winter, Mead was traded to the Washington Nationals where his 17 home run and .865 OPS breakout has him standing out in Washington.

2) OF Derek Hill

Through 50 games with the White Sox this year, Hill’s overall numbers were not great. However he did have a pair of pinch hit home runs and a knack for delivering in the clutch. He was traded to the Phillies on June 11, where over the last 23 games he is slashing .327/.352/.538. Notably, on June 24 he hit a pinch hit home run to cap off an improbable comeback win for Philadelphia.

3) 1B Jacob Gonzalez

Although this trade is just a week old, Jacob Gonzalez has wasted no time making an impact on the Pittsburgh Pirates. On July 18, during just his second at-bat, he took Gavin Williams of the Cleveland Guardians deep.

Jacob Gonzalez LAUNCHES a home run in just his 2nd AB as a member of the Pirates!

106.7 MPH, 428 FT pic.twitter.com/qULqS84v86

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 18, 2026

No organization gets every personnel decision right, and the White Sox are no exception. The difference now is that Chicago is in a great spot thanks to Getz’s ability to scout and find players. While it’s never ideal to see former players thrive elsewhere, the White Sox have assembled a roster capable of competing in the present while also having a promising farm system.

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For years, the Chicago White Sox were one of the hardest Major League Baseball teams to watch. From 2023-2025, they lost more than 100 games a year, hitting an all-time low with a 41-121 record in 2024. Indeed, it seemed like Chicago had nothing going for themselves for a long time.

2026 has been an entirely different story. At 51-46, the White Sox are tied for first place in the American League Central Division. Indeed, Chicago has now become one of the most entertaining teams to watch this year, and the fact that they, as a team, are absolutely mashing the ball is a big reason why.

The Chicago White Sox are predicted to lead MLB in home runs

Bleacher Report recently released an article in which they give a bold prediction for each MLB team for the rest of the 2026 season. They predict that the White Sox will end the year leading the Majors in home runs:

“The White Sox finished 23rd in the majors with 165 home runs last season, and Lenyn Sosa was the team leader with 22 long balls.

“This year they entered the All-Star break fourth in the league with 129 homers, behind only the Yankees (142), Nationals (138) and Astros (132). With Munetaka Murakami back healthy and Kyle Teel also rejoining the lineup, the South Siders should continue to pile up impressive power numbers, while the Yankees are still without Aaron Judge and the Nationals and Astros both have second-half fade potential.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox reportedly scouting 2x All-Star on Mets trade block
• Murakami emerges and embraces role as face of the White Sox
• White Sox insider gets never before seen look into decision of picking first overall

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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As the 2026 trade deadline approaches, rumors have indicated that the Chicago White Sox are targeting controllable pitchers to improve their staff. In the starting rotation, finding someone to take the No.2 spot after Davis Martin should be a priority. A few players that fit that mold include Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants, Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels, and Michael Wacha of the Kansas City Royals.

Despite this, Bob Nightengale’s latest reporting from his Sunday Notebook indicates that Chicago has sent a scout to evaluate Clay Holmes of the New York Mets. Holmes, who owns a $12 million player option for the 2027 season, is currently on injury-rehab assignment after breaking his fibula on May 15.

Chicago White Sox reportedly scouting 2x All-Star Clay Holmes as he progresses back from injury

The New York Mets, who have been one of baseball’s biggest disappointments this year, have made it known that several of their players are available for trade. Holmes is included in this group and could be exactly the player Chicago is looking for as the 33 year old would provide a significant boost in the rotation without an extremely high cost.

Before landing on the injured list, Holmes posted a stellar 2.39 ERA across his first nine starts of the season. He also proved his durability in 2025, his first full year as a starter, making 31 starts while recording a 3.53 ERA. One factor working in the White Sox’s favor, should they acquire him, is that his current injury is unrelated to his throwing shoulder. Combined with his relatively light workload this season, Holmes could return well-rested and fresh for the stretch run as Chicago pursues its first postseason appearance since 2021.

Furthermore, if Holmes were to exercise his $12 million player option for 2027, it would represent a relatively modest financial commitment. Based on the White Sox’s current payroll, that salary would rank behind only Munetaka Murakami and Anthony Benintendi. With the rest of the roster built around young, cost-controlled talent, retaining Holmes at that price appears to be a realistic and affordable option for Chicago.

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Chicago baseball fans have a special kind of rivalry on their hands, one that splits households and offices right down the middle every single summer. With the Wrigley Field portion of the 2026 Crosstown Classic coming up in August, and this year marking the twentieth anniversary of one of the most infamous moments in the series’ history, it felt like the right time to look back at what makes this rivalry so much fun.

The Punch That Started It All

You can’t talk about Crosstown Classic history without bringing up May 20, 2006. Cubs catcher Michael Barrett threw a punch at White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski after a play at the plate, and it sparked a full on brawl that’s still talked about two decades later. It’s the kind of moment that transcends the box score, genuinely one of the defining images of this entire rivalry.

Twenty years later, and the series still carries that same intensity, even if the punches have stayed confined to the batter’s box.

This Year’s Rate Field Drama

The 2026 season already gave us a taste of that classic back and forth energy. During the South Side leg of the series in May, the finale turned into an absolute rollercoaster. The Cubs jumped out to an early lead, the White Sox rallied to go ahead late, Michael Conforto tied it up with a three run homer, and then Edgar Quero walked it off in extra innings to win both the game and the series for the South Siders. In front of a sellout crowd at Rate Field, it was exactly the kind of chaotic finish that keeps this rivalry must watch television every year.

The Numbers Behind the Rivalry

Heading into the Wrigley portion of this year’s series, the all time head to head record sits incredibly close, with the Cubs holding a slim edge in the series history. That tightness is honestly part of what makes this rivalry so compelling. Neither side has ever been able to fully claim bragging rights for long, and every new season adds another chapter to a story that’s been building since the two teams first squared off in interleague play back in 1997.

Why the Rivalry Keeps Delivering

Part of what makes Cubs versus White Sox so much fun is that it’s not really about playoff races or division titles most years. It’s pure, unfiltered city pride. North Side versus South Side, Wrigley versus Rate Field, and neighbors, coworkers, and family members picking sides for a few days every summer. That kind of built-in drama doesn’t need October stakes to matter. Even mega casino slots couldn’t manufacture the kind of unpredictable emotions and bragging rights that this crosstown rivalry creates year after year.

Looking Ahead to Wrigley

With the Wrigley Field games set for mid August, fans on both sides will be looking to settle the score from that wild finish back in May. Given how this year’s series has already gone, there’s no reason to expect anything less than another memorable few days of baseball, and possibly a new moment that gets talked about for years to come.

Final Word

Twenty years after “The Punch,” the Crosstown Classic still delivers the kind of drama that makes Chicago baseball special. Whether you bleed Cubbie blue or Sox black, this is one series that never disappoints. See you at Wrigley in August.

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The Chicago White Sox selected Roch Cholowsky, the highly touted shortstop from UCLA, with the first overall pick in the 2026 MLB amateur draft. It was a decision that, while not entirely surprising, was not exactly 100% predicted. In most MLB drafts, there is usually a consensus number one overall pick, or at least a really good idea of what the team drafting first will do.

For their part, the White Sox did not reveal anything until they sent Cholowsky’s name to the powers that be in Major League Baseball to claim him as their first overall pick.

But while they kept their process leading up to draft a secret, they invited ESPN insider Jesse Rogers into their war room on draft day, and he has provided never before seen insight as to what kind of discussions are had on draft day.

Jesse Rogers reveals how the Chicago White Sox came to the decision to select Roch Cholowsky

Fans from all over the world enjoy a variety of sports. In that vein, movies made about sports are very popular, including baseball flicks such as “Moneyball.”

But the thing about Hollywood is that so much of what goes into movies like that is dramatized for effect. Very rarely are fans treated to what really goes on in front offices and behind the scenes for their favorite teams.

But Rogers got to see exactly what went into Chicago selecting Cholowsky.  His account of the discussions that went into it is quite fascinating.

After much discussion, Chris Getz and his crew settled on Cholowsky as their pick. And they feel good about it.

“You make a decision and you go with it,” Getz said to Rogers. “You don’t look back. You just f—ing make it happen. And that’s what we do. That’s what we’ve done. And that’s the White Sox. That’s what we do.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox 1B Munetaka Murakami addresses future in Chicago
• White Sox earn praise for 2026 MLB draft haul
• Munetaka Murakami makes special announcement ahead of Home Run Derby

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 will soon have to worry about the contract for first baseman Munetaka Murakami.

The rookie has taken the MLB by storm, earning an All-Star appearance this season with a .232 batting average, 20 home runs, and 42 RBIs despite only playing in 60 games due to a hamstring issue that caused him to miss 35 games.

Murakami has been key reason why the White Sox are tied with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central at the All-Star break with a 50-45 record, a dramatic turnaround after two disappointing campaigns in 2024 and 2025.

Murakami, a four-time All-Star in Nippon Professional Baseball, signed a two-year contract with the White Sox worth $34 million in December. He’s set to become a free agent after the 2027 season, and there is some concern in the South Side that a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers would love to pounce on the 26-year-old budding star.

More News: Grading the White Sox 5 day 1 2026 MLB Draft selections

Munetaka Murakami wants to stay with Chicago White Sox

More News: White Sox 2025 All-Star could be back soon after latest milestone

Per James Fegan of SoxMachine, Murakami said Tuesday that he wants to stay with Chicago past 2027, but he’s not worried about signing a contract extension in the immediate future.

“All-Star first baseman Munetaka Murakami said he’s not thinking or talking specifics about contract extensions right now, but affirmed that he would like to stay with the White Sox long-term,” Fegan posted on X.

That’s good news for the White Sox. Chicago should try to lock down Murakami as soon as possible rather than delay it towards the end of the 2027 season. Frankly, it’s possible that he could put up even better numbers as he gains more experience in the MLB.

Murakami has been impressed with the culture the White Sox have in the clubhouse this season and believes the team can make a push to make the World Series this season.

“We’re not afraid of anything right now,” Murakami said, via Ryan McGuffey of The REKAP. “We want to win, and we have that winning culture in our blood, so we’re going to look forward to going to the World Series, and that’s where we’re aiming right now. Nothing is surprising us at the moment.”

A hefty contract extension for Murakami this offseason shouldn’t surprise the White Sox.

For More Chicago Sports:

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The Chicago White Sox find themselves in a spot not many believed they would be in at this point of the season. With the MLB All-Star break here, the White Sox sit in first place in the AL Central.

They have been one of the most surprising teams so far this season, surging after a bit of a sluggish start. While the White Sox are hoping to speed up this rebuild and get a taste of the playoffs this season, the future is also looking bright.

Over the weekend, the White Sox had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, selecting former UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky. The White Sox then took Landon Thome, out of Nazareth Academy, the son of Jim Thome at No. 34 overall. While those two picks stand out, the White Sox are earning some praise for their entire draft class already.

MLB analyst was blown away by White Sox draft haul

Senior MLB writer Jim Callis focuses on the draft year round, so he knows a lot about each class and prospect. When he praises you, it’s a good thing and that’s exactly what happened Monday for the White Sox.

While appearing on the “Mully & Haugh” show on 104.3 The Score, Callis says he was “blown away” by the White Sox draft haul.

“I always joke, the teams that always look the best are the teams that have the most draft picks or biggest bonus pool,” Callis said. “I’ll go to the White Sox, they had a $20 million bonus pool. You got Roch Cholowsky who is one of the two best players in the draft, you got two of the best high school hitters in Landon Thome and Cole Prosek. . . To get Cholowsky, Thome and Prosek at the top of the draft, I mean, I know they have other players and I’m not dismissing players in the big leagues or the system but I mean, you can have a scenario where that could be 3-4-5 for some team, or 1-2-3 for some team three or four years down the line. The White Sox draft just blew me away.”

"The White Sox draft just blew me away."@jimcallisMLB reacted to what the White Sox accomplished this weekend. pic.twitter.com/WCAYBiNkrP

— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) July 13, 2026

While there was some talk the White Sox could target another player at one, they stuck to their plan. Landing three players like the trio Callis mentioned could be something we look back on a few years from now in a very positive way.

Even with a promising shortstop, the White Sox are hoping Cholowsky will be right there in the middle of their lineup for years to come.

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Chicago White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami has been one of the best stories in Major League Baseball this season. His efforts have helped the White Sox sit in first place in the AL Central at the MLB All-Star Break.

In 60 games, Murakami is hitting .232 but has 20 home runs with 49 hits and 42 RBI’s overall. He’s primed for a big season overall if he can keep this pace for the second half. He was also named an AL All-Star for the game in Philadelphia and also is participating in the Home Run Derby.

But before Murakami participated in the Home Run Derby on Monday, he made a very special announcement.

Munetaka Murakami officially joins Jordan Brand

As Murakami took the field on Monday night for the Home Run Derby, he did so sporting the Air Jordan 3 “True Blue” cleats. That’s because Murakami is now officially a Jordan Brand athlete.

The rookie signed a deal to be a Jordan Brand athlete, joining a talented MLB team. He’s the first White Sox player since Tim Anderson to be signed to Jordan Brand.

Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami is signing a deal with Jordan Brand

Murakami will debut the “True Blue” Air Jordan 3 cleats at the MLB Home Run Derby pic.twitter.com/nFadv0vbeg

— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) July 14, 2026

“Joining Jordan Brand is a dream come true,” Murakami said. “The Jumpman stands for greatness, confidence and pushing beyond limits — values that have inspired me throughout my career. To be part of a family that includes some of the world’s greatest athletes is an incredible honor, and I’m excited to represent Jordan Brand on the field and help grow the game of baseball for the next generation.”

As part of the deal, Murakami will sport Jordan Brand gear throughout the year. As we previously mentioned, he’s also wearing the Air Jordan 3 cleats which are set to release this weekend via Nike.

Murakami’s story is a fun one and now he’s joining a prominent brand headlined by a Chicago legend in Michael Jordan.

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One of the talking points about the Chicago White Sox potentially passing on Roch Cholowsky was that the UCLA shortstop was expected to land a hefty rookie deal.

The White Sox chose to draft Cholowsky with the No. 1 pick on Saturday and are set to pay him a record deal.

Per MLB.com, Chicago gave Cholowsky a signing bonus of $10.35 million, over $1 million more than the bonuses given by the Cincinnati Reds to Chase Burns and the Colorado Rockies to Charlie Condon in 2024.

Via the MLB:

“The No. 1 selection in this year’s MLB Draft, UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, has passed his physical and will sign with the White Sox with a record-setting signing bonus of $10.35 million (the slot value for the pick was $11,350,600), a source told MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis.

“Cholowsky’s bonus eclipses the $9.3 million bonuses given to Reds right-hander Chase Burns and Rockies outfield prospect Charlie Condon when they were drafted in 2024.”

More News: Grading the White Sox 5 day 1 2026 MLB Draft selections

Roch Cholowsky happy to be with Chicago White Sox

More News: White Sox 2025 All-Star could be back soon after latest milestone

After learning he was drafted by the White Sox, Cholowsky said he was excited to play for a contender in Chicago.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “I know I’m not going straight to the big leagues; there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. But seeing how well the team at the top is doing and the moves they’re making, the way they’re playing, it’s definitely a lot more motivation to get up there and join those guys at some point.

“Being able to be part of a contender is pretty cool. I value winning a lot. Seeing what they’re doing up there for the first half of the season is pretty special.”

The White Sox won’t play Cholowsky, 21, during the regular season this year, at least not in the majors. However, there is a chance he could be called up into the big leagues by the end of the 2027 campaign.

Chicago is set to make a push for the postseason this year after a dramatic turnaround from the embarrassing 2024 and 2025 seasons. Cholowsky could be a part of a World Series push in the next few seasons with the White Sox.

And he’ll be paid handsomely for it.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox entered the All-Star break this week tied with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central with a 50-45 record, 10 wins short of their total victories for the entire 2025 campaign.

Even if the White Sox don’t win the division, they’re set up well to make the Wild Card, though any postseason appearance would be stunning from a team that went 41-121 in 2024 and 60-102 in 2025.

To say the turnaround has been dramatic would be an understatement, though some around the MLB are curious if the White Sox are riding a fluke. With a win differential of plus-35, Chicago seems for real, though the team would benefit from adding help to their starting pitching rotation for the back half of the season.

The White Sox sent three players to the All-Star game this week: 3B Miguel Vargas, OF Tristan Peters, and 1B Munetaka Murakami.

Murakami told Ryan McGuffey of The REKAP that the White Sox intend to make a World Series push coming out of the All-Star break.

More News: White Sox 2025 All-Star could be back soon after latest milestone

Munetaka Murakami: Chicago White Sox can make World Series

More News: Grading the White Sox 5 day 1 2026 MLB Draft selections

“We’re not afraid of anything right now,” Murakami said. “We want to win, and we have that winning culture in our blood, so we’re going to look forward to going to the World Series, and that’s where we’re aiming right now. Nothing is surprising us at the moment.”

It might be a long shot, but the White Sox can’t be counted out of the World Series picture this summer. Chicago is one of only five AL teams with a winning record at the break.

The White Sox surprised the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in June by taking two games of a three-game series in Chicago.

The White Sox have been dominant at Rate Field, going 31-17 at home. Chicago will need to improve playing on the road to be a World Series threat. The White Sox are 19-28 during away games this season.

Even if the White Sox fail to make a deep push in the postseason, the team looks like it will contend for the MLB crown in the future, and their latest draft class could continue a dynasty.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox look like a completely different team in 2026 than they did just one year ago. Entering the All-Star break, they’re 50-45, tied for first place in the American League Central, and are sending three players to the Midsummer Classic: Munetaka Murakami, Tristan Peters, and Miguel Vargas.

The contrast to last season couldn’t be greater. At the same point in 2025, the White Sox were just 32-65, sitting in last place in the AL Central, with breakout rookie starter and Rule 5 Draft pick Shane Smith serving as the club’s lone All-Star.

That said, to begin the 2026 campaign, Smith got the nod as the teams Opening Day starter, but command issues and poor performance resulted in him being optioned to Triple-A. Then, in early May, he was placed on the injured list with a rotator cuff strain. Now halfway through July, he is back pitching again and seems to be nearing a return.

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Shane Smith is one step closer to returning

Before landing on the injured list, Smith last appeared in a game on April 30. At that point, command was still an issue as through four minor league starts he had walked eight batters. After a two month absence between outings, he has returned looking sharp, both with the Winston-Salem Dash in High-A and Charlotte Knights in Triple-A.

Smith made two rehab appearances with High-A Winston-Salem on July 1 and July 7. As planned, he logged a combined 4.2 innings, allowing just two walks while recording six strikeouts, including a five-strikeout performance over 2.2 innings in his second outing.

He then returned to Triple-A on July 12, where he tossed 4.0 strong innings, walked one batter, and struck out five. He clearly has more building up to do in the pitch count area, but so far the results are promising that he has returned to All-Star form.

Shane Smith is fired up after a sharp start today. His first outing with the Knights since April 30th.

4 IP, 1 ER, 1 BB, & 5 K make up his final line.@KnightsBaseball #WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/OIy1W9soDA

— Kendall Smith (@SmithKendall__) July 12, 2026

If Smith is able to rejoin the White Sox this season, his upside could arguably slot him in as the club’s No. 2 or No. 3 starter behind Davis Martin. A healthy Smith returning to the form that earned him an All-Star selection would provide a significant boost to Chicago’s rotation as it pushes for a postseason berth.

Should the White Sox reach October, having Smith alongside Martin would give them a much stronger foundation for a playoff rotation and improve their chances of competing in a short series.

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The Chicago White Sox reached the MLB All-Star break 50-45 record, which has them tied for first place in the American League Central Division. Their record and level of play this season has been a surprise to many, who thought that the White Sox would, once again, be among the worst teams in Major League Baseball.

Instead, Chicago is one of just a handful of American League teams with a record over .500. What is more, for the first time in several years, they have more than one player representing them in the MLB All-Star Game.

Miguel Vargas was the only one named to the initial roster, but Munetaka Murakami and Tristan Peters have been added since.

Where Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami ranks among Home Run Derby participants

In addition to being added to the American League All-Star roster as a replacement, Murakami accepted an invitation to participate in the Home Run Derby, which is being aired on Netflix on Monday night.

On Monday morning, MLB.com released its rankings of the eight sluggers who are participating in the event. Murakami, who is a rookie, was ranked fourth:

“There aren’t many players in baseball — in baseball history, really — who have hit moonshots quite like Murakami. And even if injuries have slowed him down in his rookie season, having him back and ready to go is a sign we’re about to see some of these impressive big flies launched into the Philadelphia night.

“It’s also excellent to see the White Sox — one of the best stories of the first half of the season — represented during All-Star Week as well. This is a team, and of course a player, that the world should see more of.”

As mentioned, Murakami is only just returning from injury, a strained hamstring that kept him out for over a month. At the time he went on the injured list, he led the American League with 20 home runs.

While he has not homered in the three games since his return, Murakami still ranks among the AL and MLB leaders in home runs.

Seeing him hit in the Home Run Derby is going to be very entertaining, especially for fans who have not been able to watch him consistently.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Grading the 5 White Sox selections on Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft
• White Sox select Roch Cholowsky with 1st pick in 2026 MLB Draft
• Tristan Peters named to AL All-Star roster 1 day after hitting for the cycle

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 made to the Major League Baseball 2026 All-Star break. Who could have thought, before the season, that at this point in the year, they would be tied for the lead in the American League Central Division and one of just a handful of AL teams with a winning record?

After three consecutive seasons with more than 100 losses, including the worst record in MLB history in 2024, Chicago has emerged from the cellar further along in their rebuild than many thought.

This is not to say they have been elite. There are plenty of issues the team still can and needs to fix. But the fact of the matter is that, even as they are, the White Sox are one of the best teams in the league.

MLB analyst puts haters on blast as Chicago White Sox maintain top-10 ranking

At 50-45, the White Sox are tied with the Cleveland Guardians atop the AL Central. They got swept by the Boston Red Sox last week, but bounced back to sweep the Athletics.

Bleacher Report ranked Chicago as the ninth-best team in Major League Baseball after the weekend, writing:

“The White Sox ended up stuck in the middle of two teams heading in polar opposite directions, contributing to both the nine-game winning streak of the Red Sox and the nine-game losing streak of the Athletics. Though he didn’t homer, Munetaka Murakami returned for the latter, more encouraging series, which began with a 14-1 win fueled by Tristan Peters hitting for the cycle.

“If you’ve been waiting for this team to fade, here’s hoping you haven’t been holding your breath.”

Indeed, every time it has appeared that the White Sox were going to come down to earth, they have been able to bounced back. Now with Munetaka Murakami back, their offense is even more dangerous.

If they are able to land a stellar pitcher or two at the MLB trade deadline, they could be a force in the AL for the rest of the season.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Grading the 5 White Sox selections on Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft
• White Sox select Roch Cholowsky with 1st pick in 2026 MLB Draft
• Tristan Peters named to AL All-Star roster 1 day after hitting for the cycle

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 five selections during day one of the 2026 MLB Draft. This includes four selections in the top 100, featuring No.1 overall, No. 34, which was a Competitive Balance Round-A pick recently acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Jacob Gonzalez trade, No.41, and No.77. Their lone selection outside of the top 100 came in the fourth round, at No.105.

Later today, July 12, the remaining rounds in MLB’s draft, rounds 5-20, will take place. However, here we evaluate each of the five selections from day one.

Grading the Chicago White Sox five day one 2026 MLB Draft selections

No.1 (Round 1): Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA

To little surprise, Roch Cholowsky was taken first overall by the White Sox. Cholowsky is viewed as a generational five tool talent, evidenced by his standout performances across three years at UCLA. Over his college career, he posted a 1.072 OPS, walked (105) more times than he struck out (100), and has two 20+ home runs seasons. This, combined with the fact he is expected to sign under the $11,350,600 slot value gives this selection an A+ grade.

No. 34 (Comp Balance A): Landon Thome, INF, Nazareth Academy

Landon Thome is the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, who spent the 2006-2009 seasons as a member of the White Sox. Although MLB Pipeline gifts Thome a 55 grade power, something his father was known for as he hit 612 home runs throughout his career, the left-handed hitter had just seven home runs his senior season. Rather, Thome stole 49 bases last High School season, so how his speed translates to the professional game will be worth monitoring. ESPN had Thome ranked No.67 on their pre-draft rankings, and he’ll likely sign close to slot value, giving this selection an overall grade of an A-, especially given he comes from a baseball family.

No. 41 (Round 2): Cole Prosek, INF, Magnolia Heights HS

Cole Prosek is the third infielder selected by the White Sox to begin the 2026 MLB Draft. The Mississippi standout was ranked No.27 on MLB Pipeline’s pre-draft rankings. His hit tool is his calling card, along with power, as he hit 18 home runs over 41 games his senior year at Mangolia Heights. This school also produced Cooper Pratt, who recently made his MLB Debut with the Milwaukee Brewers. Getting Porsek at No.41 could be a major steal for Chicago, giving this pick an A grade.

No. 77 (Round 3): Joey Volchko, P, Georgia

After having ERA’s in the five’s and sixes through two years at Standford, right-hander Joey Volchko found more success in 2026 at Georgia. Over 18 starts he posted a 3.68 ERA and struck out 119 batters over 95 innings pitched. MLB Pipeline gave him a 60-grade fastball and slider, giving him two plus pitches to work with. This pick isn’t a home run, but there are good traits for Chicago to work with. This pick earns a B – for grade.

No. 105 (Round 4): Eric Segura, P, Oregon State

Eric Seguara is a sinker baller from Oregon State who throws a ton of strikes. The right-hander walked just 27 batters in 2026, posting 3.3 B:9 ratio. He has some swing and miss in his game. Segura struck out 82 batters over 73 innings this year, while posting a nice 2.22 ERA. Chicago figures to have a strong infield for years to come, thus making Segura a good fit in this organization. We give this a grade of a B for the White Sox.

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The Chicago White Sox are 48-45 this season, and in first place in the American League Central Division. Despite how well they have played this year, their losing season in 2025 (their third straight with 100+ losses) led to them having the first overall pick in the 2026 MLB amateur draft.

In the weeks leading up to today’s first round, the White Sox were uncertain which player they would take with the number one overall pick. There were, of course, several quality candidates. And on Saturday, they took Roch Cholowsky, a shortstop from UCLA.

The Chicago White Sox draft Roch Cholowsky first overall

Cholowsky, 21, played three seasons at UCLA where he hit ..329/.448/.624. He has been especially notable in the last two years. In 2025, he hit .353/.480/.710 with 23 home runs and 74 RBI. He also walked (45 times) more than he struck out (30 times).

This past season, Cholowsky hit .320/.452/.636 with 21 home runs and 60 RBI. He walked just as much as he struck out (36 times a piece).

Jeff Passan was the first to report that the White Sox had selected the UCLA product:

The Chicago White Sox are choosing UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 11, 2026

After the pick was made, Bob Nightengale reported on X that Chicago decided to draft Cholowsky after he agreed to sign for a lesser slot amount. The White Sox hope to use the savings to sign Landon Thome, the son of franchise legend and Hall of Famer Jim Thome:

The White Sox chose Cholowsky after he agreed to below slot signing in which the Sox would love to use the savings to draft Landon Thome, son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome https://t.co/e3ZyVg6P3A

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 11, 2026

Thome, who plays second and third base, is considered one of the best overall high school hitters in this year’s class.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox acquire lefty and draft pick in trade with Pirates
• White Sox announce roster move for return of Munetaka Murakami
• White Sox first half MVP revealed in latest MLB power rankings

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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Last year, the Chicago White Sox were the worst team in Major League Baseball. As such, they only had one player named to the 2025 All-Star Game, starter Shane Smith. Now Smith is not even in the Majors and the White Sox are suddenly one of the better teams in the American League.

Despite how much they have turned it around in 2026, Chicago once again had just one player named to the AL All-Star roster: Miguel Vargas.

On Friday, when he returned from the injured list, Munetaka Murakami was named as a replacement All-Star player. He also accepted an invitation to participate in the Home Run Derby.

And now, the White Sox have a third All-Star.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters has been named to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game

On Saturday morning, it was announced that Tristan Peters, too, has been named as a replacement All-Star for the American League:

Hit for the cycle one day, named an All-Star the next. Congrats, Tristan! pic.twitter.com/CHDBTr8acO

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 11, 2026

On Friday night, Peters became the seventh player in franchise history to hit for the cycle. He became the first rookie in the history of Major League Baseball to accomplish the feat while hitting from the ninth spot in a lineup.

For the season, Peters is hitting .303/.357/.484 with six home runs, 35 RBI, and five stolen bases.

This is the first time since 2022 that Chicago has multiple All-Stars. That year, they were represented by Tim Anderson and Liam Hendricks. It is also the first time they have had more than two All-Stars since 2021, when they sent four players to All-Star Game. Those players were Anderson, Hendricks, Lance Lynn, and Carlos Rodon.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox acquire lefty and draft pick in trade with Pirates
• White Sox announce roster move for return of Munetaka Murakami
• White Sox first half MVP revealed in latest MLB power rankings

For More Chicago Sports

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The Chicago White Sox are 48-45 so far in the 2026 MLB season. Prior to the start of the year, many believed that they would, once again, be one of the worst teams in the American League. After all, they had lost more than 100 games in three consecutive seasons, and they decided to rely on their young group of players to carry them this year.

As it has turned out, that was a great decision by the club. Chicago is just one of a handful of American League teams over .500. They also sit in first place in the AL Central, though the Cleveland Guardians are right at their heels.

As the MLB trade deadline draws closer, there are a plethora of rumors surrounding the White Sox and who they may try to acquire. ESPN analyst Jeff Passan has identified the one player they should target.

Reid Detmers named as the dream trade target for the Chicago White Sox

Recently, Passan published an article in which he listed the dream trade target for each MLB time. When it came to the White Sox, he named Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers as not only their dream target, but also the best fit:

“Detmers, the 27-year-old who isn’t a free agent until after the 2028 season, is an ideal fit. Don’t let his 4.13 ERA fool you. The stuff is premium, the strikeouts are plentiful and the ability to carve good lineups is vital for any potential White Sox playoff run.”

What is also appealing about adding Detmers is that he is not going to be a free agent until 2029. That means the White Sox would not be getting him as a rental, but as a long(ish)-term piece for their starting rotation.

At the same time, though, his multiple years of club control remaining mean that he may cost a little bit more on the trade market in terms of prospects.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox acquire lefty and draft pick in trade with Pirates
• White Sox announce roster move for return of Munetaka Murakami
• White Sox first half MVP revealed in latest MLB power rankings

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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Friday night saw the Chicago White Sox return to their winning ways. After being swept by the Boston Red Sox during the week, they exercised some demons by demolishing the Athletics by the score of 14-1.

The game marked the return of Munetaka Murakami after over a month spent on the injured list. He had previously suffered a strained hamstring in late May. He was 1-5 with an RBI and run scored in his return.

But the star of the night was rookie centerfielder Tristan Peters, who did something never before seen in the history of Major League Baseball.

Chicago White Sox rookie Tristan Peters made MLB history

Peters went 4-4 on Friday night. He hit for the cycle with those four hits, which is an impressive feat in and of itself. But what made his performance historic is that no rookie hitting ninth in the batting order had ever done that:

Tonight marks the first time in MLB history a rookie batting 9th in the order (Tristan Peters) hit for the cycle. pic.twitter.com/QPqSwHPbA8

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) July 11, 2026

Peters is now hitting .303/.357/.484 with six home runs, 45 RBI, and five stolen bases this season. He is the seventh player in White Sox history to hit for the cycle, and the first since Jose Abreu did it back in 2017.

Every other player who hit for the cycle in franchise history did so between 1901-1922.

• Fielder Jones (1901)
• Harry Lord (1913)
• Danny Murphy (1920)
• Nemo Leiobold (1921)
• Ray Schalk (1922)

Peters’ contract was purchased by Chicago in December of 2025 from the Tampa Bay Rays, who had previously acquired him via trade from the San Francisco Giants. They had received him a trade from the Milwaukee Brewers, who originally drafted him in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB amatuer draft.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox acquire lefty and draft pick in trade with Pirates
• White Sox announce roster move for return of Munetaka Murakami
• White Sox first half MVP revealed in latest MLB power rankings

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 getting an early start on trades before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, making a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Per the Pirates, they had acquired infielder Jacob Gonzalez and left-hander Brandon Eisert in exchange for a 2026 Comp A Pick (which is the No. 34th pick in this year’s draft) and left-hander Jaden Woods. The Pirates were reported to be open to moving their Comp A Pick and prospects to acquire talent.

More White Sox News: Chicago White Sox announce roster move for the return of Munetaka Murakami

The deal for the Pirates accomplishes their goal of filling two needs: finding bullpen help and a versatile infielder. Gonzalez had shown signs of life while spending 30 games with the White Sox, filling in for the injured All-Star, Munetaka Murakami.

We have made the following trade with the @whitesox: pic.twitter.com/addnYX8Jvk

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 11, 2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates will get great use out of Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert

The White Sox optioned the 24-year-old to Triple-A Charlotte once Murakami was activated from the injured list on Friday. But he will likely be joining the Pirates’ big-league roster, given some of their injuries. In his first 30 games, Gonzalez batted .244 with a .683 OPS and two home runs, but showed great strides in the minor leagues, having a 1.097 OPS and 19 home runs in 53 games at Triple-A Charlotte.

Shortstop Konnor Griffin will be out until September, as he recovers from a finger injury after making a diving play, while first baseman Spencer Horwitz (left hamstring strain) could return soon. A primary shortstop and third baseman, Gonzalez mostly played as the White Sox’s first baseman (29 games).

Current fill-in Jared Triolo has been struggling to hold things down at shortstop, so Gonzalez should figure to take over for Triolo. Gonzalez should also see time at first base until Horwitz returns to action.

As for Eisert, he should get good usage in the Pirates’ bullpen, as they have not been great this season. Eisert joins a bullpen that has the fourth-worst ERA (4.53) and fifth-worst WHIP (1.40) in the National League.

Did the Chicago White Sox get value in this trade?

Yes, the White Sox did well in this trade, despite the price they paid. Woods, 24, is an interesting arm who could be used in the bullpen if the White Sox chose to call him up this season.

Drafted by the Pirates in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Woods quickly ascended through the minor leagues. In 28 appearances between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, Woods is 3-2 with a 4.58 ERA. However, he has not been great since his call-up to Triple-A, posting a 7.71 ERA in 11 games (one start).

The real prize is the Comp A Pick, which now gives the White Sox two picks in the first round. Already holding the first overall pick, they could use their 34th-overall selection to land a starting pitcher for the future. The Draft is scheduled for July 11 and will start at 1 p.m. Eastern.

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The Chicago White Sox are 47-45 on the season and, somehow, still remain in first place in the American League Central Division. Indeed, they are one of the best stories in baseball this season. After three straight years of losing 100+ games, they are suddenly one of just a handful of American League teams with a winning record.

They have, however, been struggling as of late. Chicago just got swept by the Boston Red Sox and have lost six of their last eight games. Fortunately, Munetaka Murakami, their prized rookie slugger, is returning from the injured list today.

The Chicago White Sox activate Munetaka Murakami from the injured list

Back on May 29, Murakami was removed for the White Sox game with an injured hamstring. It was revealed afterwards that he had strained it, and he was placed on the 10-day injured list.

After completing his rehab assignment this week, Munetaka is returning to Chicago’s lineup for their final series before the All-Star break. To make room for him on the roster, the White Sox are sending Jacob Gonzalez back to Triple-A:

pic.twitter.com/rvORkeqMMJ

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 10, 2026

In 30 games played this season after getting called up, Gonzalez hit .244/.323/.360 with two home runs and 16 RBI.

Prior to going on the injured list, Murakami hit .240/.378/.560 with 20 home runs and 41 RBI. When he first went on IL, he was the AL leader in home runs and near the top of the league’s leader board in walks.

Adding the Japanese slugger, whom they surprisingly signed this off-season to a two-year $34 million deal, will give the White Sox yet another 20-home run hitter in their lineup. Both Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery have reached that plateau since Murakami went on IL.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Munetaka Murakami set to return to White Sox lineup for final series before All-Star break
• White Sox leapfrog New York Yankees in latest MLB power rankings
• White Sox urged to trade for 8x All-Star ahead of MLB trade deadline

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 hit a bit of a rough stretch. They just got swept by the Boston Red Sox and have lost six of their last eight games. Still, they are 47-45 and sit in first place of the American League Central Division. Indeed, their recent struggles should not overshadow all they have been able to accomplish so far in 2026.

After three consecutive seasons of losing more than 100 games a year, the White Sox are suddenly competitive, just one of a handful of American League teams with a winning record. Numerous players have played a role in their early success, but Fox Sports believes Miguel Vargas is the most valuable.

Miguel Vargas named the Chicago White Sox MVP of the 1st half

Coming into 2026, no one thought Chicago was going to be any good. Vargas, for his part, had never hit more than 16 home runs in a single season.

As the first half of the year comes to a close, though, the White Sox are 47-45 and Vargas is hitting .239/.354/.477 with 20 home runs and 56 RBI (he also has 11 stolen bases).

He is the lone White Sox All-Star this season, and Fox Sports believes he is more than deserving of that honor. While ranking Chicago as the ninth-best team in Major League Baseball, they said of Vargas:

“Similar to the Pirates, I’m shocked the White Sox only got one All-Star rep (sorry, Davis Martin and Colson Montgomery). But if Miguel Vargas is the only player the South Siders send to the All-Star Game, he’s at least a worthy choice. The former Dodgers prospect is putting it all together offensively at 26 years old, trailing only Junior Caminero for the highest OPS among AL third basemen.”

In addition to providing some pop at the plate, Vargas has played good defense at third base and has filled in a bit over at first.

Should he continue to put up big power numbers, and should the White Sox remain in contention, he could get some American League MVP votes as well.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Munetaka Murakami set to return to White Sox lineup for final series before All-Star break
• White Sox leapfrog New York Yankees in latest MLB power rankings
• White Sox urged to trade for 8x All-Star ahead of MLB trade deadline

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 been given a major bolt of hope before the 2026 All Star break.

More news: Chicago White Sox advised approach to MLB trade deadline revealed

Following a rehab stint in Charlotte, it has been officially confirmed that Japanese rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami will indeed be returning to the Sox clubhouse on Friday.

The Chicago White Sox star slugger is expected to play in Friday’s series opener vs the Athletics

Scott Merkin confirmed the news following the Sox’s rough 2-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The Sox have now dropped three straight and remain tied with Cleveland for the AL Central lead.

Murakami officially back on Friday

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) July 9, 2026

Manager Will Venable told the media that the Japanese star “feels good and is ready to go” during Thursday’s presser.

https://Twitter.com/CHSN_WhiteSox/status/2075325527917834444/video/1?

Despite missing 35 games with a hamstring strain, Murakami still has the 14th most home runs in the MLB, with 20.

With the southsiders in a rough patch, this is the perfect time for Murakami to be back in the clubhouse.

It’s obvious that the team could use his power in the bat as the team has only scored three runs in their last three games. Hopefully, Mune can bring the team the spark it needs at the halfway point of the season.

The post Munetaka Murakami officially to return to Chicago White Sox lineup for final series before All Star Break appeared first on ChiCitySports.

There may be no better story in baseball right now than the 2026 Chicago White Sox. After years of historical futility, Chicago is currently 47-42 and sits atop the American League Central Division. Part of the reason for their surprising success this year has been how quickly their young core has acclimated to the Major Leagues.

While the season is over halfway through, it is still considered early given the fact that they play 162 games. There is still a possibility that the young White Sox will come down to earth at some point in the year.

Thus far, though, they have not, and are getting the recognition they deserve.

The Chicago White Sox jump to 8th in Bleacher Report’s MLB power rankings

For weeks, the White Sox did not get the recognition they deserved from national outlets when they released their power rankings. Perhaps it was because they thought Chicago would come back down to earth. Since they have not, and it is now July, the White Sox are starting to climb higher and higher.

On Monday, Bleacher Report released their weekly MLB power rankings, and slid Chicago in at eighth, one spot over the struggling New York Yankees:

“Colson Montgomery hit his 22nd home run on Saturday and his team-leading 23rd on Sunday. On Monday, Munetaka Murakami will begin a rehab assignment. Big stretch of three days for two of the biggest snubs from the initial All-Star rosters. Those two and Miguel Vargas make the White Sox the only team thus far with three players with at least 20 home runs.”

One of the biggest surprises for the White Sox this year has been the power of Miguel Vargas, who already has surpassed his previous career high. And not only does Colson Montgomery lead the team in home runs, but he also leads all Major League shortstops.

Oh, and Munetaka Murakami could be back as early as this week.

Needless to say, things are looking good on the South Side.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox announced exciting positive injury update on Munetaka Murakami
• White Sox suggest the Guardians were cheating
• White Sox receive frustrating MLB trade deadline update

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 47-42 on the season and sit atop the American League Central Division. This is a development that, truly, no one saw coming prior to the 2026 season. After losing 100+ games in three consecutive years, many believed the White Sox would have another poor showing.

However, the team’s young core of prospects that now have found themselves in the Majors have made Chicago one of the most entertaining teams in baseball, and one of the best teams in the American League.

That being said, they still have fixes to make, namely in the bullpen, if they are going maintain this surprising division lead.

The Chicago White Sox are urged to trade for eight-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman

There are of course, many teams that are going to be looking to add some high-quality bullpen depth at the MLB trade deadline. Additionally, there is no shortage of such arms that will be made available.

Among these is Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox, whom The Athletic claims should be the top target of the White Sox as the deadline draws near:

“I think they should target both Aroldis Chapman and Sonny Gray of the Red Sox, but should be willing to consider all possibilities, including an in-division trade with the Royals. The White Sox trading a bat for either Michael Wacha or Seth Lugo could make sense for both teams.

Best fit: Aroldis Chapman, LHP, Boston Red Sox

“Chapman would become their lockdown closer and give them a much better shot at reaching the postseason and being competitive once there.”

An eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, Chapman has been one of the few bright spots on what has turned out to be a disappointing Red Sox team. He is currently 0-3 with a 2.36 ERA and 18 saves so far in 2026.

Chapman will be a free agent at the end of the year, which means that he would only be a rental in Chicago if they were to acquire him. Three months of the Hall of Fame-caliber closer may not be worth the prospects they would need to give up to get him.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox announced exciting positive injury update on Munetaka Murakami
• White Sox suggest the Guardians were cheating
• White Sox receive frustrating MLB trade deadline update

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 46-42 on the season, and currently tied atop that American League Central Division with the rival Cleveland Guardians. After winning their game on Saturday, the White Sox reclaimed a tie for first place, and hold the tiebreaker over their rivals. The outcomes of Sunday’s game will determine who enters the new week of play in the AL Central lead.

It really is astounding that Chicago is in this position at this point in the season. Prior to the start of the year, no one thought they were anywhere close to contending for a postseason spot. And when Munetaka Murakmi went down with a hamstring strain, the belief was that their early winning ways would come to an end without him.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami is close to returning

After the White Sox got off to a strong start to the season, Murakami received a great deal of credit for propelling the team to victory. When he went down, many thought that they were not going to be able to keep pace in the American League Central.

But they have. What is more, they gained ground on Cleveland and ended up overtaking them in the standings. And now, Murakami is nearing his return:

Munetaka Murakami is supposed to run today and if all goes well, he will travel to @KnightsBaseball Monday for injury rehab. Could rejoin the White Sox at some point this week if all goes well.

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) July 5, 2026

As one can see from the post above, if Murakami responds well to running today, he will head out on a rehab assignment. At that point, it would only be a matter of days until he is able to return to Chicago’s lineup.

In 57 games played this season, Murakami is hitting .240/.378/.560 with 20 home runs and 41 RBI.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox suggest the Guardians may have cheated
• White Sox receive frustrating MLB trade deadline update from insider
• White Sox advised approach to MLB trade deadline revealed

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 took a brief 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning via a three-run homer by Miguel Vargas with two outs in wet conditions on Friday night.

Then came a rain delay that was full of controversy.

While rain had been falling during Vargas’ at-bat, umpires called for the tarp to come out following the home run.

The delay caused the White Sox to pull starting pitcher Anthony Kay before the bottom of the fifth inning. He gave up one earned run and one hit in four innings pitched. He told reporters after the game that he was hoping to pitch at least two more innings and felt like the two teams could have played another 20 to 30 minutes in what he called “light rain.”

Kay felt the way Cleveland brought out the tarp showed poor gamesmanship.

“But the second that Vargas hits that home run, they pull the tarp,” Kay said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. “So there definitely was some bull— on their part to get me out of the game. It’s pretty messed up for them to do something like that and get me out of the game that way.”

“I stayed in the dugout for probably 15 more minutes. We played through it up until Vargas hit the homer. I don’t even think he was finished rounding the bases when they pulled the tarp out. So there was definitely some gamesmanship, and I don’t think it was right for them to do that.”

More News: White Sox receive frustrating MLB trade deadline update as July begins

Chicago White Sox unhappy with Guardians ground crew

More News: Chicago White Sox advised approach to MLB trade deadline revealed

But the tarp came out via the umpires’ decision, which wasn’t the fault of the Guardians. Still, White Sox manager Will Venable didn’t appreciate how the Guardians’ ground crew dumped water in the outfield.

“With Colson (Montgomery), just deep into the grass there, wasn’t able to stop that ball from getting by him,” Venable said. “And then (Sam Antonacci), that’s where they dumped all the water. It was a mess out there. He’s coming in hard trying to make a play, and it just got by him.”

The Guardians tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh inning thanks to hits into a sloppy-looking outfield that Montgomery and Antonacci had a hard time fielding in the wet conditions.

Cleveland wound up winning the game 4-3 in front of 33,646 fans at Progressive Field. In the midst of a three-game losing streak for Chicago, the Guardians now have a one-game lead in the AL Central before the two teams play on Saturday night.

No doubt, the White Sox will have some extra motivation to beat Cleveland on Saturday night and Sunday to end the critical four-game series.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the most intriguing team in all of baseball this season. Just about everyone felt they would once again be in the basement of the AL Central heading into 2026, but instead, they are in first place past the halfway point.

So, it begs the question: what exactly will the White Sox do at the MLB trade deadline?

Will Chicago buy to continue its playoff push and to perhaps make an attempt at a deep October run? Will it sell off some pieces to focus on the future? Or will it mostly stand pat?

General manager Chris Getz has not really played his hand just yet, which makes perfect sense. You don’t want other teams to know your strategy, and to be quite frank, Getz himself probably doesn’t know for sure what to do just yet.

The next four weeks will surely determine the White Sox’s path, and Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter has provided an update for the team as far as their trade deadline plans are concerned.

Chicago White Sox’s MLB trade deadline plans land update

July has officially begun, and with the trade deadline on Aug. 3, things are beginning to take shape.

However, Chicago is still in limbo as far as what its decision will be at the deadline, and Reuter seems to think the White Sox are either one big winning streak or one big losing streak away from coming to a consensus.

“The White Sox have arrived sooner than expected, so the question now is whether they start pushing chips in for short-term upgrades or continue to focus on building something sustainable for the long term,” Reuter wrote.

Of course, with Chicago being at the top of the AL Central and the second-place Cleveland Guardians showing very little sign of making a major run, it would be hard to market a sell-off to your fanbase in the coming weeks.

White Sox fans have been starving for success, and now, they’re finally getting a taste of it. It wouldn’t be a good look for Chicago move some key veterans in order to continue positioning itself for the long haul. But at the same time, can the South Siders risk mortgaging their future just for a pie-in-the-sky shot at a World Series this year?

We’ll see what the White Sox decide to do in the coming weeks.

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Prior to the start of the 2026 MLB season, no one thought that the Chicago White Sox were going be very good. After all, they had lost over 100 games in each of the previous three seasons. In 2024, they set the Major League record with 121 losses in a single season.

All fans hoped for was a step forward, signs that, someday, the White Sox could be a competitive baseball team again. And to their surprise, they not only got that, but they are watching a team that currently is tied for first place in the American League Central Division.

Chicago White Sox urged to take a conservative approach to the MLB trade deadline

Last week, ESPN had the White Sox slotted in the top-ten of their MLB power rankings. After a rough week, though, they have now been dropped down to 12th:

“The White Sox’s feel-good first half teetered a bit when they dropped five of six during a tough road trip against the Yankees and Tigers. While the young Sox remain well-positioned in the soft AL Central, it’s too soon to know if they’ll be in position to add at the deadline.

“One thing that has marked this Chicago squad has been the number of successful promotions of internally developed prospects they’ve seen this season. And seemingly, the younger the White Sox have gotten, the better they’ve played. As long as this keeps up, a conservative deadline approach might end up being the best bet for the short and long term.”

As one can see, the explanation for the ranking is actually filled with praise for Chicago’s young talent and the prospects they are still developing.

Due to these things, the White Sox are advised to take a conservative approach at the MLB trade deadline. Instead of trading prospects that can help them both now and in the future, they should try to acquire players whose price tags are not as steep.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• The White Sox should avoid this one All-Star at MLB trade deadline
• White Sox predicted to land 1x All-Star at MLB trade deadline
• White Sox trade deadline plans just took an unfortunate turn

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 just took two out of three from the Cleveland Guardians to retake the lead in the AL Central, and given that Jose Ramirez is sidelined for the foreseeable future, the division could be theirs to lose.

Of course, the White Sox definitely need to patch up some holes between now and the MLB trade deadline if they want to truly separate themselves, and perhaps their primary issue of concern is their thin starting rotation.

Beyond Davis Martin and Sean Burke, Chicago’s pitching staff is very limited. The White Sox’s starters own a 4.37 ERA, and they really don’t even have any definitive answers after Martin, Burke and Anthony Kay. Noah Schultz is currently rehabbing from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined since last month, but he has a 5.82 ERA through eight starts.

Chicago wasn’t expected to be a buyer heading into the 2026 campaign, but now, it’s looking more and more like the South Siders might get aggressive. They could use some more offense, as well, but adding another starting pitcher should be the main priority.

There is one arm, however, that the White Sox should should absolutely avoid: New York Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta.

Chicago White Sox should steer clear of Freddy Peralta

The Mets acquired Peralta from the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason, hoping that the two-time All-Star would lead their pitching staff.

Instead, Peralta has logged a 4.83 ERA across his first 16 starts, and while that number is definitely a bit inflated from his most recent start when he surrendered 10 earned runs against the Philadelphia Phillies, it wasn’t like he was pitching all that well at any point this season.

The 30-year-old owns a 4.32 FIP and 1.389 WHIP. His strikeout rate (8.7 K/9) has absolutely plummeted and is well below his career average of 10.9 punchouts per nine innings. What’s more, he is an impending free agent who will probably get overpaid next winter.

Chicago absolutely cannot afford to part with substantial prospect capital to land a struggling pitcher who will simply walk after the season. Yes, there is no question that Peralta’s price tag has dropped, but you can bet that there will still be somewhat of a bidding war for the Dominican native given the fact that he posted a 2.70 ERA last year.

The White Sox should stay far away from Peralta and explore more affordable options, preferably ones still under club control.

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The Chicago White Sox finished the 2024 MLB season 41-121. It was the worst season in Major League history, and a true rock bottom for one of baseball’s oldest franchises. Now, in 2026, they are 41-37 and, to the surprise of just about everyone, in first place of the American League Central Division.

Indeed, it certainly seems that, as the season approaches its halfway point, the White Sox are serious contenders for a spot in the postseason. That being said, they are far from a perfect team and will need to make some improvements in order to seriously make some noise.

The area with the most obvious room for improvement is their starting pitching.

The Chicago White Sox are predicted to trade for Seth Lugo

For years, the White Sox have been sellers at the deadline. They have traded away several former players for prospects and young talent, some of whom are currently contributing to their rebirth this season.

Now, though, Chicago needs to take on the role of buyers, and Bleacher Report predicts that Seth Lugo will be a starting pitcher they attain ahead of the trade deadline:

“It’s a nice season the White Sox are having, but their starting rotation is threatening to undo it. It ranks dead-last in innings for the season, and it has a 6.71 ERA in June. A horse like Lugo is therefore a perfect target on paper.

“Lugo is signed through 2027 with a club option for 2028, which is ideal for a White Sox club that is still early in its contention cycle. Even if it means upgrading an AL Central rival’s farm, he’s worth a lesser bat like Colby Shelton (No. 9) or Javier Mogollon (No. 10).”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox trade deadline plans just took an unfortunate turn
• White Sox trade proposal nets breakout start to solve growing problem
• White Sox make a change behind the plate

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 appear to be the cream of the crop in the AL Central, as they just took the first two games of a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians to grab a two-game lead over the Guardians in the loss column for first place in the division.

However, even with the White Sox sitting at 41-37 and firmly in playoff contention, it’s clear this team has significant problems that need to be addressed.

The most glaring of all is Chicago’s starting rotation, which has incredibly limited depth beyond Davis Martin and Sean Burke and doesn’t have any immediate internal answers. As a result, the White Sox are expected to pursue starting pitching before the MLB trade deadline, but will they actually be able to land anyone?

Two names that were floated as possibilities for Chicago were Los Angeles Angels pitchers Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano given the fact that the Angels are essentially out of the playoff race at this point, but Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY has revealed some rough news for the South Siders on that front.

Apparently, the Angels won’t be moving either hurler.

Chicago White Sox receive bad MLB trade deadline news

Nightengale has reported that Los Angeles does not seem to be in any rush to move some of its more desirable pieces between now and Aug. 3.

“The Los Angeles Angels also plan to retain their key players at the deadline with owner Arte Moreno not wanting to unload starters Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano, or outfielder Jo Adell. Detmers and Soriano still are under team control through 2028, while Adell is eligible for free agency after the 2027 season,” Nightengale wrote.

Detmers had been linked to the White Sox numerous times in recent weeks, featuring a strong profile in terms of strikeouts and underlying metrics that had many teams interested in the left-hander. Soriano, meanwhile, leads the league with 46 walks, but owns a 3.03 ERA and boasts a 138 ERA+.

Of course, it’s still possible that the Angels have a change of heart in the coming weeks, and it’s entirely possible they are just trying to gain leverage in trade talks by pretending that neither pitcher is available. But whether or not Chicago would want to pay such an exorbitant price for either arm is the question.

The White Sox definitely have assets in their farm system, but they may decide not to mortgage the future just because they are a year or two ahead of schedule.

We’ll see if Chicago does decide to make a push to improve its starting rotation as we inch closer and closer to the deadline.

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The Chicago White Sox are somehow contenders this season, which I don’t even think the White Sox themselves anticipated. But that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t have significant problems that must be prepared before the MLB trade deadline.

Chicago needs to fix its starting rotation, and it could also use another bat in a lineup that is very top-heavy. Not only that, but the White Sox could stand to improve a bullpen that ranks 19th in baseball in ERA and 26th in win probability added.

Seranthony Dominguez has been a significant problem in the closer role, so Chicago will need to find a solution between now and Aug. 3 if it wants to make a serious playoff push this year.

Of course, elite closers don’t just grow on trees, and the cost to acquire them is typically steep. The White Sox surely don’t want to break the bank for a relief pitcher this summer, so they may try to explore some more affordable options.

Andrew Apostolakis of Southside Showdown has identified an intriguing trade target in that regard: Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela.

Chicago White Sox linked to trade for Antonio Senzatela

Senzatela was converted into a full-time reliever this year and has experienced considerable success, pitching to the tune of a 2.23 ERA. And while he’s making decent money this season and in 2027, Apostolakis feels that will diminish the cost in a potential deal.

“He currently owns a 2.23 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. He only has three saves because his appearances in the ninth inning have been rare, but he’s still been incredibly effective in the role he’s been given. Senzatela is owed $12 million this season and has a $14 million option for 2027, so he’s a bit on the expensive side, but that should make him fairly cheap to acquire in terms of prospect cost,” Apostolakis wrote.

Senzatela entered the big leagues with the Rockies in 2017 and has actually spent his entire career there, laying claim to a 5.04 ERA and 1.491 WHIP. Keep in mind, though, that those numbers came as a starter. He seems much more comfortable in a bullpen role this season, so perhaps the 31-year-old has found new life.

The White Sox have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, so they can afford to take on Senzatela’s money. The question is whether or not they would actually want to trade anything for a pitcher who had been subpar for the first nine years of his career.

If Chicago wants to make the playoffs, though, it will have to take some risks, and acquiring Senzatela could be one of them.

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After catcher Edgar Quero struggled to hold onto the starting catcher’s job this season, the Chicago White Sox are opting to make a change.

In a team announcement released on Monday morning, the White Sox have reinstated catcher Kyle Teel (right hamstring strain) from the 60-day injured list, while optioning Quero to Triple-A Charlotte. Teel had not appeared in a game for the White Sox all season after injuring his hamstring playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

More White Sox News: Chicago White Sox linked to trade for slugger with elite trait

During his rehab assignment in Charlotte, Teel tore the cover off the baseball, batting .387 with a 1.054 OPS, mashing two home runs and driving in six RBI in eight games. Teel was a favorite to be the White Sox’s starting catcher this season, after putting together a solid rookie campaign last season. Teel batted .273 with a .786 OPS, eight home runs, 11 doubles and 35 RBI.

pic.twitter.com/8lsYPQJvEW

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) June 22, 2026

Kyle Teel will likely be the Chicago White Sox’s starting catcher moving forward

Quero had every opportunity to take the starting catching job and run with it, but he failed. In 55 games, the 23-year-old batted .187 with a .486 OPS and two home runs, while striking out 41 times in 150 at-bats. Quero’s poor performance led manager Will Venable to platoon him with Drew Romo, who has also not performed, other than hitting for power. Romo batted .144 with five home runs in 90 at-bats.

Teel will likely be in the starting lineup for Venable on Monday when the White Sox open a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians. Having Teel back for this series is huge for the White Sox (39-37), as they sit a game behind the Guardians (41-37) in the American League Central standings.

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The Chicago White Sox have hit a bit of a rough patch over the last week, as they have lost fix of their last six games heading into a pivotal three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians that begins on Monday evening.

A litany of issues have plagued the White Sox during this stretch. Their starting rotation has been problematic, and their lack of offensive depth is beginning to become an issue.

Yes, Chicago is still without Munetaka Murakami, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, but even with Murakami healthy, it’s clear that its lineup is not entirely up to snuff. The White Sox are hitting just .237 as a team, and their .319 OBP could stand to improve.

Chicago could look to make some additions between now and the MLB trade deadline, and finding a strong contact hitter might be near the top of their to-do list.

On that note, Michael DeRosa of Southside Showdown has pitched a very intriguing trade target for the White Sox: San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee.

Chicago White Sox linked to trade for Jung Hoo Lee

Lee has been one of the best average hitters in baseball this season, slashing .327/.359/.456 with four home runs, 18 doubles and 26 RBI. He has struck out just 26 times, which should definitely be appealing for a Chicago squad that ranks near the bottom of baseball in punchouts.

“Lee would have the potential to be an excellent addition to the White Sox’s roster as they continue their playoff push. While he has an opt-out in his contract following the 2027 season, they’d get at least one other year of control on Lee, which adds to his appeal,” DeRosa wrote.

The 27-year-old came over to the majors from Korea in 2024 and has slashed .282/.333/.409 since arriving. The 2026 campaign has definitely represented a breakout year for Lee, who was a fantastic .340 hitter in the KBO.

The one caveat with Lee is that he is an awful defender. He posted a minus-18 DRS and minus-5 OAA last season, and this year, he has registered a minus-5 DRS and minus-2 OAA. But the White Sox could really use his bat, so they may be willing to look past that.

Of course, cost matters, so Chicago would have to see exactly how much the Giants would be asking in return for Lee, but if San Francisco is willing to move the lefty slugger, the White Sox should at least listen pretty intently.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the best stories in baseball this season. Expected by most to finish in the cellar of the AL Central, the White Sox are 39-36 and are battling with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the division.

But while Chicago is an obvious playoff contender, it’s also abundantly clear that the team has some holes it must address if it wants to continue its push.

The White Sox absolutely need to add another arm in their starting rotation, they could use another bat and they could also stand to improve their bullpen, especially at the back end where closer Seranthony Dominguez has been shaky.

But will Chicago aggressively buy before the MLB trade deadline? Or will general manager Chris Getz take a more conservative approach?

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com seems to believe the White Sox may decide to push in their chips and has labeled them a top destination for Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman.

Chicago White Sox named trade destination for Aroldis Chapman

The Red Sox have fallen out of contention, and with Chapman in the last year of his contract, it makes sense for Boston to move him now.

Should the Red Sox decide to trade him, Chicago should absolutely check in. The 38-year-old boats a 0.83 ERA and 0.969 WHIP this season while averaging 12 strikeouts per nine innings. He still regularly touches 100 mph with his fastball, even throwing a 103.8 mph pitch earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, Dominguez owns a 3.67 ERA and has struggled mightily with his command. He would probably be better off in a setup role, and if the South Siders can bring Chapman into the fold, it would give them a pretty dynamic late-inning duo.

Chapman wouldn’t be cheap, but he also wouldn’t cost the White Sox a ton given his impending free-agent status and the fact that he is a reliever, not a starter.

The question is whether or not Getz would feel comfortable surrendering any sort of valuable assets for an aging closer headed toward the open market next winter. It’s a tough question for Chicago, but if the White Sox do end up seeking relief help, it’s hard to find a better answer than Chapman.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the most pleasant surprises in baseball this season, as they are somehow smack dab in the middle of the playoff hunt in spite of entering the season with basement-level expectations.

Nevertheless, the White Sox have found a way, and one of the biggest reasons for their ascent has been the development of their young hitters.

We already know about Munetaka Murakami, who had smashed 20 home runs before getting the injured list with a hamstring injury in late May. But shortstop Colson Montgomery and third baseman Miguel Vargas have also taken big steps forward, as has outfielder Sam Antonacci.

Antonacci does not possess the power of Chicago’s other top sluggers, but he owns an impressive .286/.382/.407 slash line. The thing his, his walk rate is a modest 6.8 percent. How is Antonacci’s on-base percentage that high with such a pedestrian walk rate?

The answer? Getting hit by pitches, which the 23-year-old has turned into a refined skill.

Chicago White Sox OF Sam Antonacci just riled some teams up

Antonacci has been plunked 15 times this season. Only St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ivan Herrera (20) has been hit more.

So, what’s the story? How is Antonacci managing to rack up so many HBPs? Well, it seems that the Springfield, Il. native is kind of, sort of doing it on purpose, and some recent comments he made on the phenomenon will surely aggravate other MLB squads.

“It’s just knowing that I don’t have that luxury of being able to hit 30 or 40 home runs in a season,” Antonacci said, via Tyler Kepner of The Athletic. “I have to find different ways to produce, and that just happens to be one of them. I guess just being unselfish, trying to get on any way I can. I’m not going up there trying to be hit by a pitch, but if he happens to throw one at me, I’m not going to move out of the way.”

Hmm, that sure sounds like Antonacci is trying to get hit.

Regardless, so long as Antonacci is not breaking any rules by purposely leaning into a pitch that is out over the plate, he shouldn’t run into any problems. But there is no question that opposing pitchers won’t like hearing his strategy.

I guess now, pitchers will have to be very careful pitching Antonacci inside, because they now already know what he is thinking.

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For a long time, it did not seem like the Chicago White Sox would have anything to feel good about in the near future. Three straight seasons of 100+ losses, which included a Major League record 121 losses in 2024, had fans feeling as bad about the organization as at any point in franchise history.

Coming into 2026, there were not high expectations. Fans just wanted to see some semblance of improvement. The fact that Chicago is now 39-34 is better than anyone could have expected. That they are in first place in the American League Central Division is just an added bonus.

And through it all, Colson Montgomery has continued to be a bright spot.

Chicago White Sox star Colson Montgomery has made Major League history

Chicago came into New York on a high note after beating the two best teams in the National League. However, they dropped the first two games against the Yankees, and fans began to wonder if the White Sox could really hang with the powerhouses of the American League.

On Thursday, though, Chicago mashed two homers on their way to a 5-1 victory. The first of these came from Montgomery, his 20th on the season. That bomb also put him in the Major League record books:

Colson Montgomery:

1st season: 20th HR in 247th AB
2nd season: 20th HR in 254th AB

He’s the only player in history to hit 20 HR within his first 275 AB in each of his first 2 MLB seasons. pic.twitter.com/qOHkjqzK5H

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) June 19, 2026

Montgomery is the first player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs in less than 275 at-bats in each of his first two seasons. What was astounding about his feat last year was that he was not called up until mid-way through the year. Similarly, he has accomplished the feat before the halfway point of the current season.

Early on this year, a lot of the attention went to Munetaka Murakami, and rightfully so. After all, he had 20 home runs already through the first 60 games of the season.

But Montgomery is showing everyone that he is just as big of a star as his slugging counterpart.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox need special arrangement for Tarik Skubal trade
• White Sox shoot into top-10 of ESPN’s MLB power rankings
• Colson Montgomery made history in White Sox loss to Yankees

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 expected to aggressively pursue pitching help before the trade deadline on Aug. 3.

The young White Sox lineup has been hot this spring, putting them squarely in the postseason race. But the starting rotation has issues and ranks No. 29 in ERA. Chicago’s start against the New York Yankees this week shows how badly the team needs a boost to the rotation.

New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta seems like a good choice for the White Sox, as his $8 million salary would be manageable for a young team that’s still rebuilding.

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has been mentioned as a potential option for Chicago by Mike Axisa of CBS Sports. During an appearance on “The Score” on Thursday, White Sox color analyst Steve Stone threw cold water on the proposition, suggesting Tigers president Scott Harris would want a deal too rich for Chicago to make.

More News: Chicago White Sox: ESPN gives 90% chance of Freddy Peralta trade

Chicago White Sox won’t be in Tarik Skubal sweepstakes

More News: White Sox planning ‘aggressive’ trade: Report

The White Sox would have to “secure” Skubal’s future. He would be a costly rental for a young team that needs to keep as many valuable pieces in the organization as possible.

“Well, if you think that the White Sox are going after Tarik Skubal, I think perhaps they should check the water over there in your building, because number one, to give Scott Harris what he wants for Skubal, you’re going to have to make a deal ahead of time that secures his future in whatever team he’s going to,” Stone said.

“The Dodgers would be the logical team. They have both the money and the prospects. The White Sox will not be in the Skubal acquisition phase.”

The Tigers will certainly be looking to trade Skubal this summer if the team doesn’t make a turnaround before August. Harris will want to get something in return for Skubal before he heads to free agency at the end of the season.

The White Sox aren’t ready to make such a move, but the team will explore more reasonable options that won’t have the same upside as Skubal.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The last two games may not have gone their way, but the Chicago White Sox are still in first place in the American League Central Division. At 38-34, Chicago is a vastly improved team than the product the put on the field over the last few years.

What has been most surprising as of late is that the White Sox have continued winning despite the injury absence of Munetaka Murakami. When he went down with a strained hamstring, many were worried that Chicago would not be able to keep up in the division.

Not only have they been able to keep up, they are now in first place.

The Chicago White Sox land the eighth spot in ESPN’s top-10 rankings

When the season began, Chicago was consistently ranked at or near the bottom of ESPN’s power rankings. This was understandable, of course, given that they lost over 100 games in each of the past three seasons. Additionally, they opened 2026 by being swept.

But now, thanks to their wins over the two best teams in the National League, the White Sox have been ranked eighth:

“The White Sox completed a solid week during a tough stretch of their schedule. First, they took two of two from the Braves, then won their three-game series against the Dodgers thanks to a rally in the rubber game Sunday.

“Chicago scored six runs in the sixth to erase a 1-0 deficit behind three home runs in the inning. It has been their trademark: The White Sox are among the league leaders in slugging and right behind the Yankees in home runs. Even while missing Munetaka Murakami because of injury, their power hasn’t tanked.”

In order to maintain this top-ten ranking, Chicago is going to have to bounce back from what is currently a disappointing series in New York. If they can, they should be able to get to Murakami’s return in a good position to keep the good times rolling.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox linked to unthinkable trade that would change everything
• 4 White Sox players in the hunt for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game
• ESPN gives 90% chance of Freddy Peralta trade

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 knew that the stretch of games they are currently playing were going to be tough. After shocking many by winning consecutive series at home against the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, they have dropped two straight games on the road against the New York Yankees.

Fortunately, they have not fallen out of first place in the American League Central Division because the Cleveland Guardians have dropped two in a row as well. At 38-34, the White Sox are miles ahead of where many thought they would be, and their young stars, such a Colson Montgomery, are a big reason why.

Colson Montgomery made Chicago White Sox history in loss to New York Yankees

Montgomery burst on the scene last year following his mid-season call-up to the Majors. As a rookie, he hit .239/.311/.529 with 21 home runs and 55 RBI in 71 games played.

He has been nearly as good through 69 games to start the 2026 season, slashing .225/.319/.502 with 19 home runs and 44 RBI.

Last night, he hit his 19th home run of the season against New York. It was his 40th career home run, a milestone he has reached faster than any other player in franchise history:

Colson Montgomery reached 40 career home runs in 140 games, the fewest games to the mark in White Sox history

He hit his first homer on 7/22/25. Since that day, he’s second in MLB in home runs, behind only Kyle Schwarber (49) https://t.co/BlP8uvLUum

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 18, 2026

As one can see from the post above, not only has Montgomery reached 40 home runs faster than any player in franchise history, but he also has the second-most home runs in the Majors since he made his debut.

One might assume that Munetaka Murakami has a chance to break this mark if he comes back with enough games to play and continues to rake at the rate at which he was before he got hurt. Still, what Montgomery has been doing ever since last July has been nothing short of impressive.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox linked to unthinkable trade that would change everything
• 4 White Sox players in the hunt for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game
• ESPN gives 90% chance of Freddy Peralta trade

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 run into a bit of a buzzsaw the last couple of nights, losing to the New York Yankees in a pair of blowout losses. However, they are still 38-34 on the season and are smack dab in the middle of playoff contention.

Because of how surprising the White Sox have been this year, they may ultimately end up crashing the MLB trade deadline.

Just about everyone anticipated that Chicago would be a midsummer seller, but things have changed. With the White Sox looking like favorites in the AL Central, they could ultimately try to bolster their roster for a postseason run, and they have the chips to do it.

Chicago’s farm system has become rather enviable over the last year, and it has impressive depth that it can use in significant trades.

With the White Sox in dire need of starting pitching, adding another rotation arm should be at the top of their priority list. ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel seem to believe that the South Siders will try to do just that, and they have identified a shocking potential target for them: Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan.

Chicago White Sox linked to blockbuster trade for Joe Ryan

Passan and McDaniel gave Ryan a 55 percent chance of being dealt, which should not come as much of a surprise with Ryan having just one year of club control remaining and the Twins certainly not resembling contenders.

But would Minnesota actually trade Ryan to a division rival?

Ryan has logged a 3.17 ERA this season, allowing 66 hits while racking up 92 strikeouts over 82.1 innings of work. He boasts a sparkling 0.996 WHIP, and his 5.75 K/BB ratio is genuinely elite. Not only that, but his 2.89 FIP indicates that he has actually gotten a bit unlucky in 2026.

The Twins could reap quite a haul for Ryan. They know this, which is why they will surely do everything in their power to send him out of the AL Central. They would probably even prefer to ship him out of the American League in general.

But if the White Sox were able to land Ryan, they would suddenly lay claim to a really impressive one-two punch of Ryan and Davis Martin at the top of their rotation with Sean Burke as a solid No. 3. It would absolutely increase their chances of a division title, and it would make them a relatively scary team in the playoffs.

It would truly be something if Chicago were able to pull this off, but it just doesn’t seem all that probable.

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The first-place Chicago White Sox have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season. Not only have they blown past preseason rebuilding expectations, but they’ve also proven their strong start was no fluke and appear poised to remain in the playoff conversation throughout the year.

As a result, several players have begun generating All-Star buzz, including first baseman Munetaka Murakami, third baseman Miguel Vargas, shortstop Colson Montgomery, and starting pitcher Davis Martin. With Phase one of MLB All-Star voting just over the half way point, here is where the position players rank as of June 15.

Four Chicago White Sox players in the hunt to be 2026 All-Stars

Despite being on the injured list with a hamstring strain since May 30, Murakami currently ranks third among all American League first baseman with 437,07 votes. He trails Ben Rice of the New York Yankees with 509,830 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr of the Toronto Blue Jays with 603,014 votes.

Miguel Vargas is in the same position in the third base standings with 329,208 votes. There is a further gap between him and the second and first place players however as Kazuma Okamoto of the Blue Jays has 556,172 votes and Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays has 625,520 votes.

At shortstop, Colson Montgomery holds the fourth most votes at 176,673. Bobby Witt Jr of the Kansas City Royals is leading this position by a wide margin, with 890,575 votes, while Andres Gimenez of the Blue Jays and Kevin McGongile trail him with 354,651 and 266,239 votes respectively.

In order to advance to phase 2 of MLB All-Star voting, these White Sox position players have to be in at least second place. This means there is some work for each to do in order to keep their mid summer classic aspirations alive. Phase 1 of voting ends on June 25.

As a reminder, pitchers are not voted in by the fans. Rather, player votes and commissioner selection is how they are selected. With how dominant Davis Martin has been this year, it’s hard to image he won’t be selected.

The post Which White Sox Will Make the 2026 All-Star Team? These 4 In The Hunt appeared first on ChiCitySports.

With a surprising start to the season, the Chicago White Sox are expected to be aggressive before the trade deadline on Aug. 3.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Jon Hayman of the MLB Network expect the White Sox to go after pitching help at the deadline, especially for a starting pitcher who can help a rotation that has a chance to play extra baseball in the playoffs after two miserable seasons.

Before taking on the New York Yankee on Wednesday, the White Sox have a 38-33 record, and are tied with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central.

One pitcher for the White Sox to keep their eyes on is New York Mets right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta. Per ESPN, there is a 90 percent chance the Mets trade Peralta this season. Despite having the MLB’s second-highest payroll, New York is in the dumps with a 33-41 record, the worst in the National League East.

More News: White Sox planning ‘aggressive’ trade: Report

Chicago White Sox: Freddy Peralta would be a cheap addition

More News:  Chicago White Sox considering top prospect for MLB debut

Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN noted that Peralta is only making $8 million this season, which would be an “attractive” number for a low-payroll team. (Like the White Sox.)

Peralta is making $8 million this season, an awfully attractive figure for low-payroll teams. While he’s off to a slow start this spring with a 5-5 record and ERA of 3.90, he has plenty in the tank for a team wanting to make a postseason run.

“(Peralta) just turned 30, has below-average fastball velocity and is listed at 6 feet tall and 198 pounds,” they wrote. “So, it’s good to know that he doesn’t succeed due to pure velocity, because he’ll need angles and command in his favor even more going forward.”

The offense has been powering the White Sox through this spring. Per evanalytics.com, Chicago’s rotation ranks 29th with a 4.69 ERA, only better than the Colorado Rockies. For the White Sox to become a legit contender, the pitching must be better in the second half of the season.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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Why Strategy Matters in Sports

Sports have always been dynamic and progressive. Every year, athletes become more efficient and trained. Teams are constantly developing new methods to improve their performance. A lot depends on the strategy when trying to achieve results. The term “strategy” implies more than just a simple game plan. It involves training, developing players’ skills, analyzing data, and making decisions before and during the game. Opponents are analyzed, statistics are reviewed, and ways to gain an advantage are sought. A correct strategy can help face stronger opponents and play successfully. It can assist players in giving the maximum of themselves. Sometimes good planning plays the same role as natural talent. It is not surprising that interest in sports strategies exists not only among coaches and players but also among fans who follow analytics, statistics, and trends using various resources, including online sportsbook Ontario.

Current Chicago Landscape

The Chicago professional sports scene is currently anchored by a mix of high-stakes transitional periods and cautious optimism.

The Bears are dominating the airwaves despite being in offseason. As training camp and preseason loom, they will always carry immense expectations behind quarterback Caleb Williams following a promising playoff push last season.

The Cubs are locked in a competitive battle for a National League Wild Card spot, while the White Sox have surprisingly bounced back to fight for the lead in a tight AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks continue to construct their future around Connor Bedard, and the Bulls are searching for a fresh identity after missing the postseason. It’s a landscape defined by emerging young stars and a city eager for its next championship contender.

Building a Better Team

Strategy is not only about what happens on the field or court. It also plays a major role when teams build their rosters.

A good example is the Chicago Bulls. Before a new season starts, fans and analysts often ask which positions need help. Right now, many experts believe the Bulls need to strengthen the center position. The team could use a player who protects the basket, grabs rebounds, and adds size in the paint.

This kind of decision is part of a long-term strategy. Teams must identify weaknesses and find players who can solve those problems. A smart move in the offseason can make a big difference once the season begins.

The Growing Role of Artificial Intelligence in Pro Sports

Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of sports every year. Many teams already use AI tools to study games and players.

For These systems can review thousands of plays in a short time. They can find patterns that people might miss. Coaches can use this information to improve tactics and prepare for future games.

AI can also help with player health. It can track workloads, spot signs of fatigue, and reduce the risk of injury. This allows athletes to stay in better condition throughout the season.

For many sports organizations, AI has become a valuable tool.

The Bulls revamped their digital ecosystem using a backend AI tool called Squid AI. Rather than putting a public-facing chatbot on their site, the team uses the AI selectively behind APIs to improve username validation and enable natural language search on their schedule pages.

As part of the fan code of conduct, all patrons attending games at the United Center are strictly prohibited from bringing AI Glasses or any wearable smart devices capable of photographing, recording, or streaming with AI-assisted features.

The NBA is transitioning to using AI-driven automated camera systems to make objective, instantaneous rulings on specific calls, such as out-of-bounds plays. This system is designed to take the burden off human referees and prevent disputes over possession.

Are There Any Risks?

While AI offers many benefits, it also creates some concerns.

One concern is that teams may become too dependent on technology. Sports have always included emotion, instinct, and quick decisions. These human qualities make games exciting. If computers start making too many decisions, some people worry that sports could lose part of their character.

Another issue is fairness. Large clubs often have bigger budgets and better technology. Smaller teams may not have access to the same tools. This could create a wider gap between the top teams and everyone else.

Because of this, sports organizations will need to find the right balance between technology and competition.

What Does the Future Hold?

The future of sports looks exciting. Technology will likely become even more advanced. Teams will collect more data and use better tools to improve performance.

Training programs may become more personal. Athletes could receive advice based on their own strengths, weaknesses, and physical condition. Fans may also enjoy better broadcasts, more statistics, and new ways to follow their favorite teams.

At the same time, some things will never change. Hard work, talent, teamwork, and strong leadership will always matter. Technology can support athletes, but it cannot replace the desire to win.

The Link Between Sports Betting and Strategy

Sports strategy is also connected to sports betting. Many people think betting is only about luck, but successful bettors usually spend a lot of time studying sports.

They look at team form, player performance, injuries, statistics, and coaching decisions. They try to understand which team has the better plan and the better chance of winning.

Of course, sports are unpredictable. No strategy can guarantee a result. Upsets happen every season. That is one reason fans love sports.

Still, good analysis can help people make better decisions. The same strategic thinking that helps teams succeed can also help people understand games more clearly. In the end, sports, technology, and strategy are closely connected, and sports betting is another area where smart planning and careful analysis play an important role.

The post How Strategy Drives Sports Forward and What the Future May Look Like appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago White Sox may have gotten hammered by the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, but that doesn’t change the fact that they have still been one of the best stories in baseball this season and are smack dab in the middle of the American League playoff picture.

The White Sox are in first place in the AL Central and have gone 32-18 since April 17, representing the best record in the American League during that time.

However, it’s clear that Chicago could still use some help, and it may look to buy some pieces between now and the MLB trade deadline.

No one expected the White Sox to actually be adding players heading into the campaign. Everyone assumed they would be sellers. But they are playing well above expectations, so they could try to swing some deals. But how aggressive will they actually be?

Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer has pitched a wild trade idea for Chicago, naming the South Siders a landing spot for San Francisco Giants slugger Rafael Devers.

Chicago White Sox linked to wild Rafael Devers trade

The White Sox could absolutely stand to add some more lineup depth, and that’s even more relevant with Munetaka Murakami sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

The Giants would surely love to get out from under Devers’ contract, a 10-year, $313.5 million pact he signed with the Boston Red Sox back in 2023. The deal runs through 2033, and San Francisco is not exactly getting the best returns on it after acquiring the 29-year-old via trade last season.

Devers leads the majors with 21 doubles this year, but he is slashing just .235/.293/.413 with nine home runs and 33 RBI over 307 plate appearances in what has been the worst showing of his big-league career. Would Chicago — which owns one of the lowest payrolls in all of baseball — really be willing to absorb Devers’ contract for that production?

To be fair, the lefty slugger smash 35 homers to go along with an .851 OPS in 2025, and he has historically been a terrific hitter, boasting a lifetime .273/.346/.501 slash line. He would also obviously cost very little in terms of prospect capital. In fact, the Giants may be willing to send a prospect or two to the White Sox just to dump his salary.

But is this a move that Chicago would realistically make? It just doesn’t seem very likely unless San Francisco is willing to eat a good portion of Devers’ deal. And even then, it really isn’t all that probable.

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It is June 16, and the Chicago White Sox, to the surprise of just about everyone, are in first place in the American League Central Division. At 38-32, they have the third best record in the American League as a whole. Indeed, very few, if anyone, saw the White Sox being this good, much less a winning team, in 2026.

About a week ago, fans were looking at the upcoming schedule with a bit of trepidation. While Chicago was winning games, they faced an upcoming series of games against the best teams in baseball.

So far, they are 4-1 in this stretch and have a great deal of confidence ahead of their series against the New York Yankees. Unfortunately, not all the news out of Chicago is good.

Chicago White Sox prospect Hagen Smith is being shut down for a couple weeks

On Tuesday afternoon, it was reported that the White Sox top pitching prospect, Hagen Smith, is being shut down for a couple of weeks:

Injury update: Hagen Smith has left shoulder impingement. He will be shut down from throwing for two weeks and then ramp back up for two weeks before returning to game action, per team.

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) June 16, 2026

This is not the best news, not only because of the young pitcher’s physical well-being, but also because he was just on the brink of being called up to the Majors this past weekend.

According to White Sox insider Brian Murphy, “Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Yankees, White Sox manager Will Venable said that the team considered calling up Smith to start Saturday’s game against the Dodgers at Rate Field. However, a rainout of Chicago’s game on Thursday against the Braves allowed the club to reset its rotation, and Sean Burke faced the Dodgers instead.”

Smith is 0-5 with a 4.67 ERA in 14 starts in Triple-A this year.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Forgotten White Sox prospect tied to 3x All-Star released after 6 seasons
• White Sox reportedly have confusing MLB trade deadline plans
• White Sox hit with dose of reality by MLB analyst

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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A decade ago, the Chicago White Sox made a franchise altering decision when they acquired RHP James Shields from the San Diego Padres in exchange for RHP Erik Johnson and 3B Fernando Tatis Jr. At the time, Tatis Jr was a teenage prospect playing at the Rookie level of the minor leagues, but he’s since gone on to be a three time All-Star and two time platinum glove award winner with the Padres.

In hopes of capitalizing on the same family talent, Chicago sign Wilfred Veras out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 2019. Veras is a first cousin to Tatis Jr, and initially showed great promise as a prospect as he put on a huge display of power. Unfortunately, his production fizzled out over time and he now has been released by the White Sox organization after six seasons in the minors.

The White Sox have released OF Wilfred Veras.

— Ian Eskridge (@dailywhitesox) June 14, 2026

Chicago White Sox release once promising outfield prospect Wilfred Veras

After a strong showing at the Rookie level in 2021, where Veras posted a .322/.416/.533 slash line over 46 games, Veras put on a huge display of power in years following. Between Single-A and Double-A competition, Veras belted 20 home runs in 2022 and 17 in 2023. In strictly Double-A in 2024 that number dropped to 16, but then a huge drop off in production followed in 2025 when he slashed a career worst .215/.293/.327 with nine home runs.

Before his release this year, Veras was once again slumping. Through 45 games in Double-A, he owned a .219/.281/350 slash line. Strikeout were also a growing concerning, coming in at 30.8% this year, which was similar to years prior.

While Veras never developed into the impact prospect the White Sox had hoped for, his release serves as another reminder of how difficult projecting young talent can be. The raw power that once made him an intriguing prospect was evident throughout his minor league career, but persistent swing-and-miss issues ultimately prevented him from taking the next step. Now a free agent, Veras will look to revive his career elsewhere.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the best teams in baseball for the last month-and-a-half, having gone 27-15 since bottoming out at 11-17 back on April 26. The White Sox are now in first place in the AL Central, and they have shown no signs of slowing down.

Even a hamstring injury to Munetaka Murakami has not hindered Chicago’s progress. In fact, the White Sox have made up ground in the division since Murakami went down late last month.

So, what does this mean for Chicago’s trade deadline plans?

Everyone expected the White Sox to be sellers this season, but things have obviously changed. Not only is Chicago in playoff contention, but it is now firmly in the driver’s seat in the AL Central, especially after Jose Ramirez’s hamate bone fracture in Cleveland.

The White Sox could end up buying between now and Aug. 3, but just how aggressive will they be? Therein lies the problem for general manager Chris Getz.

Chicago White Sox’s MLB trade deadline plans are confusing

Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY recently revealed some nuggets with the deadline in sight, and he dropped some confusing intel on the South Siders.

“They plan to be aggressive at the trade deadline in their search for pitching, but not at the expense of parting with any of their top prospects as they build towards the future,” Nightengale wrote.

Well, just how “aggressive” can you actually be if you are making all of your top prospects off limits?

Chicago’s farm system wasn’t highly-touted entering the season, but things have since changed. Some now view the White Sox’s farm system as one of the better ones in baseball, so it’s not like Getz can’t afford to trade from depth.

Unless Chicago — which owns the best record in the American League since April 17 — doesn’t genuinely believe it can make a run this season, then essentially sitting out the trade deadline because of prospect stashing could prove fatal.

There is no guarantee the White Sox will be in the playoffs year after year, so now that they have a great chance of playing October baseball, they should take advantage of it. That doesn’t mean they should do anything silly, but if they can manage to land some club-controlled talent, they should be willing to part with decent prospect capital.

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The Chicago White Sox have been seeing a great first few months of the season. Players have been surpassing their preseason expectations, and that includes one starting pitcher. He is pitching like one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball thus far. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what he has been doing on the mound to get this type of attention.

Davis Martin is a contender for the 2026 AL Cy Young Award

Sports Illustrated’s Tim Capurso wrote an article highlighting the top contenders in the American League Cy Young race. Chicago fans were thrilled to see Davis Martin getting some recognition for his outstanding start to the year, as he highlighted in the article:

“Martin has been one of the pleasant surprises on one of baseball’s most surprising teams in the second-place White Sox. The 29-year-old, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and dealt with a forearm injury last season, is also an example of a pitching success story in light of health setbacks, a rarity in the age of high velocity.

“Speaking of which, Martin doesn’t throw hard but he doesn’t need to. The Abilene, Tx., native boasts six pitches in his arsenal, three of which are fastballs – a four-seamer, sinker and cutter – that are delivered from the same arm slot and sport similar enough velocities to keep with the deception. Add in a capable curveball and slider and it’s not hard to see why Martin ranks in the 68th percentile or better in chase, whiff and strikeout rates. One of just four pitchers in the AL to rank in the top-10 in both strikeout and groundball rate, Martin in very much in the running for this award.”

Martin has been a star for the White Sox this season, despite not even being the team’s Opening Day starter. In 12 starts, he is 8-2 with a 2.61 ERA and a .236 opposing batting average in 72.1 innings. He also has kept the ball in the park, giving up just three home runs this year. Each season, Martin has shown the ability to improve on the bump and he is continuing that trend in his fourth MLB season.

This is not the first time he is getting some love for his 2026 production. Now as a full-time starting pitcher in the bigs, it is going to be intriguing to see if Davis can continue pitching like a Cy Young Award candidate.

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The Chicago White Sox are one of the hottest teams in the MLB after winning series against the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The White Sox enter Monday’s off day tied with the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central.

Chicago stunned the Dodgers (who hold the best record in the MLB at 46-27) with an 8-2 win on Friday night. Los Angeles responded with a 7-1 win on Saturday. The White Sox closed out their series with a 6-4 win in front of a pumped-up crowd of 38,507 at Rate Field.

Following the game, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman told reporters it looked like the White Sox were turning the corner and could be a force to contend with for years to come, via the Chicago Sun-Times.

Third baseman Max Muncy noticed how much of a difference the crowd is making for the White Sox at Rate Field, noting it’s pushing the young core forward.

‘‘That team is feeding off the crowd, and the crowd is feeding off the team,’’ Muncy said. ‘‘That’s definitely what makes baseball fun, is when you start getting these atmospheres. We’ve gotten real numb to it because we play in front of it every single night, but [the Sox deserve] to be feeling it.’’

The White Sox won just 41 games in 2024 and 60 games in 2025. They’re 38-22 in the middle of June.

More News: Chicago White Sox trade for prospects from the Philadelphia Phillies

Chicago White Sox: The bad days are history

More News: White Sox planning ‘aggressive’ trade

Shortstop Colson Montgomery believes seasons like in 2024 and 2025 are behind the White Sox.

‘‘I think you should stop thinking of this as a surprise just because we’re consistently winning [and] we’re consistently in every game,’’ Montgomery said. ‘‘It doesn’t matter what team it is, we’re going to go out there and just try to play our ball. I think those days are kind of over.’’

The White Sox have another big series coming up this week starting on Tuesday. Chicago will travel to play the New York Yankees for a three-game series.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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It is June 15, the Chicago White Sox are in first place in the American League Central Division. They currently have a record of 38-32, making them one of just five teams in the whole American League with a winning record. Chicago also currently has the third-best record in the AL, behind the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees (whom they play this week).

When the White Sox were winning games early, many gave credit to the offense led by Munetaka Murakami. But ever since the Japanese slugger went down with a hamstring strain, Chicago has continued to win.

It has gotten to the point where no one can write them off anymore.

Ken Rosenthal says the Chicago White Sox are still rebuilding

On Monday, MLB on Fox reporter and analyst Ken Rosenthal was on the latest episode of the “Foul Territory” show. During his segment, he spent some time describing just how amazing the White Sox turnaround has been:

The White Sox look increasingly legit after taking two of three from the Dodgers.

“This team fights. They’ve got talent, and they do a lot of good things,” says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/MbQGSKM7Ju

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 15, 2026

“It’s an amazing thing that has happened here. The turnaround of of this franchise. This week, or the past week, they won two straight from Atlanta before postponement, and then they won two of three for the Los Angeles Dodgers at home. 4-1 home stand.

“They are now 20-4 in their last 24 games at home. They are 8-5 without Munetaka Murakami. Remember, he went down and people thought ‘Eh, their offense might struggle.’ Seventh in the Majors in runs per game. Their offense has continued to be really good and, yeah, they’re going to need some help at the deadline.

“They’re going to need some pitching help if they’re going to stay in this thing. And they are a rebuilding club still, so I don’t expect them to go crazy. But, the White Sox are much more competitive than any of us thought.

“This team fights, they’ve got talent, they hit home runs, they do a lot of good things. Antonacci is an exciting player, Meidroth, all of these guys contributing.”

All of these things are true. The White Sox are, indeed, a young and exciting team with a bright, bright future ahead of them.

That being said, they are still rebuilding. Now, they may be further along in that rebuild than many people initially thought, but they are rebuilding.

The good news, though, is that they are not far off, and rebuilding teams can still add talent and make the playoffs. But in terms of seriously competing for a World Series, they are still a year or two away.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox urged to dump former first-round pick before MLB trade deadline
• One phase of the White Sox roster has out-performed expectations
• White Sox sign veteran pitcher Javy Guerra to a minor league 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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By taking two of three from the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago White Sox didn’t just win a series this weekend. They are reshaping the city’s baseball hierarchy in Chicago.

The White Sox didn’t just prove they can compete. They proved they’ve arrived. Additionally, they now have a legitimate chance to win the division even though it might be the worst division in the MLB.

For the first time in years, the White Sox look like the franchise with direction, momentum, and a future.

The White Sox set the tone by beating the Dodgers 8-2 on Friday. The Dodgers won 7-1 on Saturday, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking a no-hit bid into the ninth inning. They secured a 6-4 comeback win in the series finale, as they erupted for six runs in the sixth inning.

Keep in mind this is a team missing Munetaka Murakami, who is out 4-6 weeks with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain he sustained on May 29. The Sox are getting contributions from everywhere — the rotation, the bullpen, the lineup. Especially, they are getting help from the kids who are injecting energy into the clubhouse.

Beating the Dodgers, with a roster full of young, ascending players, is even more impressive.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs took two out of three against the San Francisco Giants over the weekend. But no Cubs fan will confuse that with a resurgence.

• Not after losing ten straight games not too long ago.
• Not with an offense that vanishes for days.
• Not with a rotation that’s been gutted by injuries.
• Not with a roster that still feels disjointed.

What the Cubs got was a mild reprieve this weekend. June was supposed to be a month where they finally get back on track with 12 straight games against both the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants. Instead, they are 4-5 against them after Sunday’s loss, with the Rockies coming to Wrigley Field starting on Monday.

The White Sox flipped the baseball landscape this weekend

Right now, the White Sox are a team on the rise with a manager who is pushing the right buttons so far. They beat an elite opponent in front of a large crowd. Also, they are getting production from young players who are playing with energy and identity.

The White Sox have more young talent in their minor league system, including Caleb Bonemer, George Wolkow, Billy Carlson, and a slew of other prospects. If they select UCLA SS Rock Cholowsky, who is the consensus top pick in the upcoming draft, as expected, he could easily become a top-3 prospect in a system that is already deep.

As for the Cubs? They have few MLB‑ready prospects like the White Sox. Their cores are aging and regressing. And both their front office and a highly paid manager are under scrutiny. But it’s hard to believe they can get a strong return.

The White Sox beating the Dodgers was a declaration that Chicago’s baseball landscape has been officially flipped.

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The Chicago White Sox have not been a good team for a while. Or, more accurately, they had not been a good team for a while. Going into the 2026 MLB season, many people, including their own fans, had very low expectations for the team that had lost 100+ games in three consecutive seasons.

As a result, pre-season and early-season power rankings often found the White Sox at or near the bottom of their lists. A sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Weekend did little to help matters.

Since that time, though, Chicago has taken the MLB world by storm and surprise.

The Chicago White Sox earn a 6th spot on latest MLB power rankings

Now 38-32, the White Sox are tied for the American League Central Division lead. After years of finishing in the cellar, they are now one of the best teams in the division, and are coming off of series wins against the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, the two best teams in all Major League Baseball.

As a result, they are now ranked sixth in MLB’s rankings:

“The Chicago White Sox have had one full winning season since 2013, and they have lost 100 games three consecutive seasons, including a nightmare 121-loss campaign in 2024. That’s a lot of pain for their fans, to say the least. But it is all starting to come together.

“After a weekend when Chicago took two out of three from the reigning champion Dodgers and still sit in a virtual tie atop the AL Central, the White Sox shot up three spots to No. 6 in the MLB.com Power Rankings. Sixth! The White Sox! The sun may finally be coming out for this franchise.”

The season is not yet halfway over, and a lot can go wrong between now and the end of the year. However, the White Sox have overcome losing their most-feared slugger and have been able to win games with one of the youngest rosters in the game.

There will be bumps, as is natural in a 162-game season. But it certainly seems that the days of perpetual losing are over.

Finally.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox urged to dump former first-round pick before MLB trade deadline
• One phase of the White Sox roster has out-performed expectations
• White Sox sign veteran pitcher Javy Guerra to a minor league 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 are achieving things that no one thought they were capable of during the first half of the 2026 MLB campaign, as they are sitting at 38-32 and in first place in the AL Central.

They just took series from the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and since bottoming out at 11-17 earlier in the season, they have gone 27-15.

This makes the White Sox one of the most intriguing teams to watch heading into the MLB trade deadline. The entire world had them pegged as midsummer sellers going into the campaign, but now, Chicago might just do something crazy and buy.

The White Sox certainly have some holes that need to be patched, such as a thin starting rotation and a lineup that gets shaky once you get past the big boppers. They also have some assets they could move in blockbuster deals, and Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown already thinks they could be shopping shortstop prospect Billy Carlson.

Chicago White Sox urged to trade Billy Carlson

Chicago selected Carlson with the 10th overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft, but with the White Sox being absolutely loaded at Carlson’s position, they can afford to send him packing.

“In Carlson, the White Sox have a young, developmental hitter with an elite defensive profile at shortstop. It’s difficult to envision him needing to move away from shortstop defensively, but he’s just 19 years-old and needs to take steps forward at the plate. On top of this, the White Sox have the top pick in the 2026 MLB draft and are likely deciding between shortstops Roch Cholowsky and Grady Emerson,” Phalen wrote.

Carlson is slashing .257/.386/.340 with no home runs and 11 RBI over 177 plate appearances at Single-A Kannapolis this season. The complete absence of power is definitely concerning, even for a shortstop. So perhaps Chicago should look to move him in a major trade.

“With Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, Sam Antonacci, Caleb Bonemer, Jacob Gonzalez, and Kyle Lodise all at or near the big league level and capable of playing shortstop, it’s an area the organization can afford to deal from to bring in another position of need,” Phalen added.

Trading from a position of strength is always the way to go, so the White Sox shouldn’t be shy about including Carlson in trade offers. That doesn’t necessarily mean they should just give him away, but when it comes to acquiring a star player, the Mission Viejo, Ca. native should be on the table.

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On June 15, who would have thought the Chicago White Sox would be a top offense in the American League?

The Chicago White Sox having a quality offense is a real surprise, as so many of their hitters are young

Even without their best power hitter, first baseman Munetaka Murakami (right hamstring strain), the White Sox are second to the New York Yankees (102) for the most home runs (96) in the American League. The White Sox offense has also scored the fourth-most runs (333), fifth-most RBI (317) and fourth in on-base percentage (.325).

More White Sox News: Chicago White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery makes MLB history in debut

Alongside Murakami, shortstop Colson Montgomery and third baseman Miguel Vargas have helped take the offense to the next level. Montgomery is second on the team in home runs (17) and third in OPS (.801), and Vargas is third in home runs (16) and second in OPS (.860).

Center fielder Tristin Peters, who isn’t talked about nearly as much in Major League Baseball, has also been exceptional. The White Sox acquired Peters from the Tampa Bay Rays back in December for cash considerations. Peters is the White Sox’s best contact hitter, batting .294, and is fourth on the team in hits (52).

“It would be easy to point to outfielder Tristan Peters, who went from battling for a roster spot out of Spring Training to becoming a force offensively and defensively,” wrote MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. “Or how about third baseman Miguel Vargas, who has emerged as an American League MVP candidate. Let’s not overlook the massive home run power of Munetaka Murakami, who has made a number of teams regret they didn’t pursue him more stridently as a free agent from Japan. But the nod goes to the entire team, taking a step from competitiveness after the 2025 All-Star break to a division leader in mid-June of the current campaign.”

Currently tied with the Cleveland Guradians for the lead in the American League Central, the White Sox could capture their first division title since 2021. For the White Sox to separate themselves from the Guardians, general manager Chris Getz will need to be on his game for the trade deadline (Aug. 3).

The White Sox need pitching. So, acquiring a starter and a bullpen arm is a must.

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The Chicago White Sox are in a position that very few people saw them being in before the season started. At 37-32, they are just a half-game out of first place in the American League Central Division. Due to the overall poor showing from the majority of American League team’s, the White Sox currently have an excellent chance to make the postseason in 2026.

Of course, this is shocking because they lost over 100 games in 2023, 2024, and 2025. 2024 saw them go 41-121, the worst single-season record in the history of Major League Baseball.

Now, however, they have turned their fortunes around. With the summer progressing, it is becoming more and more obvious that Chicago will be buyers at the MLB trade deadline as opposed to their usual role as sellers.

With this in mind, it stands to reason that they are scouring the free agent market to have pieces in place for when dominoes start falling.

The Chicago White Sox have signed Javy Guerra

It stands to reason that, should the White Sox try to acquire anyone at the MLB trade deadline, they will be giving up one of the league’s most prized commodities: pitching. On that note, they have signed veteran Javy Guerrra to a minor league contract, per MLB trade rumors.

A 30-year-old right handed pitcher, Guerra has not appeared in the Majors since 2023. In 61 career appearances, he is 3-1 with a 6.43 ERA and 1.78 WHIP.

After splitting the 2023 season with the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, Guerra spent 2024 and 2025 pitching in Japan. While there, he was 1-5 with a 2.44 ERA in 65 games.

Guerra signed with the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 2026 season, but never saw the Majors. In 16 games with their Triple-A club, he was 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA. He was released just this past Thursday.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox planning for an aggressive trade ahead of MLB deadline
• White Sox trade from Philadelphia Phillies prospect
• Why Munetaka Murakami is White Sox biggest breakout player of 2026

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 37-32, a record very few people, if any, predicted they would have at this point in the season. After all, the White Sox lost more than 100 games in each of the previous three years, and there were not many signs pointing at a sudden turnaround. Instead, fans were gearing up for another slow rebuild season.

However, Chicago has benefited from the unexpected contributions of several young players, most notably Munetaka Murakami. Yet even with the Japanese slugger on the injured list, the White Sox have been able to continue winning games on a consistent basis.

What is more, they have another young star, catcher Kyle Teel, nearing return.

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel is nearing return

Teel was originally injured while playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. He suffered a grade-two hamstring strain, which forced him to start the 2026 on the injured list. Last month, while on a rehab assignment in Triple-A Charlotte, he suffered an LCL sprain in his right knee, which set his return date back even more.

Fortunately, it sounds like he is finally trending in the right direction:

Wh Sox manager Will Venable said that catcher Kyle Teel will likely be sent out to an affiliate and work toward returning off the IL In the next few days.His hamstring has healed, his knee strain is also getting very close to full recovery. Originally hurt in WBC March 9th.

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) June 12, 2026

As one can see from the post above, Teel is close to the point where he will able to go out on another rehab assignment. This time, hopefully, he will avoid further injury.

After being called up by the White Sox last year, Teel hit .273/.375/.411 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 78 games played.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox planning for an aggressive trade ahead of MLB deadline
• White Sox trade from Philadelphia Phillies prospect
• Why Munetaka Murakami is White Sox biggest breakout player of 2026

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 been the biggest surprise of the season in the MLB, and they might not be done turning heads before the end of the summer.

The White Sox have proven capable of battling the best teams in the league. Chicago defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-2 on Friday night before losing 7-1 on Saturday. The two teams will play for the series win on Sunday afternoon at Rate Field.

The White Sox will enter that contest with a 37-32 record, .5 games back from the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central. Chicago has a 2.5-game lead over the A’s for the final wild-card spot.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the White Sox plan to be “aggressive” before the trade deadline, looking to add pitching help for a roster that’s on the precipice of making the postseason. However, Chicago does not plan to go all-in at the deadline, hoping to keep together a young core that has seen 12 players make their MLB debut this spring.

“The most stunning aspect of the Chicago White Sox’s breakout year with an AL-best 31-18 record since April 17 – is that they have already had 12 players make their major-league debut this season,” Nightengale wrote.

“They entered the week with 37 victories and a chance to eclipse their entire win total from 2024 when they set an MLB record for futility with a 41-121 record. They plan to be aggressive at the trade deadline in their search for pitching, but not at the expense of parting with any of their top prospects as they build towards the future.”

More News: Chicago White Sox trade for prospects from the Philadelphia Phillies

Chicago White Sox have lots to do before making a trade

More News:  Chicago White Sox considering top prospect for MLB debut

The White Sox have another key series coming up this week after playing the Dodgers on Sunday. They’ll travel to play the New York Yankees for a three-game series beginning on Tuesday. It’s another measuring-stick series for Chicago before taking on the Cleveland Guardians at home for a three-game series beginning on June 22.

Those two series will tell us a lot about how the White Sox hope to keep the momentum from surprising spring going into the dog days of summer.

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, For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks

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The Chicago White Sox have been playing well and have some roster decisions to make. They have some players on the bench who could be on the chopping block when their injured players return. Chicago seemingly got ahead of things as they have traded away one of their players to the opposing league. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what they were able to get back in return.

The Chicago White Sox traded Derek Hill to the Philadelphia Phillies for prospects

ESPN’s Jeff Passan is reporting that a trade between the White Sox and the Phillies took place on Thursday afternoon. The trade sees the White Sox send center fielder Derek Hill and international bonus money to the Phillies. In return, the White Sox receive outfield prospect Dylan Campbell and infield prospect Jose Colmenares. Neither prospect was ranked within the top 30 in Philadelphia’s organization. However, Chicago has been calling up prospects throughout the season. This move was a chance to recoup some prospect capital for their farm system.

Campbell is 23 years old and is currently in Double-A. The 5-foot-8 outfielder is posting a .693 OPS with seven homers, 31 RBI, 27 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. Colmenares is a 24-year-old shortstop in High-A who is hitting well. He is posting a .816 OPS with three home runs, 19 RBI, 22 runs scored, and five stolen bases.

In terms of trading away Hill, the team has a bevy of outfielders who can replace him on the field. Hill has been used as a fourth outfielder, but with Tristan Peters taking over as the everyday center fielder, Hill’s playing time has been zapped from what it was earlier this season for Chicago. There are a few options that the franchise needs to decide upon regarding that bench spot being filled on the 26-man roster.

Depending on what Chicago is looking for, these are potentially two players they can throw into a trade closer to the deadline. Neither Campbell nor Colmenares is a highly-touted prospect, but both have some chances of developing into good major leaguers. It will be intriguing to see what general manager Chris Getz has up his sleeve to better the franchise following this trade.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the youngest teams in baseball in the early stages of the season. They have not been afraid of calling up their minor league prospects to help the MLB team out. With the pitching for Chicago being a bit of a question mark, they are internally discussing a debut for one prospect. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and why they may make this move.

The Chicago White Sox may call up Hagen Smith this weekend

White Sox manager Will Venable made it known that the team is still undecided about who will start on Saturday. The team is considering Hagen Smith. Smith is the fourth-ranked prospect in the organization and the 47th-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

Smith has been pitching at a respectable level with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights. In 13 starts, he is 0-4 with a 3.78 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 47.2 innings. He has been pitching at an elite level, recording 72 strikeouts thus far. The southpaw pitcher has quickly climbed up the organization’s ranks as he was selected fifth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft.

He throws three pitches (fastball, slider, splitter), and his heater and slider are dominating hitters. This would be a massive test as Saturday’s game is against the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the top offensive teams in the sport. Venable would also note that there is another option that the team uses on Saturday as a bullpen game while keeping Smith in the minors.

With the rainout on Thursday, there is a chance this conversation does not amount to anything. Now, the projected starting trio of Anthony Kay, Sean Burke, and Erick Fedde can line up for this series while using Monday’s off day to re-establish the rotation. It will be intriguing to see if Chicago continues to make more minor leaguers get their MLB debut this early into the season.

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It is June 12, 2026, and the Chicago White Sox are in first place in the American League Central Division. At 36-31, they hold a half-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians, and recently won both games they played against the Atlanta Braves (the third game was postponed due to weather), who have the best record in Major League Baseball.

Astonishingly, the White Sox have been able to continue winning baseball games over the last couple of weeks without Munetaka Murakami. The Japanese slugger is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain. But while he may be on the shelf, there is an argument to be made that, out of all of their breakout players this season, he is the most important one in Chicago.

Munetaka Murakami is the biggest breakout star on the Chicago White Sox

Indeed, there is no shortage of players who have been pleasant surprises on the White Sox roster this year. Notably, Davis Martin has come out of nowhere to be the ace of Chicago’s pitching staff. Miguel Vargas has finally realized the slugging potential the White Sox saw him in. What is more, several rookie players, aside from Murakami, have made significant impacts on the team so far in 2026.

But Bleacher Report believes the rookie slugger from Japan is their biggest breakout star:

“Munetaka Murakami is currently on the injured list with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, with the prognosis at the time of injury in late May being that he would miss four to six weeks.

“It was an unfortunate speed bump during what had been an excellent rookie season. Across his first 200 MLB at-bats, he has clubbed 20 home runs and posted a .938 OPS, while also driving in 41 runs.

“There were some concerns about how Murakami would handle velocity in the majors. He’s been just fine, making the two-year, $34 million contract he signed this past offseason look like highway robbery for the White Sox. They would be wise to try to extend that deal sooner rather than later.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Top White Sox outfielder from 2026 international class off to a torrid start
• White Sox named top trade destination for elite slugger
• White Sox finally get well-deserved recognition in latest MLB power rankings

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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Back in January, the Chicago White Sox handed out more $1.6 and $1.5 million dollars to catcher Fernando Graterol and outfielder Sebastián Romero, the headlining Venezuelan prospects from their 2026 International class. As expected, both are starting their professional careers in the Dominican Summer League (DSL), which kicked off earlier this month on June 2.

Since that season has started, Romero, who signed for slightly less, has been the prospect making all the noise. Through just eight games, the 17 year old left-handed batter has belted five home runs and hit one double. With nine total hits on the young season, this gives him an absurd on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.435.

Sebastian Romero’s power surge offers hope of breaking the Chicago White Sox string of misses on recent International signees

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The Chicago White Sox keep winning against all odds, and they are shockingly in first place in the AL Central as we are inching closer and closer to the halfway point of the season.

Perhaps it’s time to take the White Sox seriously, even with top slugger Munetaka Murakami sidelined with a hamstring injury. They just took two games from the Atlanta Braves before the final matchup of their three-game set was rained out, and since and 11-17 start, Chicago has gone 25-14.

But while the White Sox are a tremendous story and certainly appear to be legitimate playoff contenders, they still have some holes that need to be addressed.

We know that Chicago’s starting rotation is a problem once you get past Davis Martin and Sean Burke, and it could also stand to add some lineup depth. Even with Murakami healthy, the South Siders’ lineup is very top-heavy, so they could use some reinforcements.

On the latter note, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer has dubbed the White Sox a top landing spot for Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers.

Chicago White Sox named top trade destination for Ryan Jeffers

Chicago desperately needs more offense from the catcher position. Starting backstop Edgar Quero owns a .498 OPS on the season, and while backup Drew Romo has hit five home runs over 89 plate appearances, he is batting just .158.

The White Sox have been waiting on Kyle Teel to return from a hamstring issue that has kept him on the shelf since the World Baseball Classic, but he isn’t expected back until sometime next month. So could Chicago try and swing a trade for Jeffers in the meantime?

Rymer has tabbed the Sox among a few ballclubs that represent logical destinations for Jeffers, who is currently on the injured list himself while recovering from a hamate bone fracture. But prior to his IL stint, the 28-year-old had been slashing .295/.408/.541 with seven homers and 26 RBI across 148 trips to the dish.

It has certainly been a career year for Jeffers, although he has always been a very productive offensive catcher, owning a lifetime .755 OPS.

The caveat is that Jeffers is slated to hit free agency after the season, so the White Sox could be paying a substantial price for a rental. And the Twins would almost surely ask for more from Chicago considering the two teams are AL Central rivals.

What would be interesting is if the White Sox acquired Jeffers and put him at DH. That would give them one heck of a lineup with a healthy Teel behind the plate.

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It is June 11, the none other than the Chicago White Sox sit alone atop the American League Central Division. At 36-31, they have a half-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians, who now have last four games in a row. Meanwhile, Chicago has taken the first two games of their series against the Atlanta Braves, who own the best record in Major League Baseball.

For the past several weeks, though, national writers and analysts have been hesitant to give the White Sox their flowers, sure that they would come back down to earth at some point.

But they haven’t.

The Chicago White Sox come in 13th in latest MLB power rankings

Last week, ESPN had Chicago ranked 13th in the power rankings. They are in that same slot again this week, but with an immensely positive description:

“It’s starting to feel like a special season in the South side of Chicago, and the clearest evidence occurred Tuesday night. Braden Montgomery, another promising prospect acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade, hit a walk-off home run in his major league debut, in a win that pushed the White Sox a half-game out of first place in the AL Central.

“Before Montgomery, the White Sox had already received inspiring performances from other young players like Miguel Vargas, Davis Martin, Colson Montgomery, Tristan Peters and, of course, Munetaka Murakami. The future looks bright, but the present does too.”

Before the season started, very few, if anyone, saw the White Sox being as good as they are. After three straight seasons with 100+ losses, fans just wanted to see a semblance of improvement.

Needless to say, they got all of that and more. This year, Chicago should have multiple players named to the All-Star team, and they are mostly all players that are tied to the team for years to come.

The future, indeed, is very bright on the South Side.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox linked to trade for star player from AL Central rival
• White Sox linked to trade with unlikely starting pitcher
• White Sox Braden Montgomery makes history in MLB 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 will be one of the most interesting teams to monitor heading into the MLB trade deadline. The White Sox were expected to be cellar dwellers once again this season, but instead, they are now in first place in the AL Central.

Given Chicago’s shocking success, general manager Chris Getz could decide to buy before Aug. 3. The White Sox are a solid team for sure, but they clearly have some holes that need to be filled. They could use another bat or two in their lineup, and their pitching staff could definitely use some assistance.

But will Chicago actually decide to pull the trigger on some moves in the coming weeks?

MLB insider Robert Murray thinks that the White Sox need to be careful and should be taking “the long-term view” when it comes to the trade deadline, which makes sense. They aren’t ready to win a World Series just yet, and while they are undoubtedly a fun ballclub, their success may also partially be due to playing in such a weak division.

That being said, Murray does think Chicago may look to make some patchwork trades to fill some gaps, and he has identified a very intriguing solution: Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha.

Chicago White Sox connected to trade for Michael Wacha

Would the Royals really trade Wacha — or any of their top movable pieces — to an AL Central foe? If they can get the best deal, perhaps, and Murray listed Wacha among numerous starters who could pique the White Sox’s interest.

“Perhaps they can snag a pitcher from the Red Sox or, say, a Reid Detmers from the Angels or a Michael Wacha from the Royals. Maybe an outfielder with one of those teams. Who knows. Surely Getz will explore anything,” Murray wrote.

Wacha has logged a 3.44 ERA through 13 starts this season, allowing 66 hits and while registering 67 strikeouts over 81 innings of work. His ERA has been in the 3s ever since 2022, so he has consistently been a solid pitcher for years running now.

The 34-year-old began his big-league career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 and looked like an emerging superstar, making the All-Star team in his third season. However, injuries derailed the right-hander for an extended period of time, and it was looking like he would never regain his footing.

But Wacha has been able to remain moderately healthy for the past five seasons and has rediscovered his mojo, utilizing terrific command of the strike zone to become a consistent and steady presence in his team’s starting rotation.

Given that the White Sox have no reliable options past Davis Martin and Sean Burke, acquiring Wacha would be great … if Kansas City would be alright with that.

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The Chicago White Sox have been surprising a lot of people throughout the first half of the season. With the 2026 All-Star Game voting going on, people are discussing who deserves a spot on the All-Star team. The White Sox have been clicking and could see a few players be recognized for their outstanding first half of the year. Let’s take a closer look at who one outlet believes will represent the South Side in Philadelphia for the 2026 All-Star Game.

The Chicago White Sox have a superstar in Munetaka Murakami

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, a former MLB general manager, wrote an article discussing his All-Star picks thus far. One of the more obvious selections he had was at first base with White Sox’s star Munetaka Murakami. Below is what he wrote about the rookie slugger:

“Murakami was leading the league with 20 homers when he suffered a Grade 2 right hamstring strain. There is a chance he could be back in time for the All-Star Game and he’s a deserving participant if he’s healthy enough to play.”

Murakami had a hot start to his MLB career. He is posting a .938 OPS with 20 homers, 41 RBI, 43 runs scored, and a stolen base during his rookie season. Murakami has not played since May 29 when he suffered a hamstring strain, but there is a chance he returns before the Midsummer Classic. He certainly deserves it as one of the best first basemen in the American League, with Nick Kurtz and Ben Rice.

Miguel Vargas is surprising a lot of people this season

One of the more surprising names to appear on this list comes from the White Sox as well. This would be a surprise if you asked at the beginning of the season, but third baseman Miguel Vargas is currently in the mix for an All-Star spot. Below is Bowden’s explanation as to why:

“Originally on my just-missed list, Vargas gets a deserving nod now that [Aaron] Judge will likely have to miss the Midsummer Classic… Vargas is finally reaching the potential he showed as a prospect in the Dodgers’ chain, hitting for power, taking his walks and making things happen on the bases. He has a 142 OPS+ and ranks in the 97th percentile in chase rate and 88th percentile in Barrel rate.”

This would make White Sox history, as Jimmy Dykes (1933) is the only player for the franchise to start an All-Star Game at third base. It will be an uphill battle, going against Jose Ramirez and Junior Caminero, but he has a shot with how he’s played thus far. Vargas has an .859 OPS with 15 homers, 41 RBI, and nine stolen bases. That’s not considering he only committed three errors defensively as well. Vargas expects to be an All-Star nonetheless for the first time in his career.

Davis Martin is looking like a legitimate ace

Bowden is succinct in his evaluation of the only pitcher that the White Sox have on his list. Right-handed starter Davis Martin is one of the starting pitchers he selected, and he wrote the following about it:

“Martin has been a real bright spot for the surprising White Sox, with a 2.61 ERA over 12 starts.”

Martin has been looking sharp and a major reason is his ability to keep the ball in the park. After allowing 20 in 142.2 innings in 2025, he has only given up three through 72.1 innings. Keeping the ball in the park obviously is a massive strength and keeps him in games longer. Martin could be a starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, but it will be intriguing to see if the American League coaching staff decides he has done enough to be named.

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The Chicago White Sox are shockingly smack dab in the middle of the American League playoff race, and even with Munetaka Murakami on the shelf, they are staying afloat.

However, it’s pretty clear that if the White Sox want to make a serious run during the second half of the season, they’ll need to make some adjustments. And while adding another bat would be nice, Chicago’s pitching staff has been the bigger issue.

The White Sox have very limited depth in their starting rotation. Once you get past Davis Martin and Sean Burke, there really isn’t much there, and it’s not like they have any exciting internal options on deck.

Whether or not Chicago decides to buy at the MLB trade deadline remains to be seen, but if the White Sox are serious about contending here in 2026, there is no question they must add at least one arm to bolster their staff.

On that subject, Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown has pitched a surprising potential trade target that no one would have anticipated: Colorado Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano.

Chicago White Sox linked to trade for Tomoyuki Sugano

Phalen mentioned several names as possibilities for the White Sox, but he specifically singled out Sugano due to the fact that he has posted respectable numbers in spite of being in the worst pitching confines in all of baseball.

Sugano has logged a 4.08 ERA and 1.288 WHIP this season, allowing 68 hits while registering 39 strikeouts over 68.1 innings of work. Not surprisingly, the 36-year-old has been much better away from Coors Field, where he has posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.179 WHIP.

There are some concerns with his profile, however.

Sugano’s ground-ball rate is only at 37.6 percent this season, which isn’t great for a pitcher who doesn’t strike hitters out. He is also allowing a barrel rate of 15 percent, and only 9.3 percent of the contact he has surrendered has been soft contact.

It should also be noted that Sugano was not exactly impressive during his debut big-league campaign with the Baltimore Orioles in 2025, pitching to the tune of a 4.64 ERA while giving up 33 home runs. And that was only in 157 frames.

If Sugano comes incredibly cheap, perhaps a trade would be worth a shot for the Chicago, but I’m not so sure that he is the target the White Sox should be seeking.

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Chicago White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery had a Major League debut that he will remember forever.

The White Sox’s No.2 prospect (21st-best prospect in Major League Baseball) collected two hits in his five trips to the plate. Montgomery’s first hit came off Atlanta Braves right-hander Grant Holmes.

Montgomery also collected his first home run, a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning (6-5). The 23-year-old clobbered a 0-1 changeup (90 miles per hour) that Braves closer Raisel Iglesias left over the middle of the plate, which he deposited into left field.

According to Elias Sports and Sarah Langs, Montgomery is the fifth player in Major League Baseball history to hit his first home run as a walk-off home run in his MLB debut. The four others include: Carlos Perez (2015) with the Los Angeles Angels, Miguel Cabrera (2003) with the Florida (Miami) Marlins, Josh Bard (2002) with the Cleveland Indians (Guardians) and Billy Parker (1971) with the California (Los Angeles) Angels.

Walk-off home run in MLB debut, MLB history:

6/9/26 Braden Montgomery
5/5/2015 Carlos Perez
6/20/2003 Miguel Cabrera
8/23/2002 Josh Bard
9/9/1971 Billy Parker                   
                     
FIFTH EVER!!!

h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/uIYByqx4TQ

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 10, 2026

Braden Montgomery was in disbelief that he had such a debut with the Chicago White Sox

Mobbed by his teammates at the plate after walking it off, the Des Moines, Iowa native was in disbelief at what he had done, calling the experience “unreal” at his locker.

More White Sox News: White Sox Munetaka Murakami is in line to bring home some valuable hardware

“That was … I still don’t know what to say,” said Montgomery to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, standing in front of his locker after emerging unscathed from the postgame frenzy. “That was unreal.”

Montgomery’s teammate, closer Grant Taylor, echoed his teammate, also calling the experience “unreal.”

“It was unreal,” echoed reliever Grant Taylor, who earned the victory by allowing one unearned run over two innings of relief. “That’s probably the coolest debut of all-time.”

Montgomery had been impressive at both Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte, which got him the call-up to the big leagues. Between the two levels, Montgomery batted .313 with a 1.035 OPS in Double-A, while hitting .315 and had an OPS of .912 at Triple-A.

Playing right field in his debut, Montgomery can expect to play there and center field (when Tristin Peters needs a day off) for the foreseeable future. Especially with Austin Hays out for longer than expected, as he was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Tuesday.

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The Chicago White Sox have had a black hole in right field due to injuries and inconsistent play. Outfielders Austin Hays (left calf strain) and Everson Pereira (right pectoral strain) have been on the injured list since late April and early May.

With Hays and Pereira not likely to return anytime soon, the White Sox are opting to call up one of their top prospects to replace the void created by them.

The Chicago White Sox are calling up top prospect Braden Montgomery from Triple-A Charlotte

The White Sox open a three-game series versus the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night and will have one new face joining the team, outfielder Braden Montgomery. According to Sox Machine’s James Fegan, the White Sox are calling up their No. 2 prospect and the 21st-best prospect in MLB, Braden Montgomery, to the big leagues after a solid season in the minor leagues.

More White Sox News: White Sox Munetaka Murakami is in line to bring home some valuable hardware

CBS Sports Matt Snyder first reported there were “whispers” that Montgomery would receive a call-up early Tuesday afternoon.

Montgomery, a former first-round draft pick (12th overall) of the Boston Red Sox in 2024, was one of the prospects in the deal that sent left-hander Garret Crochet back to the Red Sox. Since joining the White Sox farm system, the 23-year-old has done nothing but hit, posting a .284 batting average and .858 OPS in his two seasons in the minor leagues.

This season proved to be no different, and the Des Moines, Iowa native has been impressive at both Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. Between the two levels, Montgomery is batting .314 with a .970 OPS and 10 home runs.

The White Sox have deployed Montgomery in right field (16 games, 14 starts) and center field (31 games and starts) this season, but he will likely be playing in right field with the big league club. The emergence of outfielder Tristin Peters (.307 batting average and a .813 OPS) will prevent him from playing in center field.

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The Chicago White Sox haven’t been the team since first baseman Munetaka Murakami was placed on the injured list. After going 18-10 in May, the White Sox are 2-4 to begin June.

Murakami has proven to be the White Sox’s best hitter and one of the best hitters in baseball. Despite being on the injured list, the 26-year-old is third in Major League Baseball in home runs (20) and is fifth in walks (44).

Chicago White Sox Munetaka Murakami is a favorite to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award

Given the star power permeating the American and National Leagues, the Rookie of the Year race will be tight. So many rookies are deserving, but only one can win the award, and Murakami has one of the best chances.

More White Sox News: Chicago White Sox hope Edgar Quero can reverse his poor season

In a poll conducted by MLB.com of 32 experts, Murakami finished in second place to Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle. Murakami received 119 total vote points with 11 first-place votes, while McGonigle received 120 total vote points and 14 first-place votes.

“Murakami has been on the injured list since May 30 with a right hamstring strain and is expected to be out at least until the end of June,” wrote MLB.com’s Jason Foster. “But he did plenty before the injury to become a front-runner for the AL ROY award. The lefty slugger still leads all MLB rookies with 20 homers and a .938 OPS, and led the group with 41 RBIs entering play Monday.”

McGonigle is Murakami’s main competition. But he also has someone like Cleveland Guardians left-hander Parker Messick nipping on his heels. Messick is leading American League rookies in wins (six), innings (75) and strikeouts (78), and was second in ERA (2.40) and WHIP (1.07).

Murakami won’t return until the end of June. But this will still give him a couple of months to add on to his numbers.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, as they are 34-31 and firmly in playoff contention with the trade deadline approaching. This even though the White Sox had been one of the MLB’s worst teams for the preceding three years.

It has been a stark change in Chicago, and it’s thanks much in part to the terrific job the front office has done accumulating impressive young talent.

We already know about Munetaka Murakami, who is looking more and more like the steal of the offseason (although he is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury). But the White Sox have also put some very intriguing young pieces around him, such as shortstop Colson Montgomery and third baseman Miguel Vargas.

Montgomery and Vargas will both be with Chicago for the foreseeable future, but Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wonders if the White Sox should start trying to extend them now, which would certainly be a jarring move from an organization that hasn’t exactly spent significant money in recent years.

Chicago White Sox urged to make big moves with Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas

Miller feels that Chicago should follow the Athletics’ model and start extending their young players now.

“The White Sox should take a page out of the Athletics book and start locking up young core pieces like Colson Montgomery, Miguel Vargas and perhaps even top prospect Caleb Bonemer,” Miller wrote.

The Athletics signed youngsters Jacob Wilson and Tyler Soderstrom to surprising contract extensions and also offered Nick Kurtz a lucrative deal before the start of 2026. Clearly, the A’s are trying to make some headway before moving to Las Vegas, but that doesn’t mean Chicago can’t do something similar.

Both Montgomery and Vargas appear to be legitimate long-term pieces for the South Siders.

Montgomery owns an .801 OPS and has already homered 16 times this season — his second big-league campaign — while also playing tremendous defense at short. Meanwhile, Vargas is slashing .242/.370/.489 with 15 home runs. His defense is certainly less stellar than Montgomery’s but at least the White Sox know his bat is solid.

Chicago definitely appears to be building something very positive moving forward, but it’s important that it maintains its momentum. That means spending some dollars, and part of that could be in the form of inking its young, budding stars to long-term contracts. The Sox could then even save money over the long haul by avoiding arbitration.

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The Chicago White Sox are having an unbelievable first few months of the 2026 season. They are in contention for a playoff spot, as they hold the second AL Wild Card spot at this moment. Chicago has a lot of young talent, but could look to add some experience ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. What can the White Sox trade away? Let’s take a closer look at the team’s best trade chip right now.

The Chicago White Sox can trade some prospects for a solid boost to the MLB roster

MLB had each of its team insiders explain the team’s biggest trade chip ahead of the trade deadline. Scott Merkin explained how, for the White Sox, it is their prospect depth.

“The White Sox look to be legitimate American League postseason contenders. Thus, any veterans viewed in February as possible trade chips for an ongoing rebuild will be needed for the push forward to October. But as far as the young core goes, general manager Chris Getz won’t tear apart what they have meticulously built just to jump up for one season. They would move players from their system in return for players who won’t just help in 2026 but also in ’27 and beyond.”

Chicago has a lot of young talent, but it can be aggressive in the trade market. Getz has done a great job in acquiring minor league talent that is getting close to being MLB-ready. Not all of the prospects are going to be staying with the South Side, so some could be used to get players on the trade block this year.

The White Sox could use a starting pitcher with experience, so could they be in the Sandy Alcantara or Tarik Skubal trade sweepstakes? They could also get some more bats with players like Rafael Devers or a trade in the city for Matt Shaw. It will be intriguing to see which prospects they are interested in moving and which players the front office believes would help the roster continue to win games.

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The Chicago White Sox have done a tremendous job of expediting their rebuild, and we are seeing the fruits of their labor this season with the team sitting at 34-31 and firmly in contention in the AL Central race.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that every single White Sox player has turned to gold in 2026.

Take Jordan Hicks, for example, whom Chicago acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox back in February. The White Sox took Hicks off the Red Sox’s hands in what was essentially a salary dump by Boston, hoping that he would rediscover his form from several years ago when he appeared to be developing into a decent pitcher.

That certainly hasn’t happened this season, and now, Chicago is stuck with Hicks. At least for now.

Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller recently ran down a list of every team’s player that is most likely to be DFA’d here in 2026, and for the White Sox, the answer was easy: it was Hicks.

Chicago White Sox could cut the cord with Jordan Hicks

Chicago sent pitching prospect Gage Ziehl to the Red Sox in exchange for Hicks, David Sandlin and a couple of players to be named later. Boston sent some cash to the South Siders in the deal, too, but not enough to make up for the disaster that Hicks has been.

“Hicks is presently on the IL with a lat strain and the White Sox still owe him another $8M next season. Factor in the $4M per season that Boston retained when it sent him to Chicago and he actually has the third-highest salary on this roster,” Miller wrote.

The White Sox rank 28th in the majors in payroll, so the fact that Hicks is getting paid more than all but two players on the ballclub is ugly.

“But after both the Giants and Red Sox found a way to trade him away in the past calendar year, the White Sox might just throw in the towel on Hicks if he returns from the shelf every bit as erratic as he had been before the injury: 17.2 IP, 17 BB, 3 WP, 1 HBP,” Miller concluded.

Hicks last appeared in a game on May 20 and does not have a concrete timetable for his return, but Chicago would probably be better off not allowing him into a game the rest of the way.

The 29-year-old owns a lifetime 4.46 ERA and pitched to the tune of a 6.95 ERA as recently as last season, when he split the 2025 campaign between San Francisco and Boston. There really isn’t much of anything to like about Hicks’ profile at this point.

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Over the last several years, the Chicago White Sox have not had very many players worthy of being an MLB All-Star. Last season, then-rookie starting pitcher Shane Smith was chosen to represent the White Sox in the Mid-summer Classic, but an argument could be made he was among the worst All-Stars on either team.

Now, Smith is not even on the Major League roster. He was demoted after three awful starts at the beginning of the season, and numerous players in Chicago have emerged as candidates to represent the White Sox at the All-Star Game. For the first time in a while, they may even have multiple players named, and perhaps one or two starters voted in by fans.

Munetaka Murakami named the most fun Chicago White Sox All-Star choice

Early on, it became clear that rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami is everything that the White Sox hoped he would be, and even more. While he does strike out quite a bit, his power and ability to get on base at a high rate is undeniable. Through 57 games played, he is hitting .240/.378/.560 with 20 home runs and 41 RBI.

Despite the fact that he is currently on the injured list with a strained hamstring, MLB’s latest power rankings name him as the most “fun” player for fans to vote for when it comes to the All-Star Game:

“There are a lot of factors in the White Sox’s stunning success so far this year, but the obvious symbol and manifestation of them is Munetaka Murakami, who may be injured right now but has been as purely enjoyable to watch as we all hoped he’d be.”

Given Murakami’s international popularity, he still may be voted in as a starter by fans even though he will have missed weeks of games by the time his hamstring has healed.

This being said, the White Sox finally have multiple players that have a case to be All-Stars along with him. Davis Martin is having a stellar season thus far, and Miguel Vargas leads AL third basemen in multiple offensive categories.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

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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

The post Chicago White Sox most obvious All-Star candidate revealed in latest MLB power rankings appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago White Sox fell to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night, losing the first series of what is sure to be an early gauntlet in their schedule. However, the offense has been relatively competitive over the last 10 games, a pleasant surprise after Munetaka Murakami went down with an injury.

At the end of May, Murakami landed on the injured list with a grade-two hamstring strain. The injury was expected to keep him out for 4-6 weeks, meaning that he is now 3-5 weeks away from returning.

But since he got hurt, Chicago has held serve in the American League.

MLB Network reveals how Munetaka Murakami is still affecting the Chicago White Sox

In 57 games played this season, Murakami is hitting .240/.378/.560 with 20 home runs and 41 RBI. The power that so many Major League Baseball teams doubted would translate from Japan, indeed, has. Even though he has not played in over a week, Murakami still ranks among the American League and Major League leaders in home runs.

And even though he has been out, the White Sox have not lost any ground in division or AL standings. They are still one of just five AL teams with a record over .500.

Mark DeRosa of MLB Network credits this to how Murakami changed the way Chicago has viewed itself this year.

“.240, 20 bombs, a .940 OPS, but’s bigger than that,” DeRosa said. “This dude changed their thoughts. He showed up this Spring and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, we have a superstar! We have a guy whose balls don’t want to land. So if we do what we’re capable of doing, and we let him get his 40 bombs, we have something!’

“I think that he just expedited their thought process in everything.”

Prior to 2026, the White Sox had lost more than 100 games in each of their previous three seasons. This included a Major League record 121 losses in 2024. No one expected Chicago to make any noise in 2026, much less be one of the best teams in the American League.

But here they are. Even without Murakami, they have been able to hover around .500 as they face stiff competition. If they can continue to do so until he comes back, Chicago will continue to surprise people later in the season as well.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox could dump exciting player amid newest development
• White Sox outfield reinforcements are one step closer to the Majors
• White Sox could trade these 2 players before MLB trade deadline

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 continue to stay afloat in spite of losing Munetaka Murakami for the next month-plus, but there is no question that their offense could use some assistance now that his bat is no longer in the lineup.

The White Sox lacked offensive depth even with Murakami healthy, so now that he is sidelined, things could become dire for Chicago pretty quickly.

On the bright side, outfielder Everson Pereira has begun a rehab assignment down at Triple-A as he makes his way back from a pectoral injury. He has been out since late April, so getting his bat back will definitely be nice.

The issue is that the White Sox will have to make a roster move to accommodate Pereira’s return when he is ready. What exactly will they do in that regard?

Well, it will likely come down to Derek Hill or Rikuu Nishida, and Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown sees one simple solution here.

Chicago White Sox urged to demote Rikuu Nishida

Because Hill is a 30-year-old veteran, Phalen feels that the best move would be for Chicago to demote Nishida back to Triple-A.

“If I had to guess, I think the White Sox value Derek Hill enough as a veteran presence that they’ll keep him around and option Nishida to Triple-A. It’s a move that can always be undone later if it doesn’t work out and it gives them an opportunity to see if Everson Pereira can be an everyday player at the big league level,” Phalen wrote.

Nishida has played in 11 games for the White Sox this season, going 6-for-27 with a couple of RBI. He is a terrific defensive player who also flashed some impressive offense down in the minor leagues, having slashed .323/.449/.384 with a homer and 12 RBI between Double-A and Triple-A this year before being called up to the majors.

The 25-year-old, who has even drawn comparisons to Japanese legend Ichiro Suzuki, stole 40 bases at Double-A last season and swiped 49 bags between Single-A and Double-A in 2024.

There is no question that Nishida is an exciting player oozing with potential, but for now, the most prudent decision for the White Sox would probably be to send the 5-foot-6 speedster back to the minors to further hone his craft.

That would then allow Chicago to get Pereira — who has very impressive offensive potential himself — into the lineup.

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