The Chicago White Sox are 26-26 on the season through their first 52 games. To say that very few foresaw that they would be where they currently are is an understatement. After three straight 100+ loss seasons, fans only wanted to see some kind of improvement. What they are seeing, though, is a team that is competing for a spot in the postseason.

Chicago’s record is currently good enough for second place in the American League Central Division. It is also good enough for them to be firmly in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.

However, the White Sox have also hit a bit of a skid, one that has seen them drop in the power rankings.

The Chicago White Sox fall five spots in the power rankings

Unfortunately, the White Sox have dropped each of their past two series. While they have avoided getting swept, they still lost two out of three each time.

After being ranked 12th by Bleacher Report in last week’s power rankings, they now sit at #17:

“The White Sox were trending up with three straight series wins heading into last week, but their struggles on the road continued with a pair of series losses to drop them to 12-16 away from Rate Field. Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery have combined for 42 home runs, which is more than the Rays (41), Red Sox (38) and Brewers (34) entire rosters have hit.”

Clearly, the White Sox have a problem playing on the road, as evident by their 12-16 record in away games. Davis Martin has been a stud, but the rest of Chicago’s starting rotation has, by in large, been underwhelming.

Fortunately, they have three exciting power hitters in Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas. If they can keep slugging, Chicago will continue to be relevant.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox expected to call up utility man for MLB debut
• Davis Martin cracks list of top-10 MLB pitchers
• White Sox-Red Sox trade was highway robbery

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 26-26 after dropping their last two games against the San Francisco Giants. They have now lost two series in a row and are about to start a three-game set against their division rival Minnesota Twins. While it is still early, the White Sox probably did not expect to be in a position to compete this season. Right now, they are within reach of the American League Central and a Wild Card spot.

As such, Chicago is doing everything it can to win games now. This approach has led them to promote their 11th-ranked prospect, Rikuu Nishida, ahead of the Twins series.

The Chicago White Sox promote Rikuu Nishida, DFA Jarred Kelenic

There were rumblings that Nishida would be called up yesterday since he was spotted in the White Sox clubhouse. On Monday morning, it was announced that he had officially been called up by the club.

The White Sox have selected the contract of INF/OF Rikuu Nishida from Triple-A Charlotte and designated OF Jarred Kelenic for assignment ahead of today’s series opener vs. Minnesota. #whitesox

— Brooke Fletcher (@BrookeFletcher) May 25, 2026

Jarred Kelenic, who is hitting .226/.305/.321 with a home run and four RBI, was designated for assignment to make room for Nishida on the roster.

A native of Japan, Nishida played college baseball at Oregon where he hit .312/.394/.443 in his only season. Chicago selected him in the 11th round of the 2023 draft.

In 44 games split between Double-A and Triple-A this season, Nishida is hitting .323/.449/.384 with a home run, 12 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. He has appeared in 35 games at second base this season, but has also split time at all three outfield spots.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox expected to call up utility man for MLB debut
• Davis Martin cracks list of top-10 MLB pitchers
• White Sox-Red Sox trade was highway robbery

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 looking to continue adding young talent to their MLB roster. The team currently holds the second American League Wild Card spot and are hoping to continue winning games. Having the farm system have players who can come up and help the big league team is critical. They are reportedly calling up an intriguing prospect who is not considered to be one of the top in the minors. Let’s take a look at who it is and what this means for the White Sox going forward.

The Chicago White Sox reportedly are calling up Rikuu Nishida

Ian Eskridge of Future Sox is reporting that the White Sox are calling up utilityman Rikuu Nishida. He has played games at all three outfield spots, but has been known as a second baseman. Nishida is an undersized utilityman as the 25-year-old is listed at 5-foot-6. However, he has been hitting well as he has a .833 OPS with one homer, 12 RBI, 43 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases through 44 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

There have not been any roster decisions made to open up a roster spot for Chicago’s 26-man roster. This will be the MLB debut for Nishida; the corresponding move could give insight as to where they will likely play him going forward. It is a bit headscratching though, as Nishida is not considered to be a top-3o prospect in the organization. However, it is his chance to prove he can continue hitting and being a threat on the basepaths.

The 11th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft has a chance to be a significant player on the team. He will be the fifth-ever Japanese born player to play for the franchise. It will be intriguing to see how manager Will Venable decides he is going to be utilizing the undersized star.

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Prior to the 2026 MLB season, the Chicago White Sox named Shane Smith as their Opening Day starter, and they did so very early in Spring Training. At the time, it made sense. After all, Smith was an All-Star last year and, most everyone thought, the best pitcher on staff.

But how wrong they were! Smith was demoted to Triple-A before too long due to poor performance and then ended up on the injured list.

So far this season, Davis Martin has been the clear ace of Chicago’s staff. What is more, he is putting up numbers that rival the best pitchers in the game. Now that the season is one-third of the way done, it is also clear that he is no fluke.

Chicago White Sox RHP Davis Martin named the 10th-best starting pitcher in MLB

Every week, MLB.com releases its top-ten list of starting pitchers in baseball. The names on the list are recognizable to even casual fans, and this week saw Martin ranked 10th for his first appearance in the rankings:

“The biggest surprise in baseball may reside on the south side of Chicago, with the feel-good White Sox entering play on Wednesday in possession of a Wild Card spot. A big reason why? That would be Martin, a 29-year-old righty who entered the year with a pedestrian 4.32 ERA in 51 career big league appearances. This year has been a remarkably different story.

“He is 6-1 with a 1.61 ERA and a 268 ERA+ — which is to say, essentially, that he has pitched at a rate 168% better than league average. It is sustainable? Maybe not to that extent, but Martin does a lot of things right. He pounds the strike zone, confuses hitters with a three-fastball mix and also wields a plus changeup.”

Chicago would not be where they are right now without Martin, who has been a stabilizing force on what has been an otherwise shaking starting rotation.

If they can find a piece or two to add behind him, the White Sox could make even more noise.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox reason for Munetaka Murakami blunder revealed
• White Sox reconstruct lineup in aftermath of Miguel Vargas x-rays
• Recent White Sox ranking reveals how badly team misses Kyle Teel

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 multiple trades with the Boston Red Sox in recent memory, the most notable of all being the Garrett Crochet trade in December 2024. But the White Sox and Red Sox didn’t stop doing business there.

The two ballclubs connected on another deal this past winter, with Chicago landing pitchers Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin from Boston. The White Sox only had to send 23-year-old right-hander Gage Ziehl to the Red Sox in return.

While the White Sox did have to absorb the remainder of Hicks’ contract (which was the reason Boston made the deal to begin with), they were also able to snatch Sandlin in the deal, and based on the early returns, it’s looking more and more like Chicago may have committed highway robbery.

The White Sox have been having some issues with their rotation depth this season, and Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown actually feels that Sandlin could be the next man up for Chicago based on how well he is pitching down in the minor leagues.

Wouldn’t that be a tough blow for the Red Sox?

Chicago White Sox may have a gem in David Sandlin

Sandlin began the 2026 campaign at Single-A Winston Salem before quickly being promoted to Triple-A Charlotte after just two starts.

Through six starts overall this season, Sandlin has logged a 2.20 ERA while allowing just 12 hits and racking up 26 strikeouts over 16.1 innings of work. The 11 walks are definitely concerning, but he owns a much more respectable lifetime 3.2 BB/9 in the minors, so his command issues are probably just a slight mirage.

Sandlin is hitting triple digits on his fastball and finally seems to be putting it together with the White Sox, whereas Ziehl currently has a 6.28 ERA in Double-A for Boston. Ziehl’s control is great, but he doesn’t have the best stuff and just can’t seem to find a groove.

Meanwhile, Sandlin appears to be utilizing his terrific raw talent, which has resulted in the 25-year-old averaging 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings throughout his minor-league career.

Yes, the right-hander is definitely a little bit older, but that doesn’t mean he can’t ultimately establish himself as a critical part of Chicago’s starting rotation.

If Sandlin keeps pitching at this rate, he’ll be up with the White Sox’s big-league team before you know it.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the most surprising teams in Major League Baseball this season. At 26-24, they are in second place in the American League Central Division and are currently in possession of a Wild Card spot.

Of course, there is a long way to go and the White Sox must continue to overcome the challenges that they have been facing all season long. Among these are some pitching woes, which range from poor performance to injury.

On Saturday, Chicago announced another pitcher is going on the injured list and is being replaced by another with an ERA over 6.00 this season.

The Chicago White Sox put Jordan Hicks on IL, call up Jordan Leasure

On Saturday morning, the White Sox announced that they were putting right-handed reliever Jordan Hicks on the 15-day injured list with a lat strain. In a corresponding move, Chicago has recalled another right-handed pitcher, Jordan Leasure, from Triple-A:

Prior to today’s game at San Francisco, the Chicago White Sox placed right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to May 21) with a right lat strain and recalled right-hander Jordan Leasure from Class AAA Charlotte.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 23, 2026

Hicks has appeared in 20 games this season and has a 5.60 ERA to go with his 0-1 record. While this is less than ideal, it has been better than Leasure, who has appeared in 16 Major League contests for the White Sox in 2026 and is 2-1 with a 6.06 ERA.

In four games down at Triple-A, Leasure has a 2.08 ERA.

Chicago will be relying heavily on their bullpen on Saturday, as left-handed reliever Bryan Hudson is being used as an opener.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox urged to make vital decision after disastrous trade
• White Sox have a top-ten farm system
• White Sox get blunt Andrew Benintendi warning in latest 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 have been playing some of their best baseball in years and are smack dab in the middle of the AL Central race, but there is no question that the White Sox could still use some upgrades on their roster.

Whether or not Chicago will actually buy between now and the MLB trade deadline remains to be seen. The White Sox are certainly ahead of schedule, as I don’t even think anyone within the organization itself expected the team to be this good, this fast.

But if Chicago does decide to get aggressive before Aug. 3, the outfield would be a nice area to address.

Outside of Sam Antonacci, who is slashing .288/.390/.404 thus far this season, the White Sox have gotten very limited production from their outfield, and they could certainly use a big bat out there to help fortify the lineup.

On that note, Andrew Apostolakis of Southside Showdown has identified a very intriguing potential trade target for Chicago: Boston Red Sox standout Jarren Duran.

Chicago White Sox linked to trade for Jarren Duran

Duran has not performed his best over the first couple of months of the 2026 campaign, but Apostolakis is willing to overlook his struggles due to how good he has been in the past.

“Yes, Duran has struggled offensively this season and is currently hitting just .195, but this is still a player viewed around the league as a legitimate 6 WAR caliber talent. He is due for a bounce back, and people are quickly forgetting just how impactful he can be when he is at his best,” Apostolakis wrote.

That’s definitely true.

Just two years ago, Duran was an AL MVP candidate, finishing eighth in voting after slashing .285/.342/.492 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI. He led all of baseball with 48 doubles and 14 triples while also stealing 34 bases that season. He also played tremendous defense, recording plus-23 defensive runs saved. That all resulted in the 29-year-old posting a 6.8 WAR.

Duran wasn’t quite as effective in 2025, managing a .774 OPS and 3.9 WAR, but he was still very good, finishing with 41 doubles and 13 triples.

The former seventh-round pick is under team control through 2028, as well, so it’s not like the White Sox would be at risk of immediately losing him.

The Red Sox are falling out of contention, and Duran’s name has been floated as a trade candidate for quite some time now. Taking that into consideration, it wouldn’t be surprising if Boston moved him, and in that case, Chicago should jump at the chance to acquire him.

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The 9-4 final score between the Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants on Friday, May 22 makes it appear as though Chicago cruised to a comfortable victory, but the game itself told a much different story. The White Sox did all of their damage in a single inning, the fourth, while being held hitless the rest of the game.

During their nine-run fourth inning, the White Sox collected five hits, including two infield singles, while also benefiting from three hit-by-pitches and a walk. Chicago did not hit a home run during the outburst, but clutch doubles from Andrew Benintendi and Munetaka Murakami proved to be pivotal, with Benintendi driving in two runs and Murakami clearing the bases with a three-run double.

That remarkable frame also produced a few historic accomplishments worth highlighting.

All the historic feats the Chicago White Sox achieved during their nine-run fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants

Around the internet, baseball historians and statisticians including Sarah Langs, Elias Sports Bureau, and Bob Nightengale highlighted just how unusual the White Sox’ nine-run inning truly was. Among the notable findings from the historic fourth inning were:

• It marked the first time in White Sox franchise history that the club scored nine or more runs in a game despite recording five or fewer hits.
• It was just the fifth time in franchise history that Chicago scored at least nine runs in a game with every run coming in a single inning. The last occurrence came back in 2007.
• The White Sox also became the only team in MLB history to score nine or more runs in a nine-inning game while having all of both their hits and runs occur in the same inning. Notably, the Toronto Blue Jays accomplished something similar in 2021 during a seven-inning doubleheader game, scoring 11 runs while collecting all 11 of their hits in one inning.

In the end, this was far from a conventional offensive showcase, but it is another victory for Chicago, who now improve to 26-24 on the season.

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Over the last week or so, the Chicago White Sox have seen the Cleveland Guardians put some space between themselves and the rest of the American League Central Division. Fortunately, though, the White Sox have been playing relatively well themselves and are only 3.5 games out of first place.

What is more, at 26-24, Chicago is still holding onto a Wild Card spot in the American League postseason picture. While there are plenty of games left to play, the White Sox have, thus far, exceeded the expectations that many had for them before the season started.

On Friday night, they made some franchise and MLB history.

The Chicago White Sox nine-run fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants

On Friday night, the White Sox defeated the San Francisco Giants by the score of 9-4. Breakout ace Davis Martin went 5.2 innings, but did not have his usual sharp stuff. He gave up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven. Martin now is now 7-1 with a 2.04 ERA on the season.

Fortunately, the White Sox offense put up nine runs on only five hits, taking advantage of five walks issued by Giants pitchers.

It was the first time in franchise history that they scored nine runs while recording five or fewer hits:

This is the first time in Chicago White Sox history that they scored 9 or more runs despite producing 5 or fewer hits in franchise history.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 23, 2026

All of Chicago’s runs and hits came in the fourth inning, making them also the first team in Major League history to score nine or more runs in a nine-inning game in which all of their runs and hits came in one inning:

The White Sox are the only MLB team in the modern era to score 9+ runs in a 9+ inning game with all of their runs and hits coming in the same inning (4th).

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 23, 2026

All of Chicago’s runs came in the fourth inning, a frame that was highlighted by Munetaka Murakami’s bases loaded double that drove in three runs.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox urged to make vital decision after disastrous trade
• White Sox have a top-ten farm system
• White Sox get blunt Andrew Benintendi warning in latest 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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Earlier this month, the Chicago White Sox acquired veteran pitcher Trevor Richards in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, hoping he would help stabilize their bullpen.

Well, the opposite has happened, as Richards has already allowed eight runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings of work, surrendering three home runs. That’s good for a 15.43 ERA, and if the White Sox want to continue making a push in the AL Central, they probably can’t afford to put him on the mound.

Richards has been respectable in the past, but he barely pitched in 2025, and he posted a 4.55 ERA in 55 appearances and two starts between the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins in 2024. In fact, the 33-year-old hasn’t registered an ERA in the 3s since 2021.

It’s probably already time for Chicago to admit the Richards trade was a miss and to move on to other options, and that is exactly what Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown feels the White Sox should do.

Phalen also recommended that Chicago swap out Richards for a minor-league youngster.

Chicago White Sox urged to promote Ben Peoples

If the White Sox decide to cut ties with Richards, they can just promote another reliever from within their system, and Phalen feels it should be Ben Peoples.

“Right-hander Ben Peoples, who the White Sox acquired in a trade with the Rays last season, has a 0.79 ERA in 17 appearances in Charlotte, striking out 30 in 22.2 innings,” Phalen wrote. “Though the team would love another veteran presence, Peoples is a 25 year-old right-hander having an excellent season and there’s no reason to not give him a shot at the big league level. Moving on from Richards would be the simplest move.”

Peoples was originally selected by Tampa Bay in the 22nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft and was a starter in the Rays’ organization through 2024 before transitioning to a relief role last season. That was when Chicago landed Peoples in a trade, and the results have been impressive.

The White Sox have one of the worst bullpens in baseball, laying claim to a 4.63 ERA this season. If Chicago truly wants to contend for a playoff spot, it will need to make some moves here, and that could include dumping Richards in favor of Peoples.

As Phalen said, it seems like a very simple procedure for the White Sox, and it’s something they should do as soon as possible.

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The Chicago White Sox have had one of the better farm systems over the past few seasons. The prospects who have risen through the White Sox minor league system are showcasing their talents at the major league level this season.

With former prospects like shortstop Colson Montgomery (.223 batting average and a .814 OPS) and right-hander Grant Taylor (1.78 ERA in 19 games, four starts) doing well, others in the organization will slowly follow in their footsteps.

Still having a plethora of prospects waiting to make their debut, like outfielder Braden Montgomery, the White Sox farm system took a massive leap in Bleacher Report’s rankings.

The Chicago White Sox have a top 10 farm system nearly a quarter of the way through the 2026 season

According to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, the White Sox, a little over a quarter of the way through the season, have the sixth-best farm system in Major League Baseball. Before the season, the White Sox ranked 18th.

Reuter ranked each prospect on a “Tier system” from one to four, with Tier 1 being the best. For the White Sox, they currently have two Tier 1-level prospects, shortstop Caleb Bonemer and left-hander Noah Schultz. The lone prospect representing Tier 2 is Montgomery, who was promoted to Triple-A on May 5.

Left-hander Hagen Smith and shortstop Billy Carlson are in Tier 3, with two players, infielder/outfielder Sam Antonacci and right-hander Tanner McDougal, rounding things out in Tier 4. McDougal will miss the rest of the season due to Tommy John surgery.

According to Reuter, second baseman/third baseman Colby Shelton, who was not ranked, was his “prospect snapshot.”

“Few prospects are off to a better start this season than Shelton, who is hitting .310/.425/.599 with 15 doubles, eight home runs and 34 RBI in 39 games between High-A and Double-A,” wrote Reuter. “He was a sixth-round pick out of the University of Florida last year, and he was not even ranked among the top 30 prospects in the White Sox system when the season started, according to Baseball America.”

Schultz and Antonacci are already contributing at the big league level. Montgomery is likely the next White Sox prospect to make their debut. At 20, and playing at High-A, Bonemer is still a long way from making the big league roster. However, he is currently swinging a hot bat in Winston-Salem. In 40 game, Bonemer is hitting .255 with a 1.003 OPS and 14 home runs.

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The Chicago White Sox have taken many (if not most) in the baseball world by surprise this season. Through the first 49 games of the year, Chicago is 25-24 and in second place in the American League Central Division. Of course, their performance thus far in 2026 has been a shock because of how bad the White Sox have been over the past several years.

Coming into the season, they had lost 100 or more games in each of the past three years. This included an all-time worst record of 41-121 in 2024.

The 2026 White Sox, though, are the product of much retooling and rebuilding. Prospects long promised have finally reached the Majors, and while there are still growing pains, for the first time in a while, there is real hope.

However, there is also dead wood.

The Chicago White Sox need to make a difficult Andrew Benintendi decision

ESPN released their weekly MLB power rankings on Thursday, and the White Sox jumped from 23rd to 14th. However, their ranking also came with a warning that their continuing to put Andrew Benintendi in the lineup could doom what has been a promising season:

“The longer the White Sox hang in the playoff race, the more they might have an Andrew Benintendi problem. The 31-year-old has looked old beyond his years, with 14th percentile bat speed, per Statcast, and a spike in strikeout rate. The defense and baserunning metrics that once provided a solid floor for his value have also cratered, and at some point, his role as a fifth outfielder/DH against righties becomes an obvious upgrade opportunity for general manager Chris Getz.

“The complication: Benintendi still has another season and a half to go on the five-year, $75 million contract he signed before the 2023 season. Can the White Sox accept that this is a sunk cost when the time comes? The answer might have real ramifications on the AL playoff race when it comes to the overachieving White Sox.”

In seven Major League seasons before signing with Chicago, Benintendi hit .279/.351/.431 and averaged 15 home runs, 83 RBI, and 15 stolen bases per 162 games.

The year before the White Sox inked him to the deal, he hit .304/.373/.399 with five home runs and 51 RBI.

Since signing with the Chicago, though, Benintendi is hitting just .244/.307/.390. While he has a pair of 20-home run seasons, he is not hitting or producing enough for the team.

This year, he is slashing .239/.288/.380 with three home runs and 21 RBI. Benintendi has also struck out 45 times in 45 games, and has walked just 11 times.

Needless to say, Chicago needs more out of him or they must find a way to replace in their lineup, even if that means eating the rest of his contract.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox reason for Munetaka Murakami blunder revealed
• White Sox reconstruct lineup in aftermath of Miguel Vargas x-rays
• Recent White Sox ranking reveals how badly team misses Kyle Teel

For More Chicago Sports

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

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Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami has already established himself as one of the MLB’s most dangerous hitters two months into his big-league career.

Murakami is slashing .244/.382/.552 with 17 home runs and 33 RBI over 212 plate appearances this season, and while he has struck out 69 times, he has mitigated that with his prodigious power and terrific walk rate.

It’s still early, and pitchers still need some time to learn the Japanese slugger, but it’s looking more and more like the rest of the league missed on Murakami. And that may include the White Sox themselves, as they only signed the 26-year-old to a two-year, $34 million contract.

Chicago could always try and sign Murakami to an extension, but that will certainly prove easier said than done with how much interest he is almost surely to draw once he hits the free-agent market two winters from now (barring a major collapse at the plate, of course).

So, what was the reason for the White Sox’s short-term deal? Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller thinks he knows the answer.

Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami flub is easily explainable

In a piece where Miller listed one offseason regret for each major-league team, not signing Murakami to a longer-team pact was his choice for Chicago.

Miller certainly isn’t the first person to pose such a question for the South Siders, but his justification was entirely understandable, if not incredibly likely.

“Chicago would’ve had to pay a larger posting fee for a longer commitment to a slugger whose swing maybe wasn’t going to translate to Major League Baseball, while Murakami maybe didn’t want to ink a long-term deal with a franchise that had suffered 324 losses over the past three seasons,” Miller wrote.

Let’s be real here: the White Sox were far from the only ballclub that had reservations about Murakami. In fact, they obviously had less doubt than the other 29 teams considering they were the ones that actually signed him, so it’s hard to fault Chicago too much here.

Do the Sox now wish they took more advantage of the opportunity? Probably. Inking Murakami to something like a four-year deal would have been preferable given his current level of production, but again, the jury is still out on the lefty masher.

If Murakami continues to destroy baseballs, then yes; this will end up being a pretty big gaffe by the White Sox.

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The Chicago White Sox had a scary moment on Tuesday night amid a comeback 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Miguel Vargas was hit in the wrist by a 95.1 MPH fastball. The third baseman needed X-rays after the contest to determine the severity of the injury.

Per Brooke Fletcher of CHSN, White Sox manager Will Venable revealed that Vargas’ X-rays came back negative.

Chicago does not intend to start him against the Mariners on Wednesday to close out the series, though he could come off the bench to pinch-hit on Wednesday if the offense needs a spark. The White Sox were planning on giving Vargas a rest day eventually, so Game 3 of the current series will work for that duty.

However, Vargas is dealing with bruising on his right palm.

“Just talked with Miguel,” Fletcher posted on X. “There’s some bruising on that right palm. Thought it was worse in the moment but he said he woke up and felt great. He’s thankful everything came back negative.”

Vargas, 26, has been a key piece of the suddenly-hot offense for Chicago. He’s batting .237 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs this season.

The White Sox will shake some things up on defense on Wednesday.

Chicago White Sox change the lineup

With Vargas out of the starting lineup, the White Sox plan to turn to Colson Montgomery to start at third base. Center fielder Luisangel Acuna will get the start at shortstop.

Acuna is batting .172 with three RBIs this season, he will head to the bottom of the batting order on Wednesday.

The White Sox enter Wednesday with a chance to win the series over the Mariners. Chicago is two games back from the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central. The White Sox have a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers for the final wild-card spot and a three-game lead on Seattle.

The White Sox have a chance to put some distance on the Mariners with a win in Game 3 on Wednesday before starting a three-game series on the road against the San Francisco Giants on Friday.

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At this point in the 2026 MLB season, the Chicago White Sox have surpassed the expectations many had for them. After three consecutive seasons in which they lost 100+ games, Chicago is currently 25-23 and in second place in the American League Central Division.

Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas have provided a good power punch offensively, and the Davis Martin has surprisingly emerged as a true ace of the pitching staff.

Yet, there are many reasons why the White Sox are just two games over .500, and the absence of one of their best young players is among them.

The Chicago White Sox are missing Kyle Teel

Recently, The Athletic released their weekly MLB power rankings. While other outlets have the White Sox approaching the top-ten teams in the league, this publication actually had Chicago fall a spot in their rankings from 18th to 19th.

The absence of catcher Kyle Teel was given as a reason why:

“In case you haven’t been paying attention, the 2026 White Sox are good, and dare I say, must-watch TV. Granted, recent history (102 losses in 2025, 121 losses in 2024) hasn’t given anyone a reason to care, but here’s your invite to jump on the bandwagon. The Sox are in firm contention in the AL Central.

“Odds are, they’d probably be leading if they had the services of Teel, who’s been out since March 25 with a hamstring strain that he suffered during the World Baseball Classic. He tweaked his knee on May 16 and will be re-evaluated on Tuesday. As a rookie, he posted 1.9 fWAR in just 78 games, third-most on the team. That type of production is hard to replace, and it’s showing early.”

Last year, Teel hit .273/.375/.411 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 78 games played. Currently, Edgar Quero is hitting .168/.255/.211 with one home run and 10 RBI while handling the majority of Chicago’s catching duties.

Clearly, Quero is not playing up to standards, and getting Teel back would go a long way to helping Chicago continue their improved play. Unfortunately, he was just placed on the 60-day injured list after suffering a set-back in his recovery.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Unexpected White Sox rookie emerging as legit award contender
• MLB GM’s not completely sold on Munetaka Murakami
• Pete Crow-Armstrong expresses regret over choice of words in confrontation with White Sox fan

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 looked like they were about to fall back to .500 as their offense sputtered for most of the night on Tuesday. However, they fought back in the ninth inning and defeated the Seattle Mariners by the score of 2-1.

Chicago’s comeback win improved their record to 25-23 on the season. They remain just two games back of first place in the American League Central Division and are competing for one of the AL’s wild card spots.

There are, though, 114 games remaining in their season and a lot can happen between now and October. Unfortunately, many are not buying the White Sox as season-long contenders.

MLB analyst predicts the Chicago White Sox will be sellers at the trade deadline

Recently, Jim Bowden of The Athletic ranked the performance of each MLB team so far this season. Since there were few people who thought the White Sox would be any good this year, they earned the 10th spot on his list.

However, he also predicted what each MLB team would do at the deadline, and he wrote that Chicago would be sellers because he does not believe they will be able to maintain this level of play:

“The White Sox season has been highlighted by the offensive production from the trio of Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas. Murakami has been everything the White Sox hoped he’d be from a power and on-base perspective, while Montgomery continues to hit for power and Vargas is off to the best start of his career.

“On the pitching side, Davis Martin leads a rotation that has also been boosted by solid showings from veterans Sean Burke and Erick Fedde.

“Trade deadline position: Sellers. Chicago is making progress but still has a ways to go and won’t be able to stay at .500. Continuing their long-term building is the best play for them this season.”

The problem, of course, is that many of the players that other teams would want from Chicago at the deadline are also players the organization would like to keep around.

Chief among these is slugging first baseman Munetaka Murakami, who leads the American League with 17 home runs. Hopefully Chicago can continue to prove the doubters wrong and be buyers instead of sellers come the deadline.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Unexpected White Sox rookie emerging as legit award contender
• MLB GM’s not completely sold on Munetaka Murakami
• Pete Crow-Armstrong expresses regret over choice of words in confrontation with White Sox fan

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 25-23 on the season following their 2-1 comeback victory over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night. While many fans were frustrated by the lack of offense for most of the night, White Sox pitchers kept the team in the game by keeping the Mariners limited at the plate.

That was a pleasant surprise for Chicago, who have not had the best luck in regard to their pitching staff this year. Opening Day starter Shane Smith was demoted to the minors earlier this year and is now dealing with an injury. What is more, the rest of the pitching staff, outside of a handful of hurlers, have been inconsistent this year.

With the White Sox suddenly a contender in the American Leauge, the organization is trying to set itself up for future success. Part of that process is solidifying its organizational pitching depth.

Chicago White Sox trade Oliver Dunn for Joe Rock

On Tuesday, it was announced that the White Sox have traded minor league infielder Oliver Dunn to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitcher Joe Rock:

#Rays trade LHP Joe Rock to #WhiteSox for INF Oliver Dunn

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) May 20, 2026

Dunn was hitting .295/.393/.545 with nine home runs, 34 RBI, and nine stolen bases at Triple-A Charlotte. In 55 Major League games with the Milwaukee Brewers, he his a career .206/.260/.291 hitter.

Rock, a left-handed pitcher, appeared in three Major League games for the Rays last year and posted a 2.35 ERA. This year, pitching in Triple-A Durham, he is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 13 appearances.

In six minor league seasons, the 25-year-old southpaw is 20-34 with a 4.75 ERA.

Dunn’s path back to the Majors, of course, was blocked by the presences of Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery on the left side of the infield in Chicago.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Unexpected White Sox rookie emerging as legit award contender
• MLB GM’s not completely sold on Munetaka Murakami
• Pete Crow-Armstrong expresses regret over choice of words in confrontation with White Sox fan

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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That said, his teammate Sam Antonacci has also emerged as one of the league’s top rookies since making his MLB debut on April 15. As noted by Just Baseball, among first-year players during that span, Antonacci ranks second in batting average (.298), on-base percentage (.391), and wRC+ (134), while also placing inside the top five in several other offensive categories. To go along with that, he also has had a 13 game on-base streak.

Sam Antonacci’s ranks among rookies since he debuted on 4/15:

AVG: 2nd (.298)
Runs: T-5th (16)⁰SB: T-4th (3)
OBP: 2nd (.391)
OPS: 3rd (.816)
wRC+: 2nd (134)

Antonacci has made an immediate impact on an up-and-coming White Sox team 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BFieqB3zvd

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) May 19, 2026

Right now, Antonacci’s performance should place him firmly in the discussion with some of the American Leagues best rookies.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Sam Antonacci emerging as legit Rookie of the Year contender

Right now, Murakami and Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers appear to be the frontrunners for American League Rookie of the Year, while Parker Messick of the Cleveland Guardians has emerged as a strong contender on the pitching side. However, based on the way he has performed since arriving in the majors, Antonacci may not be far behind that group.

As things currently stand, Antonacci owns a higher OPS than McGonigle, while also leading that rookie group in both batting average and on-base percentage. Although McGonigle and Murakami may still have the edge nationally, Antonacci is quickly building a résumé that deserves to be taken just as seriously in the American League Rookie of the Year conversation.

While there is still a long way to go in the 2026 season, the White Sox suddenly find themselves with not just one, but two rookies making serious noise in the American League. If Antonacci continues producing at this level over a larger sample size, his name may become impossible to ignore in the Rookie of the Year race, giving Chicago yet another promising building block for the future.

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The Chicago White Sox are 24-23, which is a much better record than virtually anyone thought they would have at this point in the season. Currently, they are just two games out of first place in the American League Central Division. What is more, they have a real shot of making the postseason as a Wild Card team if they cannot win the central.

Of course, arguably the biggest star on Chicago’s roster right now is Munetaka Murakami. During the off-season, the White Sox were able to sign him to a two-year $34 million contract. Many MLB teams chose not to pursue the Japanese star because of high strikeout totals throughout his career in his home nation.

But despite his early success, those teams are not yet willing to admit they were wrong about him.

MLB GM’s not ready to admit they were wrong about Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami

When Murakami first announced his intention to sign with a Major League Baseball team, leaving his professional career in Japan, many expected that he would receive a $100 million contract. After all, he once hit 56 home runs in a season and consistently hit between 30-40 on an annual basis.

But he also struck out a great deal. As it would turn out, his high strikeout totals in Japan scared MLB general managers away.

As of this writing, Murakami is currently hitting .242/.379/.564 with 17 home runs (which leads the American League) and 32 RBI. He has walked 37 times and struck out 66 times in 47 games played.

According to MLB insider Jayson Stark, his strikeouts are still giving opposing general managers pause:

“Maybe I’m just refusing to be wrong,” groused an exec from one team that dug in on Murakami heavily this offseason. “I don’t know. Maybe I can admit in, like, a month or a year that I was just an idiot — and I was wrong. I thought he was going to strike out too much. And I didn’t think he was going to hit.”

“I think he has more power than I thought he had,” the exec said. “Not that I didn’t think he had power. But he has tremendous power. …

“So I just think it’s jury out. That’s all I want to go with: Jury’s out. I’m not ready to say this is all going to collapse. I’m just saying I don’t know. It might. But he also might hit 52 homers and shut us all up.”

Murakami is currently on a four-game hitting streak and has raised his batting average up from around .220 to over .240. If he can hover around .240-.250 all year (yes, batting average has become overrated by many) while still drawing a high number of walks and hitting home runs at an absurd rate, perhaps these general manager will admit they missed the boat.

Of course, that kind of production would only benefit the White Sox as well.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Pete Crow-Armstrong expresses regret over word choice in altercation with White Sox fan
• White Sox get Colson Montgomery warning that should make them think twice
• Kyle Teel suffers setback ahead of 2026 White Sox 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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Earlier this year, Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong signed a six-year $115 million contract extension. This deal cemented his spot in Chicago’s lineup for years to come. Unfortunately, he has done little this year to live up to the expectations the contract brought with it.

So far this season, Crow-Armstrong is hitting .229/.308/.366 with five home runs, 20 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. In 48 games, he has 15 walks, 50 strikeouts, and one viral interaction with a rival fan.

On Sunday, the Cubs outfielder was caught on camera yelling obscenities back at a Chicago White Sox fan, who had taunted him by shouting “You suck” at him.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong regrets foul language directed at White Sox fan

After being taunted by the fan, who is a woman, Crow-Armstrong yelled back “You suck my d—, you f—— b—-!”

Prior to Chicago’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, the Cubs outfielder expressed regret over his choice of words, according to ESPN:

“I regret my choice of words the most and who that affects in my life. Directly or indirectly, I don’t think that any of the women in my life would think I would say those kinds of words regularly. I’m just bummed out about the word choice and a bunch of little kids going to social media and seeing that as well.”

It is rather notable that Crow-Armstrong did not express regret about chirping back at the fan. Rather, he said he was sorry about the words that he used, and how he is now viewed as a result of them.

After a pop-out against Milwaukee on Monday, Crow-Armstrong stopped himself from slamming his bat to the ground, as he often does when he makes an out. Hopefully the blowback from his viral outburst will lead to a mature player on the field.

More Chicago Cubs news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs receive strong trade deadline warning amid star pitcher buzz
• Cubs were given a reality check against the White Sox
• Craig Counsell calls out PCA for vulgar mistake vs White Sox

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 one of the top feel-good stories in baseball this season, and much of that has to do with a surprisingly potent lineup that is currently second in the MLB in home runs.

While Munetaka Murakami has stolen the show with 17 homers, the White Sox have also gotten terrific production from Colson Montgomery (13) and Miguel Vargas (11), giving them a very strong upper half of the batting order.

Chicago’s early arrival on the contending scene could absolutely change things for the club as far as the trade deadline is concerned, as Will Venable’s squad might very well turn into a buyer rather than a seller before Aug. 3.

That being said, the White Sox should still be very cautious with how they proceed here, because they absolutely do not want to ruin this rebuild which clearly has them headed in the right direction.

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter sent Chicago a pretty stern warning in that regard, advising the Southsiders to avoid trading Montgomery at all costs.

Colson Montgomery should be off limits for Chicago White Sox

Now in his second big-league season, Montgomery is slashing .234/.333/.515 with those 13 long balls to go along with 31 RBI, and that follows a strong showing during his rookie campaign when he slashed .239/.311/.529 with 21 dingers and 55 RBI in 71 games.

Teams will surely be asking about Montgomery in trade discussions, but Reuter feels the White Sox shouldn’t budge.

“With breakout slugger Munetaka Murakami signed for just two years before he can again test the open market and aim for greener pastures, Montgomery is the clear choice for the White Sox,” Reuter wrote. “After slugging 21 homers as a rookie, he has a 139 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 1.7 WAR through his first 45 games in 2026.”

In other words, with Murakami potentially bolting Chicago after 2027, the White Sox must ensure Montgomery is still aboard so they aren’t left with nothing.

Not that Chicago would even really consider moving the 24-year-old shortstop, anyway.

Montgomery is under club control through 2031 and has also shown to be a surprisingly good defender at his position. Remember: when he was in the minor leagues, some felt he was ultimately destined for third base, but he has been very impressive at short.

There is absolutely no reason for the White Sox to entertain the thought of moving Montgomery, but if they were thinking about potentially making a trade for an established star (which probably isn’t going to happen), Montgomery should still be off the table.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the top teams in Major League Baseball to begin the season. They have been dealing with injuries as well, but one of their key players has yet to suit up. There has been an update to his status, and it is not great news. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what this means for the White Sox going forward.

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel suffers an injury during a rehab assignment

The White Sox have been excited to get catcher Kyle Teel back in the lineup. However, it appears they will have to wait a bit longer until he is able to do so. On Monday, Teel was officially diagnosed with a sprained right lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in his knee. He is expected to require 3-6 weeks of rest and rehabilitation before being able to return to Chicago.

Teel has not been able to have much luck in terms of injuries in 2026. He originally suffered a hamstring strain in the 2026 World Baseball Classic back on March 11. Teel was working through a rehab assignment and looking solid before suffering this injury. However, he tweaked his knee while swinging the bat on Saturday during his fourth rehab game. Teel was looking solid in his rehab outings, going 4-for-15 with a homer and two RBI at Triple-A Charlotte.

Currently, the White Sox have Drew Romo and Edgar Quero on the 26-man roster. However, this injury could potentially leave Teel out until July. Teel played in 78 games last year with the White Sox and posted a .786 OPS with eight homers, 35 RBI, and 38 runs scored. It will be intriguing to see when he is able to get back on the field and in the middle of Chicago’s lineup.

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The first edition of the Crosstown Classic is in the books and it was a thriller. After the Chicago Cubs took game one on Friday, the Chicago White Sox ran away with game two on Saturday.

But it was Sunday that provided the fireworks.

The Cubs jumped out to an early lead before the White Sox rallied to tie it. They took the lead in the eighth inning on a three-run home run before the Cubs answers with a three-run shot of their own in the ninth. The White Sox then won it with a two-run walk off in extra innings. The game had it all including a confrontation between star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and a White Sox fan.

While that play drew a lot of attention for what happened after it was what Crow-Armstrong said about his opponent after the game that should be the talking point.

Pete Crow-Armstrong ‘appreciates’ how White Sox play

Following the game, Crow-Armstrong talked to reporters at his locker. Despite the defeat, he had nothing put positive things to say about his opponent, including how he appreciates how they play.

“I feel like I can relate to a lot of those guys. I appreciate how a lot of them play,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s a good ballclub and they’re playing good baseball. It’s good for the city that they’ve got two good teams going and having a lot of success this year.”

Crow-Armstrong might be hated by White Sox fans, but his quote is right.

Both teams being good is great for the city of Chicago. It makes the rivalry a lot more fun and in this case, the wait for the second edition can’t come soon enough.

While the Cubs were projected to be good this year and a favorite to win their division, the White Sox are a surprise team. They are over .500 and have been one of baseball’s best stories. Can they keep it up? Time will tell but for now, it’s good to enjoy the success.

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The vibes are great for the Chicago White Sox right now, as they just beat the Chicago Cubs two out of three courtesy of a walkoff three-run home run by Edgar Quero, of all people.

The White Sox are now two games over .500 for the first time since 2022, and they are proving more and more to be serious challengers in the AL Central. However, if Chicago wants to win the division, it will need to shore up some weak spots.

Like the catcher position, for example.

Yes, Quero did send the Cubs packing on Sunday, but that was his first home of the year, and he is slashing just .176/.264/.220 on the season. He has been a black hole in the White Sox’s lineup, and while Drew Romo does have four long balls since being called up, he is batting a paltry .184.

The hope was that Kyle Teel would re-join the club rather soon, but he just had a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury, complaining of knee soreness.

Chicago White Sox have a major problem despite the good vibes

There is no question Chicago is playing some fantastic baseball. It has won seven of its last eight games thanks to a surprisingly potent lineup that features three players who have already smashed double-figure home runs this season. In fact, the White Sox are second only to the New York Yankees in long balls.

Munetaka Murakami has been a revelation, Colson Montgomery is proving why the Sox made him a first-round pick in 2021 and Miguel Vargas has been mashing. But lineup depth has been a big problem for the Southsiders thus far, and it will continue to be an issue if Teel remains sidelined.

Quero definitely showed promise in 2025, slashing a respectable .268/.333/.356. Sure, the power left plenty to be desired, but the White Sox could live with Quero getting on base at a .333 clip. It’s certainly a heck of a lot better than what we’ve seen from him this year, and he has exhibited no signs of coming out of it (outside of one game against the Cubs).

So what will Chicago do if it turns out Teel will have to miss considerably more time? Will it just live with its current setup? Will it go out and make a trade?

While the team’s trio of boppers is nice, the White Sox probably can’t survive with having three or four reliable hitters (Sam Antonacci has also been really solid) and then a bunch of near-automatic with little to no pop in the rest of the lineup.

Chicago is certainly a fun story right now, but you have to wonder if the bubble will eventually burst.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the most surprising teams in the first few months of the season. Chicago has a ton of young players who have stepped up, but one has been surprising a lot of people in baseball. Let’s take a look at which player is showcasing his skills as one of the elite players at his position thus far.

Miguel Vargas is considered to be a top 10 third baseman this season

The trio of Ryan Phillips, Karl Rasmussen, and Tim Capurso curated a top 10 third baseman list for Sports Illustrated. There are some familiar names who pop up on these lists every year, but Miguel Vargas of the White Sox took the ninth spot. Below is the reasoning for the surprising decision:

“Track record plays a big role in these rankings, but sometimes you have to throw the methodology out the window in a special case. The roll Vargas is on in 2026 is exactly that. A 26-year-old who had never really found a role in the big leagues, the White Sox third baseman has exploded this season. He’s currently slashing .239/.375/.479 with nine home runs, 23 RBIs and a 139 wRC+, but his underlying metrics suggest he’s been even better. Vargas’s Statcast page is so red it looks like a crime scene. His xSLG (.540) xwOBA (.406) and chase rate (16.1%) are all among the best in baseball. He’s also barreling the ball 15.5% of the time, and his walk rate has jumped to 16.5%. Entering the season he’d produced 0.9 bWAR in his four-year career. He has already doubled that to 1.8. He’s an average defender at third, but his bat has woken up to get him on this list.”

Vargas has taken a massive step forward with his offensive production this season with Chicago. He has excellent command of the strike zone and is also tied for his career-high in stolen bases (6). While the defense is not excellent, he has only committed a pair of errors in more than 300 innings at the hot corner. The 26-year-old is making a case to keep the prospects in the minors as he is blossoming into a premier third baseman. Vargas can play multiple positions, but he is shining at third base. It will be intriguing to see if he can continue stepping up throughout the year.

The post This Chicago White Sox player is top 10 at his position right now appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago White Sox are 24-22 and in second place in the American League Central Division. This marks the first time Chicago is two games over .500 since September of 2022. What is more, the White Sox are just one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the division.

Over the weekend, the South-side team won their Rivalry Weekend series against the Chicago Cubs. The final game of the series was an exciting back-and-forth affair, capped off by Edgar Quero hitting his first home run of the season, a walk-off, that gave the White Sox the victory.

Edgar Quero says he visualized his walk-off home run for the Chicago White Sox the night before

While the White Sox have been relatively successful this year, they have had concerns at the catcher position. Kyle Teel is still working his way back from an injury suffered in the World Baseball Classic. What is more, he had a set-back during his rehab assignment and will be out a bit longer.

In his absence, Quero has struggled at the plate. So far this year, he is hitting .176/.264/.220 with a home run and 10 RBI. That being said, his first home run of the season could not have come at a better time, giving the White Sox a walk-off 9-8 victory over the Cubs.

After the game, Quero revealed his visualized himself hitting that walk-off home run Sunday while he was mentally preparing for the game on Saturday night.

“Right away when I hit the ball, I knew it was going deep. I didn’t know if it was a homer. I felt like it was good contact,” Quero told ESPN.

“I visualized it last night.”

The walk-off home run aside, Chicago needs Quero to get it going offensively. With Teel out for a while, they cannot afford to have automatic outs in their lineup.

Fortunately, multiple players have been carrying the slack offensively, but they will inevitably hit slumps themselves, and at that point the White Sox could go through a real rough stretch.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong had heated words with White Sox fan
• White Sox have bad injury update before Cubs game
• White Sox slammed with brutal news on trade return

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 entered the 2026 season with low expectations from outside their facilities. Indeed, even fans were hoping for some slight improvements from a team that had lost 100+ games in each of the last three seasons.

While it is only May, Chicago is two games over .500 for the first time since September 2022 following their series victories over two of their fiercest rivals, the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs.

Starting pitching is still a grave concern regarding the roster, but the White Sox high-powered offense has been able to show that the team is going to make some noise this year.

The Chicago White Sox slot in at 12th in latest MLB power rankings

Every Monday, Bleacher Report releases their weekly MLB power rankings. Last week, Chicago came in at spot number 19, which was a drastic improvement compared to where they started the season (ranked 29th).

Now, BR has them ranked as the 12th-best team in baseball:

“With a 7-1 record in their last eight games and a series win over the crosstown rival Cubs, it’s time to start taking the White Sox seriously. The starting rotation is still a limiting factor, even with an ace-caliber breakout from Davis Martin, but this is the most improved team in baseball one year removed from a 102-loss campaign.”

As noted above, Davis Martin has been stellar this season. He is currently 6-1 with a 1.61 ERA and has an AL-best 3.1 WAR.

But the offense should not be overlooked. The White Sox are the only team in MLB with three players that have hit 10+ home runs. Munetaka Murakami has 17 (the most in the American League), Colson Montgomery has 13, and Miguel Vargas has 11.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong had heated words with White Sox fan
• White Sox have bad injury update before Cubs game
• White Sox slammed with brutal news on trade return

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 misjudged ball by Pete Crow-Armstrong at the outfield fence allowed the Chicago White Sox to tie the game up at 4-4 in the fifth inning of Sunday’s game.

Crow-Armstrong, who took considerable abuse from White Sox fans this weekend, took an earful from a Southside fan after missing the opportunity to end the inning with the lead intact.

Broadcast cameras caught Crow-Armstrong jawing back at the White Sox fan.

Armstrong had a rough outing on Sunday, going 0-for-3 at-bat in the Chicago Cubs‘ 9-8 loss to the White Sox in front of 38,608 fans at Rate Field.

PCA nearly makes a great catch up against the fence in center but can’t come up with it, ends up hearing from #WhiteSox fans and chirping back. #CrossTown #Cubs pic.twitter.com/auEjjBfuvc

— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) May 17, 2026

PCA nearly makes a great catch up against the fence in center but can’t come up with it, ends up hearing from #WhiteSox fans and chirping back. #CrossTown #Cubs pic.twitter.com/auEjjBfuvc

— Josh Frydman (@Josh_Frydman) May 17, 2026

Following the game, Crow-Armstrong told reporters after the game that he felt like taking “expletive” back to the fan.

“Some lady decided to start talking (expletive) and I felt the need to say it back,” Crow-Armstrong said, via Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Clearly, he’s dealing with some frustration in the early season.

Armstrong’s defense has been strong this season, and he made a great play earlier in the game, but his mistake in the fifth inning was costly for the Cubs, who dropped two games to the White Sox in the three-game series.

Crow-Armstrong earned two hits in 11 at-bats in the series. He entered Sunday batting .234 with five home runs and 20 RBIs.

More News: Chicago Cubs top prospect moved to left field, igniting speculation

Chicago Cubs/Chicago White Sox rivalry is back

White Sox catcher Edgar Quero, who has had troubles at the plate of his own this season, hit the two-run walk-off blast in the 10th inning. He told CHSN after the game that winning the series over their crosstown rival meant a lot for the young team.

“We know we’re young players, a couple young boys right here, but we’re playing good baseball, and we’re gonna keep pushing,” Quero said.

The White Sox’s surprising start has brought out the best and worst of the fan base, and that’s a great thing for Chicago. White Sox fans made their presence loud this weekend, and they got in the minds of the Cubbies. The The White Sox are 24-22 and kept pace at one game back from the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central.

The White Sox, up two games for the final spot in the wild-card race, will have an important series starting on Monday against the Seattle Mariners, who are 2.5 games back from the White Sox.

The Cubs are now 29-18 before starting a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. The Cubs lead the Brewers by 1.5 games for the NL Central. PCA might want to clear his head and reset before the series.

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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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With an 8-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, the Chicago White Sox are 23-22 before playing their crosstown rival for Game 3 on Sunday.

The White Sox are having a surprising spring, just one game behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the American League Central and two games ahead of the Seattle Mariners for the final wild-card spot.

Chicago has been down catcher Kyle Teel for all of the regular season so far after he suffered a grade 2 strain of his right hamstring during the World Baseball Classic on March 10. He began his first rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Charlotte.

The White Sox didn’t have a planned date for Teel to return to the majors. Per an update by Jesse Rogers of ESPN, Chicago might have to wait longer to see him return. Teel will take a couple days off after having soreness in his right knee on Saturday night.

“White Sox catcher Kyle Teel — on the IL since the WBC — experienced some soreness in his right knee after an AB at Triple-A last night,” Rogers posted on X. “He’ll take a couple days off and see how things are after that.”

Catcher Edgar Quero, 23, is batting 151 with 7 RBIs this season. Catcher Drew Romo is batting .184 with four home runs and seven RBIs.

More News: White Sox slammed with brutal news on trade return

Chicago White Sox could use Kyle Teel

The White Sox would like to see their primary catcher return to the lineup as the team makes a surprising push for the postseason this summer. Teel hit .273/.375/.411 with eight home runs, 35 RBIs and 43 runs scored last season.

Teel, 24, was hoping to make a return to the White Sox soon.

‘‘I feel really good right now, just excited to get playing again,’’ Teel said, via the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘It’s been a minute, so just looking forward to it.

‘‘This team is electric right now — the attitude, how hard everyone’s playing and the success that we’re having. I can’t wait to be a part of it and help contribute.’’

With the setback, it could be a little longer before Teel can help the White Sox.

For More Chicago Sports:

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The Chicago White Sox finally parted ways with Luis Robert Jr. during the offseason, sending him to the New York Mets in exchange for infielder Luisangel Acuna and pitcher Truman Pauley.

While the Mets are not exactly thrilled with the trade themselves, as they assumed his entire $20 million salary for 2026 and watched him slash .224/.327/.329 in 24 games before hitting the injured list, the White Sox don’t have much to show for the deal, either.

Yes, a big part of the appeal for Chicago was clearing Robert’s salary, but you would have also hoped it would have received something of value in return for a player who smashed 38 home runs and made an All-Star appearance as recently as 2023 (although he was terrible in 2024 and 2025).

Pauley has great strikeout capabilities, but he owns a 6.98 ERA through eight appearances and seven starts in Single-A this season, and Acuna hasn’t been any better on the big-league level.

Acuna is slashing .181/.242/.193 with no home runs over 92 plate appearances this year, and Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly has nearly seen enough of the 24-year-old.

Chicago White Sox infielder Luisangel Acuna has entered bust territory

A former top prospect from his years with the Texas Rangers and Mets, Acuna has not materialized like many had hoped, and Kelly just listed him among seven players who are closing in on being labeled busts.

“While the 24-year-old Acuna has provided some defensive flexibility on the southside, he’s hitting just .181 with a .435 OPS. It’s great that he can play both middle infield positions and in the outfield, but that only matters if he can couple it with some offensive production,” Kelly wrote.

Acuna produced very little across 193 trips to the dish in New York last season, as well, slashing .234/.293/.274 with no homers. He did flash some pop briefly in 2024, homering three times through 40 plate appearances with the Mets’ major-league club, but for the most part, Acuna’s run in The Show has been nothing short of disastrous.

It might still be too early to completely give up on the Venezuelan native, as we have seen late bloomers before. But there is no doubt the clock is ticking, and with the White Sox now expediting their rebuild and bordering on contention, they may not have the patience to sit around and wait for Acuna to develop.

Another issue is that Acuna doesn’t exactly have a ton of trade value, so unless Chicago includes him as a throw-in as part of a larger package, he probably won’t draw much interest between now and the MLB trade deadline, either.

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Chris Getz, head of baseball operations for the Chicago White Sox, deserves a ton of credit for the turnaround that has occurred on the South Side of Chicago. After inheriting a major league roster lacking direction, Getz has quickly reshaped the organization into a young, talented, and cohesive unit that plays for one another and cares about winning.

While Getz already has the trades of Garrett Crochet, Dylan Cease, and Luis Robert Jr. on his resume, he has also found value in smaller moves, including signing Erick Fedde twice, acquiring Bryan Hudson on two separate occasions, and hiring manager Will Venable.

As impressive as those moves have been, one of his more under-the-radar deals with the Athletics may carry significant boom potential and could end up benefiting Chicago in a major way over the long term.

Chicago White Sox quietly acquire toosly outfield prospect Junior Perez

During the offseason, the Athletics added 24-year-old outfielder Junior Perez to their 40-man roster, a necessary move to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft after he posted an impressive season between Double-A and Triple-A that included 26 home runs, 27 stolen bases, and 87 walks. However, before Perez could make his MLB debut, he became a roster casualty as the Athletics prioritized pitching depth amid their early-season struggles, ultimately moving on from a player who still possesses significant long-term upside.

After Perez was designated for assignment, the White Sox moved quickly to acquire the Athletics’ No. 20 prospect by sending left-handed pitcher Jackson Nov their way. For a Chicago team desperately searching for offensive production from outfielders beyond Dereck Hill and Tristan Peters, the move adds a player with both power and speed upside, while also carrying the added benefit of three remaining minor league options and six full years of team control.

Considering the low acquisition cost and Perez’s long-term potential, this looks like a clear win for the White Sox. Even as he begins his tenure in Triple-A, Chicago now has a controllable outfield option with legitimate power-speed upside and enough roster flexibility to develop at its own pace. These are exactly the types of calculated upside bets that can quietly pay off in a major way.

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The Chicago White Sox have no shortage of promising pitching prospects moving through their farm system. Left-handers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith headline the group, while Tanner McDougal and Christian Oppor are also ranked among the organization’s top 10 overall prospects according to MLB Pipeline.

Outside of the White Sox’ top 30 prospects sits 18-year-old Yobal Rodriguez. Signed as part of the club’s international class for just $300,000, Rodriguez showed promising potential during his time in the Dominican Summer League last season.

Unfortunately, he has yet to pitch in 2026, when he was expected to likely begin the year in the Arizona Complex League, because he recently underwent Tommy John surgery.

Chicago White Sox lose promising pitching prospect Yobal Rodriguez for remainder of 2026 season

Right hander pitcher Yobal Rodriguez underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2026 season.

Rodriguez, 18, signed with the White Sox in 2025. pic.twitter.com/WKdBWxrYJN

— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) May 14, 2026

For the Chicago White Sox, this is an unfortunate setback for one of the more lesser known, but intriguing young arms lower in their system. While Rodriguez was still years away from the major leagues, his early results and physical projection had started generating quiet optimism about his long-term potential.

The good news is that Rodriguez is still extremely young, giving him plenty of time to recover and continue developing once healthy. Tommy John surgery has become a common hurdle for young pitchers, and if he returns with the same stuff and promise he showed in the Dominican Summer League, he could still work his way back onto the prospect radar in the years ahead.

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The 2026 Chicago White Sox have been an easy team for fans to rally behind this season. They are young, play hard for one another, embrace the little details that help win games, hit plenty of home runs, and have received strong pitching performances along the way. As a result, the White Sox are playing winning baseball, something that has helped generate sellout crowds this weekend for their rivalry series against the Chicago Cubs.

Among their biggest strengths has been home runs. The Chicago White Sox currently rank fourth in MLB with 59 home runs, trailing only the New York Yankees (67), Atlanta Braves (63), and Los Angeles Dodgers (61). However, Chicago has something those teams, and every other club in baseball, that no one can match.

Chicago White Sox young sluggers Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas are leading the way in home runs

Just over a quarter into the 2026 MLB season, Munetaka Murakami leads the Chicago White Sox with 15 home runs, which is tied for the third-most in all of baseball. Colson Montgomery is right behind him with 12 homers of his own, while Miguel Vargas has added 10.

Together, that trio has accounted for 62.7% of Chicago’s home runs this season. Even more impressively, the White Sox are currently the only team in MLB with three players already reaching double-digit home runs.

This is a dynamic trio!#WhiteSox https://t.co/XWc21Ahkfv

— White Sox Now (@WhiteSoxNow) May 16, 2026

For theWhite Sox, this is another encouraging sign that their young core of sluggers is developing into one of the most dangerous power groups in baseball. Having multiple hitters capable of changing a game with one swing makes opposing pitching staffs work carefully throughout the entire lineup, not just around one star player.

That kind of power depth is a major bonus for Chicago’s offense moving forward. As Murakami, Montgomery, and Vargas continue gaining experience together, the White Sox may be building an offensive foundation capable of keeping them competitive for years to come.

Related: Overlooked White Sox slugger ranks the best at his position

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the best stories in baseball this season, and they are also one of the league’s hottest teams.

Following their three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals, the White Sox have now won five games in a row to move above the .500 mark for the first time since 2023 Opening Day. They are neck-and-neck with the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, and now, they’ll get the chance to continue their streak against the crosstown rival Chicago Cubs.

The White Sox will be opening up a three-game set with the Cubs at Rate Field on Friday night in a rivalry matchup that will finally have some juice.

The Sox have been one of the worst teams in baseball since 2022, and between 2023 and 2025, they topped out at 61 wins.

That certainly appears to be changing this season, and before battling the Cubbies, White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay fired off a clear warning.

Chicago White Sox pitcher Anthony Kay just fired off a warning shot

There is no question the White Sox have great camaraderie right now, and Kay feels this is just the beginning.

“It’s so fun. Everyone is cheering for each other,” Kay said after his victory over the Royals on Thursday. “Everyone is pulling in the right direction. You see the energy. It’s going to be really fun. We are clicking on all cylinders and it’s only going to get better.”

Just in time for the Cubs series.

Obviously, Kay himself will not be facing the Cubbies after having just pitched against Kansas City, but it’s clear that he is expecting the White Sox to continue rolling even with the NL Central leaders coming into the building Friday evening.

Kay has logged a 4.61 ERA through nine appearances and seven starts this season, allowing 44 hits and registering 29 strikeouts over 41 innings of work.

While his overall numbers aren’t pretty, the 31-year-old has absolutely pitched better recently, surrendering two runs or less in each of his last three outings. That included going a season-high six innings in the series finale against the Royals.

Kay signed with the White Sox back in December after spending a couple of years in Japan.

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The Chicago White Sox have a lot of talent throughout their minor league system. After having a few seasons of struggling, they have ultimately been able to build up their farm system with top-tier talent. However, it is incumbent on the players to continue developing and getting better en route to the majors. One minor leaguer has shown that, jumping more than 30 spots in the latest update of the Top 100 prospects list.

There is a lot of excitement about the future of the White Sox as a result of this update. Let’s take a closer look at who the player is and what he has been doing to climb the prospect rankings.

Caleb Bonemer jumps into the top-15 prospects, per MLB Pipeline

According to MLB Pipeline, White Sox infielder Caleb Bonemer climbed the third-most spots of any player in their recent Top 100 prospects update. He jumped 31 spots to now being the 15th-ranked prospect in MLB. Only San Diego Padres prospect Ethan Salas (42) and New York Mets prospect A.J. Ewing (44) have risen more spots than him. Bonemer has been considered an excellent hitter with above-average power, but he is exceeding those expectations at High-A Winston-Salem. He is posting a .274/.418/.669 slash line with 13 home runs, 31 RBI, and 32 runs scored across 34 games in just his second year of professional baseball. His power has been off of pitchers with different levels of talent, including a rehabbing former AL Cy Young Award winner in Gerrit Cole.

The 13 home runs are already exceeding the number he hit across 107 games in 2025. The 20-year-old was selected in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft and has been proving his ability to be an immediate impactful player. Of course, there are likely a few more years until he is ready to be penciled into the White Sox lineup in the majors, but he is already proving he is one of the best players in Minor League Baseball. Where Bonemer winds up playing is going to be intriguing as well. He has split time between third base and shortstop at Winston-Salem. Could he be the third baseman of the future for the White Sox, pairing with Colson Montgomery? Only time will tell, but he has shown all the signs to get the front office excited about the future.

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When the Chicago White Sox signed first baseman Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract in free agency, everyone was in shock.

Why did Murakami have to settle for so little? And how did the White Sox of all teams land one of the best Japanese sluggers ever?

There were plenty of questions about Murakami’s game, ranging from his struggles in making contact on high-velocity pitches to his pedestrian defense. Nevertheless, he was known as the “Japanese Babe Ruth” for a reason: the guy absolutely mashes, and he’s showing it thus far in 2026.

Through his first 42 big-league games, Murakami is slashing .228/.363/.537 with 15 home runs and 29 RBI, and he is one of the primary reasons why the White Sox have gone from bottom feeders to legitimate AL Central contenders.

If he keeps up this tremendous power display, he stands to far exceed the $34 million he received once he hits free agency after the 2027 campaign … but is his run sustainable?

Munetaka Mukarami’s Chicago White Sox future is cloudy

Right now, Murakami is incredibly exciting to watch, and during a recent interview with Sam Blum of The Athletic, the lefty slugger made it clear that he would love to remain in Chicago long term.

“If they do offer something and feel that they would want me still, I would love to have that talk,” Murakami said.

But is this just a honeymoon phase for Murakami and the White Sox?

The glaring holes that everyone saw in Murakami’s game when he was first coming to America are still there, and Blum made note of them in the piece.

“That in-zone contact rate is just 65.3 percent, significantly lower than the 82.6 percent big-league average,” Blum wrote. “He whiffs nearly 44 percent of the time, while the average is 25 percent. And if he does chase, there’s almost no chance it’s hitting wood. Murakami swings and misses more than anyone in baseball. And that may well catch up to him.”

It’s certainly been working for Murakami thus far, and his walk rate is definitely a positive sign. But you do have to wonder how Murakami — who leads the AL with 63 strikeouts — will adjust once major-league pitchers adjust to him. We are only a month-and-a-half into his MLB career, after all, so things could absolutely change.

While it’s worth noting that Murakami’s defense (0 DRS thus far) has actually been passable, it’s certainly fair to question if his bat will hold up long term, and that will absolutely affect his future in the Windy City.

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The Chicago White Sox enter play on May 14 with a 21-21 record, marking the first time they have reached the .500 mark this late in a season since 2022, when they ultimately finished 81-81. That alone is a significant accomplishment for a franchise that has struggled heavily in recent years, but the way they have done it has been even more impressive. Chicago has won 15 of its last 23 games and is currently riding a four-game winning streak, giving the organization legitimate momentum for the first time in quite a while.

Adding to that, the White Sox style of play and overall chemistry have also stood out during this stretch. This is a team willing to embrace the little things needed to win games, whether that means aggressive hustle, smart baserunning, or playing small ball with bunts and situational hitting. Their cohesion is noticeable both on the field and in the dugout, and teams that genuinely play for one another rather than individually can quickly become dangerous opponents.

Bench coach Walker McKinven recently told Scott Merkin of MLB.com that this style of play has become the team’s identity.

“Our cohesion, the effort level on a night-to-night basis is outstanding and noted by opponents, noted by others in the league. That’s kind of been our identity so far, what we’re leaning on.”

With all of that comes growing expectations for more. If the White Sox continue building on this momentum, bigger things could be ahead in 2026.

The Chicago White Sox would be in the playoffs if the season ended today

 

At roughly the quarter mark of the season, the White Sox would currently hold a spot in the 2026 MLB postseason as a Wild Card team if the season ended today. They also sit second in the AL Central, trailing the Cleveland Guardians by just one and a half games. With the expanded playoff format, a relatively weak division, and the Detroit Tigers expected to be without ace Tarik Skubal for the next several months, Chicago appears well-positioned to remain in the hunt for October baseball over the final 120 games of the season.

Whether the White Sox can sustain this pace over a full 162-game season remains to be seen, but the early signs are undeniably encouraging. For the first time in years, the organization is showing meaningful progress not only in the standings, but also in its culture, effort level, and overall direction. Not to mention, No.1 prospect Braden Montgomery will be pushing for his MLB Debut this year and the organization holds the No.1 overall pick in this year’s draft.

If Chicago continue to play with this level of cohesion and competitiveness, their current surge may end up being remembered as more than just a hot stretch in May,  it could be the beginning of the franchise turning a legitimate corner.

Related: 

• White Sox jump six spots in latest power rankings

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of baseball’s most pleasant surprises this season, as they find themselves right in the thick of the AL Central race, and they have given no indication that they will be falling out of it.

In fact, the White Sox have been achieving this without some of their most important players, as catcher Kyle Teel has not yet played this season due to a hamstring injury he suffered in the World Baseball Classic, and both Everson Pereira and Austin Hays are on the injured list, as well.

Now, about Pereira.

The 25-year-old has been slashing .250/.310/.453 with three home runs and seven RBI over 71 plate appearances before going down with a right pectoral strain. While there is no definitive timetable for his return (he last played on April 28), you have to figure he’ll be back sometime within the next few weeks.

When Pereira does get back on the field, you can bet that Chicago will find a way to get his talented bat into the lineup, and in the process, the White Sox will surely be laughing at the Tampa Bay Rays thanks to their offseason trade.

Chicago White Sox duped the Tampa Bay Rays with Everson Pereira trade

Back in November, Chicago sent pitchers Yoendrys Gomez and Steven Wilson to the Rays in exchange for Pereira and utility man Tanner Murray, the latter of whom will be out for the majority of the campaign due to a fractured shoulder.

Tampa Bay made the trade hoping that Gomez and Wilson would bolster its bullpen, but it has ended in disaster for the Rays.

Gomez was so terrible in his nine appearances that Tampa Bay waived him, and Wilson is on the 60-day injured list as a result of lumbar disc inflammation.

So essentially, the Rays gave up an incredibly gifted young hitter in Pereira — whom they had just acquired from the New York Yankees at last year’s trade deadline — for a pitcher they dumped and another arm that hasn’t even taken the mound for them.

Yeah, it’s safe to say that the White Sox won this trade, snatching a former top-100 prospect in Pereira who has not quite gotten the chance to flash his ability yet.

Pereira isn’t a very good defensive outfielder, but he mashed to the tune of an .859 OPS in the Yankees’ minor-league system, exhibiting good power and terrific plate discipline. He could end up becoming a force in Chicago’s lineup, and it all came at the cost of two marginal pitchers.

What a trade for the White Sox, who duped their AL foe.

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The Chicago White Sox are 20-21 and 1.5 games out of first place in the American League Central Division. After years of abysmal baseball and three consecutive 100+ loss seasons, Chicago finally appears to be headed in the right direction.

Among their multiple pleasant surprises this season is the power swing of Japanese first baseman Munetaka Murakami. Currently, the 26-year-old rookie is hitting .228/.362/.545 with 15 home runs and 29 RBI. He does, however, lead the Majors with 63 strikeouts.

Indeed, the high level of strikeouts he was known for in Japan overshadowed his propensity to also have high home runs totals in the eyes of every MLB team. That is, of course, except for the White Sox.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has strong message for critics

While Murakami does strikeout at a high rate, his 15 home runs are second in the Majors and he also walks frequently. His power bat has him among early favorites to win AL Rookie of the Year and other MLB teams are kicking themselves for not trying harder to sign him over the winter.

Still, there are many who still criticize Murakami for his strikeouts. But those are the kinds of comments that the White Sox first baseman does not take seriously for a very good reason. He told The Athletic, “Obviously, there are a lot of critics that say critical comments … that are really something I ignore. Because some people who do make critical comments, or have something to say against me, would be somebody who’s not really playing ball.

“I know who I am, and what kind of challenges I do face every single day. It’s just about proving to the doubters how much I can play in this league.”

As one can see, Murakami is not going to take seriously any criticism thrown his way from fans who have not played Major League Baseball themselves.

Nor should he. Many consider hitting Major League pitching the single hardest feat in professional sports.

The White Sox knew Murakami would have high strikeout totals, but they also expressed faith that his power would translate over from Japan to MLB. They were right, and now they have one of the most coveted home run hitters in the game this season.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Murakami helps grow the reputation of the White Sox in Japan
• White Sox roster crunch could push 2 veterans out of Chicago’s plans
• White Sox trade deadline plans get more clear for one reason

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Overlooked White Sox slugger quietly ranks among MLB’s best at his position
• White Sox urged to ban player from using ABS challenges
• One area of the White Sox roster that needs improvement

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 a franchise long defined by instability and incompetence in recent years, Munetaka Murakami’s early success on the South Side has not only energized a weary fanbase. It has also reshaped how the White Sox are viewed overseas.

It is hard to believe that Murakami is the first Japanese player to join the White Sox since reliever Shingo Takatsu and infielder Tadahiro Iguchi, both of whom played a pivotal role in winning the World Series in 2005. Meanwhile, his transition to Major League Baseball has been smoother, more productive, and more culturally grounded than many expected. The ripple effects are being felt far beyond Chicago.

Murakami arrived with star power and expectations, but also with the pressure of representing one of Japan’s most accomplished young hitters since Shohei Ohtani. He had won the Triple Crown in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) at the age of 22. The adjustment to MLB is notoriously difficult. This is true even for elite NPB talent.

Yet Murakami has made it look almost effortless. His power has translated immediately, and his presence in the middle of the lineup has given the White Sox a hitter who changes the shape of an inning the moment he steps in the box. ESPN baseball writer Jesse Rogers recently wrote about how MLB teams missed out on Murakami. This certainly benefited the White Sox.

But the most underrated part of Murakami’s success has nothing to do with his power. It’s his relationship with his translator, Kenzo Yagi, a partnership that has quietly become one of the most important stories of the White Sox season.

A translator who has become a bridge, not just a voice

Murakami’s interpreter has done far more than relay words. He has become a cultural anchor by helping Murakami navigate the clubhouse, understand coaching cues, adjust to American routines, and feel grounded in a new environment. Their rapport is obvious, and it has played a major role in Murakami’s comfort level.

During a recent interview with NBC Sports Chicago’s Chuck Garfien, Yagi offered rare insight into their dynamic. Here is a brief excerpt:

Garfien: “Fans see the home runs, the energy. But what’s been the key behind the scenes?”

Yagi: “For him, consistency. Same routine every day, same communication with coaches. My job is to make sure nothing gets lost. Not just the words, but the meaning.”

Garfien: “How has he handled the transition to the U.S.?”

Yagi: “He’s embraced it. The team has been great. They’ve made him feel like he belongs from day one.”

It was a simple exchange, but it revealed the foundation of Murakami’s smooth transition: clarity, trust, and stability.

A stark contrast: Tatsuya Imai’s difficult transition

Murakami’s adjustment stands in sharp contrast to his fellow countryman, pitcher Tatsuya Imai of the Houston Astros, who has openly struggled with the cultural and competitive leap after signing with the Houston Astros. According to Chander Rome of “The Athletic”, Imai, who has struggled with arm fatigue, admitted he has struggled to adjust to life in the United States. He has already gone through three translators. This is a sign of how difficult it has been for him to find the right support system.

A rare organizational win — and a growing reputation

For the White Sox, Murakami’s success is more than a baseball story. It’s a reputational boost. The Los Angeles Dodgers have cornered the entire Japanese market with Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki on the team. Los Angeles also has a strong Asian population, which is hard to overcome. If the Dallas Cowboys claim themselves as “The America’s Team”, then the Dodgers are truly “The Japan’s Team”.

Yet Murakami’s ability to handle his transition has definitely boosted the image of the White Sox among Japanese baseball fans. The White Sox fans have embraced their star, and the organization has given him the environment to thrive. That matters — not just for Murakami, but for future Japanese players evaluating where they want to play.

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As a whole, the Chicago White Sox outfield group has under-performed this season. Currently, White Sox outfielders rank 23rd in MLB with a .652 OPS and have combined for just an 82 wRC+, which ranks a spot lower at 24. While Sam Antonacci and Tristan Peters have emerged as pleasant surprises, Luisangel Acuña has struggled significantly to meet expectations and Andrew Benintendi hasn’t impressed when in the field and is yet to get the bat going as a designated hitter. 

On top of that, the club has had to navigate major injuries to Brooks Baldwin and Tanner Murray, along with smaller injury issues involving Austin Hays and Everson Pereira. That said, Hays and Pereira appear on track to return as soon as by the end of May. With seven outfielders currently on the 40-man roster, this could spell trouble for two veteran outfielders.

Impending White Sox roster crunch could push 2 veteran outfielders out of Chicago’s plans

Once Hays and Pereira return from their soft tissue injuries, the Chicago White Sox will face several difficult roster decisions. With an impending outfield logjam, two veteran outfielders could ultimately become the casualties of the roster crunch: Jarred Kelenic and Dereck Hill. Kelenic was brought up at the end of April and is without an extra base hit through 30 plate appearances, whereas Hill’s best asset is his speed, but with returners having a higher offensive ceiling he could be the odd man out.

There are several reasons why Acuña may remain on the roster over Kelenic and Hill. The 24-year-old, who was acquired during the offseason in the Luis Robert Jr. trade, is out of minor league options, meaning the Chicago White Sox cannot simply send him to the minors without exposing him to waivers. Additionally, his defensive versatility and ability to move into the infield provide added value that could help secure his spot on the roster.

While Hays, another veteran presence, and Pereira, another young player who is out of minor league options, may not ultimately solve the Chicago White Sox outfield issues, they are still more likely to remain on the roster than Kelenic and Hill. Ultimately, the move that likely needs to happen at some point is the promotion of top prospect Braden Montgomery. Even though he was recently promoted to Triple-A, it would not be surprising if he spends very little time there before reaching the majors, but his eventual arrival would create yet another roster decision for Chicago.

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The Chicago White Sox have been surprising contenders this season, as they are just one-and-a-half games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central. They’re actually tied in the loss column heading into Tuesday’s action, too.

So what exactly will the White Sox do at the MLB trade deadline?

Chicago is about a year ahead of schedule here, as I’m not even sure general manager Chris Getz expected the team to be this good, this fast. That could potentially result in the White Sox being a bit more cautious in terms of selling off pieces before Aug. 3.

Should it necessarily stop Chicago from making moves for the future? Absolutely not, but it does mean that the White Sox will have to be a bit more careful with how they go about the process.

But the White Sox’s overall trade deadline plans largely hinge on one factor: the return of catcher Kyle Teel.

Kyle Teel could alter White Sox’s trade deadline strategy

Teel has not yet played a game this season, as he has been recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered during the World Baseball Classic. But Teel is now inching closer and closer to a return, as he is beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday.

To say that Teel’s return will help Chicago in a massive way would be putting it lightly.

Due to Teel’s absence, the White Sox have been subjected to Edgar Quero’s .433 OPS and questionable defense behind the plate. The catcher position has been a major weak link for Chicago, and it’s about to get a huge boost with Teel’s impending return.

The White Sox landed Teel in the trade that sent pitcher Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox in December 2024. The 24-year-old went on to slash .278/.375/.411 with eight home runs and 35 RBI over 297 plate appearances last season, putting himself on the map as a potential future star.

Once Teel returns, Chicago’s lineup will look considerably better, and it could result in the White Sox making a stronger push in the division. That, in turn, could cause Chicago to sit on players like pitchers Davis Martin and Erick Fedde rather than trading them, and it could even lead to the Sox semi-buying midsummer.

Teel could very well be the biggest X-factor in determining how the trade deadline will play out for the Southsiders.

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The Chicago White Sox quite possibly have the next American League Rookie of the Year on their roster. First baseman Munetaka Murakami is making a strong case to win the award after 29 other franchises passed on him in the offseason.

Signed to a two-year ($34 million) contract, the 26-year-old has proven to be worth every penny and deserving of an extension once the season concludes. Through his first 40 games in the major leagues, Murakami is hitting .232 with a .920 OPS and is third in the major leagues in home runs (15).

Making a strong case, Murakami received a vote of confidence from MLB experts, who voted him the favorite to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award.

Chicago White Sox Munetaka Murakami is the favorite to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award

According to Jason Foster of MLB.com, who polled the experts, Munetaka received 20 first-place votes. This was six more votes than Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle, who finished in second and is Murakami’s main competition to win the award over him.

More News: Chicago White Sox: One area on the roster that needs to improve

“Murakami has been exactly as advertised early in his rookie campaign,” wrote Foster. “The 26-year-old first baseman has been a pure slugger so far, leading all MLB rookies in homers (15), slugging percentage (.556), OPS (.920) and total bases (79) entering play Monday. But he’s had a good eye, too, as evidenced by 30 walks (tops among all rookies) and his .364 on-base percentage through Sunday, which ranked fourth among MLB rookies.”

McGonigle, through 39 games, is batting .293 (which leads all qualified rookies) with a .830 OPS, 43 hits and 11 doubles. Murakami’s countryman, infielder Kazuma Okamoto, also made the list and is a sleeper candidate to win the award. A veteran of the NPB like Murakami, Okamoto has been hot as of late, batting .268 with a .910 OPS in his last 15 games.

If Murakami continues to mash home runs and be the White Sox’s main run producer — Munetaka leads the team in RBI (29) — he could be winning the Rookie of the Year Award by the end of the season. First baseman and White Sox great Jose Abreu was the player for the franchise to win the award in 2014.

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The Chicago White Sox were not believed to make much noise in 2026. After three consecutive years of finishing with 100 or more losses, the entire MLB world had written them off. Sure, signing Munetaka Murakami was a pleasant surprise, but many did not believe his power would translate to Major League Baseball while his strikeout totals would only increase.

While it is true that Murakami strikes out more than any other hitter in the American League, he also ranks second in the league in home runs. More importantly, though, he is not doing all the heavy lifting.

Indeed, there are multiple young stars on the White Sox roster who have helped lead them to a 19-21 record through their first 40 games.

The Chicago White Sox are headed in the right direction

While 19-21 is not a winning record, it is good enough to have Chicago sitting in second place in the American League Central Division. What is more, they have reached 19 wins in their first 40 games. Last year, they did not earn their 19th win until game #61.

Recently, The Athletic released their latest MLB power rankings and gave a reason for each team to have hope going forward. The White Sox came in 18th after being ranked 24th last week. Additionally, their reason for hope was that they had finally emerged from the darkness:

“These aren’t your slightly older sibling’s White Sox. They survived the bleak summers, with 100 (or 121) losses and little hope. Some of the prospects they’ve been amassing have reached the majors and, in the case of Colson Montgomery, have thrived.

“Mix in a breakout season for Davis Martin in the rotation and a jaw-dropping start for Munetaka Murakami, and maybe this situation is as simple as a young team playing free and easy and not really knowing any better.

“They sit right behind the Guardians at the top of the AL Central, even if this division is still below sea level. Who’s to say the White Sox can’t be a thorn in the side of most teams they face all season?”

While Chicago still may remain a year or two away from truly being a contender, the dismal performance of their division this season has them in the thick of the early playoff picture.

For the first time in a long time, fans can see some light at the end of the tunnel.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Overlooked White Sox slugger quietly ranks among MLB’s best at his position
• White Sox urged to ban player from using ABS challenges
• One area of the White Sox roster that needs improvement

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 one of the most pleasant surprises in Major League Baseball this year. At 19-21, they currently are in the American League postseason picture and are just 1.5 games back in their division. After years of being the worst (or among the worst) team in baseball, they now field a team that can compete more often than not.

A great deal of the attention that Chicago has drawn this season is due to the slugging of rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami. Currently, he is second in AL with 15 home runs, displaying the power that many felt would make him a Major League star.

The Chicago White Sox are urged to trade Munetaka Murakami

At this point, every MLB team that passed on Murakami is kicking itself. Scared away by his high strikeout totals in Japan, they also did not have faith that his power would translate stateside. Now that they have seen that is has, there are no shortage of teams that would love to trade for him if the White Sox were to make him available.

And Bleacher Report believes Chicago should put him on the block:

“Why in the world would the White Sox trade away a budding star and the most exciting player on the roster?

“Behind those 15 home runs and the impressive 155 OPS+ is a staggering 60 strikeouts in 40 games, for a 34.7 percent strikeout rate that is the fourth-highest mark among all qualified hitters. The league is inevitably going to make adjustments, and when it does, that number could climb even higher.

“Looking at the bigger picture, the White Sox are in an unenviable spot. If he continues to rake, he likely leaves for greener pastures once his two-year, $34 million deal is over. Should he regress significantly, they failed to capitalize on his peak amid an ongoing rebuild.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Overlooked White Sox slugger quietly ranks among MLB’s best at his position
• White Sox urged to ban player from using ABS challenges
• One area of the White Sox roster that needs improvement

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 one of the biggest surprises in Major League Baseball this season. While they are under .500 at 19-21, they reached 19 wins in 40 games this year as opposed to last season when it took them 61 games to reach that mark. What is more, they are only 1.5 games out of first place in the woeful American League Central Division.

Munetaka Murakami, of course, has been the biggest star on the team thus far this season. That being said, right-handed starting pitcher Davis Martin, too, has emerged as a breakout candidate this year and has turned into the ace Chicago has been missing for so long.

The Chicago White Sox need more than just Davis Martin

Through eight starts, Martin is 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA. His .833 winning percentage also leads the American League. While his strong start to 2026 is encouraging, though, the fact of the matter is that Chicago has not received much contribution from the rest of their starting rotation.

Bleacher Report recently ranked all the starting rotations in MLB, slotting the White Sox in at 21st with a warning that they need someone else to step up in addition to Martin:

“In Davis Martin, the White Sox have the breakout starting pitcher of the year. The 29-year-old had been a serviceable piece of a woeful rotation in recent years, but now he has a 1.62 ERA and six of this staff’s 11 quality starts. However, he is Chicago’s only pitcher with more than five innings pitched and an ERA below 4.44 as a starter, so the White Sox are in the same boat as the Reds with one dominant force in what is otherwise a sea of mediocrity.”

Credit should be given to Chicago’s bullpen for helping them reach the level at which they are, but bullpens can be overused over the course of a season. If the White Sox continue to rely on their current formula, a late-season collapse is inevitable.

The question, then, is what will they do about it?

Sure, Chicago could suddenly become buyers at the trade deadline after years of being sellers. That, however, would mean having to part ways with prospects that they plan to play roles on their future rosters.

If they are still in the hunt for a postseason berth as the trade deadline nears, it will be a conversation. One thing is for sure, though: Martin can’t do it all on his own.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Overlooked White Sox slugger quietly ranks among MLB’s best at his position
• White Sox urged to ban player from using ABS challenges
• One area of the White Sox roster that needs improvement

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 2026 Chicago White Sox have made a clear statement with their power production, ranking sixth in the league with 51 home runs as a team following Mother’s Day. Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery have led the way with 15 and 10 home runs respectively, but another key contributor has been Miguel Vargas, who has added nine of his own to help fuel the lineup’s early-season success.

Now in his fifth MLB season, Vargas is coming off a career year in which he hit 16 home runs across 138 games. At his current pace, he would be tracking toward a 40-homer campaign, but much of the attention in the lineup has shifted elsewhere with the emergence of Murakami and the steady dominance of Montgomery.

Even so, a recent stretch of meaningful at-bats paired with a multi-homer game over the weekend have pushed him back into the spotlight, serving as a reminder of the damage he can do. That resurgence becomes even more apparent when comparing his production to other third basemen across the league, where his numbers continue to stack up favorably.

Overlooked Chicago White Sox slugger Miguel Vargas quietly ranks as one of MLB’s best third baseman

Right now, only three third basemen have more home runs than Vargas this season: Junior Caminero, Max Muncy, and Kazuma Okamoto. His 22 RBIs are tied for third-most at the position, while his 28 walks rank second among all third basemen. He also owns the third-best OPS at .841, further underscoring just how productive he has been in comparison to his peers.

From an advanced metrics standpoint, Vargas has made noticeable improvements this season in both barrel rate and hard-hit percentage. He has also shown a clear increase in bat speed compared to a year ago. Combined with his continued patient approach at the plate, those gains have helped fuel his breakout season. Additionally, having multiple power threats around him in the lineup has provided extra protection and forced pitchers to challenge him more often, further contributing to his offensive surge.

While much of the attention surrounding the White Sox lineup has centered on bigger names and breakout stars, Vargas has quietly been producing all year. His combination of power, plate discipline, and improved quality of contact has placed him among the top offensive third basemen in baseball, even if he is not receiving the same level of recognition nationally.

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The Chicago White Sox have actually been one of the bigger surprises in baseball this season, as they are smack dab in the middle of contention in the AL Central.

Yes, the division being very weak has certainly helped, but I’m not sure anyone expected the White Sox to be competing for a playoff spot this year regardless. Nevertheless, here they are, thanks to a torrid start by Munetaka Murakami and some pretty solid pitching.

But you know who hasn’t really been helping? Catcher Edgar Quero.

Quero is slashing just .160/.260/.173 with no home runs and seven RBI over 98 plate appearances in 2026, and his defense has left something to be desired, as well. And that comes after a decent showing during his rookie campaign last season when he slashed .268/.333/.356 with five homers and 36 RBI across 403 trips to the dish.

In fact, Quero has been so terrible that Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer actually feels Chicago should bar him from doing one specific thing: utilizing the ABS system.

Chicago White Sox catcher Edgar Quero has been awful

Not only has Quero been a complete non-factor at the plate, but he is costing the White Sox precious challenges, as well, and Rymer dove into it.

“Yeah, Quero just plain makes bad challenges. Out of the 42 total challenges he’s issued, he’s won 18 and lost 24. No other catcher has lost more than 20,” Rymer wrote. “Quero does seem to have a good sense of the width of the strike zone on his glove (i.e., left) side, as he’s lost only one challenge in that vicinity. His challenge record is otherwise a smorgasbord of egregious misses. At one point, he even challenged a fastball that made Chandler Simpson do a Matrix-style evasion.”

Considering teams are only allotted two challenges per game (unless they get it right, in which case, they keep the challenge), so having Quero tapping his head with such regularity is obviously costing Chicago.

Rymer feels that Quero should have his ABS privileges revoked, and perhaps that’s not the only thing he should lose this season.

I’m not sure how much more Chicago can afford to allow Quero to get regular playing time, but the problem is that right now, Will Venable doesn’t really have any other options. Drew Romo is currently serving as the other catcher, but there really is no one else to replace Quero.

Perhaps the White Sox will need to send Quero — a former top prospect — back to the minor leagues for more seasoning and try to acquire another backstop before the trade deadline.

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The Chicago White Sox have performed better than expected this season, especially after three straight 100+ loss seasons. The White Sox (19-21) are a game behind the Cleveland Guardians (21-21) for the lead in the American League Central.

Despite a low batting average (.230), third baseman Miguel Vargas has appeared to overcome his struggles at the plate. In 39 games, Vargas has an OPS of .841 and is third on the team in home runs (nine). First baseman Munetaka Murakami is the team leader (15), while shortstop Colson Montgomery is second (10).

More News: Chicago White Sox’s early success places them as playoff contenders

Even though the White Sox have seen good permeate through the roster, the one area that has been a disappointment has been the outfield. Having a chance to compete in a weak American League Central, figuring out how to get more production from their outfielders is a must for the White Sox.

The Chicago White Sox outfield production has been their Achilles heel this season, and needs to be figured out

According to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, the White Sox’s lack of production from their outfielders has been a concern. Merkin points to the outfielders’ ranking near or at the bottom in OPS, slugging percentage and extra-base hits.

“This answer could have been outfield or catcher, which are two areas of pronounced early struggles for a team off to a somewhat surprising start,” wrote Merkin. “But the White Sox outfield ranks 30th in extra-base hits, 28th in slugging percentage, 27th in OPS and RBIs, 25th in on-base percentage and 24th in batting average. Internal help is on the way, with Austin Hays and Everson Pereira working their way back from injury, and Braden Montgomery — the team’s top prospect and No. 28 overall, per MLB Pipeline — recently being promoted to Triple-A Charlotte and just one step away from Chicago.”

Outfielder Austin Hays has been one of the big disappointments of the White Sox’s offseason. Signed to a one-year ($6 million), Hays is on the injured list with his second lower-body injury of the season (left calf strain). The former All-Star spent nearly the whole month of April (7-27) on the injured list with a right hamstring strain.

Hays is a candidate to get traded at the trade deadline (Aug. 3) to allow outfielder Braden Montgomery to see time in the big leagues. The White Sox recently promoted Montgomery to Triple-A, which signals he could be making his debut later this season if he does well.

Production from infielder/outfielder Luisangel Acuna could also allow Montgomery to have a spot on the big league roster. A piece in the trade that sent Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets, Acuna is hitting .175 with a .427 OPS in 31 games.

If the White Sox have a legitimate chance to compete, trading for a quality outfielder who can add to the lineup and in the field should be the focus of Chris Getz.

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Last year, the Chicago White Sox did not win their 19th game until the 61st game of the season. Of course, they went on to lose 100+ games for the third year in a row. Heading into 2026, no one expected the White Sox to suddenly become one of the best teams in baseball. Instead, there was hope that there would be at least a little improvement.

Well, 40 games into the year, Chicago is 19-21 and sit just one game back of first place in the American League Central Division. Indeed, the whole AL appears to be down this year and there are only five teams in the league with a better record than the White Sox.

3 Chicago White Sox players who have earned A’s through the first quarter of the season

Obviously, in order for Chicago to have had this level of improvement, multiple players have had to exceed the expectations that many had for them going into 2026. While there have been many pleasant surprises for the White Sox this season, the following three stand out the most.

1. Munetaka Murakami

After just about every team in Major League Baseball declined to pursue Munetaka Murakami because of his high strikeout numbers in Japan, the White Sox were able to nab him for two years and $34 million.

He has been exactly what Chicago hoped he would be and more. Currently, Murakami is hitting .232/.364/.556 with 15 home runs and 29 RBI. Only Aaron Judge has hit more home runs than him so far this year.

2. Davis Martin

Heading into 2026, Davis Martin had far from impressed in his Major League career. In three seasons, all with Chicago, he was 10-21 with a 4.32 ERA.

So far this season, Martin is 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA and leads the AL in winning percentage (.833). Chicago’s starting rotation has struggled to be consistent this season, but he has been a stabilizing force that the White Sox can build around this year.

3. Bryan Hudson

Bringing Bryan Hudson back in 2026 was not a popular move among White Sox fans. After all, he had a 5.79 ERA in four appearances for them last season, and had a 4.35 ERA with the Milwaukee Brewers before they released him in 2025.

This year, though, Hudson has been one of the most dominant relieves in baseball. He is currently 1-0 with a 0.95 ERA in 20 appearances. Aside from Murakami, he may be the Chicago player most deserving of an All-Star nod this year.

3 Chicago White Sox players that have not lived up to expectations

While the three players above have exceeded expectations, there are multiple players on the roster who have fallen short of even the low bar set for them prior to the beginning of the year. There are, after all, several reasons why the White Sox are still under .500, and the following players’ struggles have contributed to the team’s inconsistencies.

1. Edgar Quero

Admittedly, Chicago probably would not be playing Edgar Quero as much if Kyle Teel were healthy. As it is, though, he has seen some significant playing time and has not lived up to the hopes many had for him.

So far in 2026, Quero is hitting .160/.260/.173 with no home runs and seven RBI.

Teel cannot get back quickly enough.

2. Andrew Benintendi

To be fair, White Sox fans had no expectation for Andrew Benintendi to be good in 2026. Ever since signing as a free agent in 2023, he has been a disappointment.

But he has been even worse this year, hitting just .235/.272/.365 with two home runs and 17 RBI. It would not be so disappointing if he were not one of the highest-paid players on the team.

3. Luisangel Acuna

When Chicago traded Luis Robert to the New York Mets for Luisangel Acuna, they hoped they were getting an improvement in centerfield. So far, they have not.

While Robert is not playing well in New York and hitting just .224/.327/.329, Acuna is even worse. In 31 games played for Chicago, he is hitting .175/.239/.188.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox may have to pay more for Rich Cholowsky after NL West team’s latest move
• White Sox receive crystal clear MLB trade deadline warning
• Breakout White Sox prospects finally putting it all together at Triple-A

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 19-21 and just one game out of first place in the woeful American League Central Division. Over the weekend, they took two out of three games from the Seattle Mariners, who have a similar record. It was Chicago’s third series win of their last four, a run that has propelled them onto the national scene.

Of course, Munetaka Murakami and his 15 home runs are big reason for the attention they are getting. However, his consistent play at the plate has proven to be infectious, and multiple White Sox players are starting to gain recognition around baseball.

The Chicago White Sox rank 19th in latest MLB power rankings

Last week, Bleacher Report had the White Sox ranked as the 21st-best team in baseball. This itself was significant as early power rankings had Chicago ranked last or second-to-last for the first few weeks of the season.

This week, though, the White Sox have climbed up to 19th:

“It took the White Sox 61 games before they reached 19 wins last season, so this has not only been a more entertaining team to watch, but a more successful one by a wide margin. With two more long balls last week, Munetaka Murakami is up to 15 home runs on the year, one behind Aaron Judge for the AL lead.”

So far this year, Murakami is hitting .236/.364/.556 with 15 home runs and 29 RBI. Clearly, the team could do a better job of getting runners on in front of him, but his power is a big reason for their improvement so far in 2026.

Murakami leads the American League with 60 strikeouts, but has also walked 30 times. A true three-outcome hitter, the Japanese star is not going to hit for a high average, but his performance so far as just about every other MLB team regretting their decision not to pursue him themselves.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox may have to pay more for Rich Cholowsky after NL West team’s latest move
• White Sox receive crystal clear MLB trade deadline warning
• Breakout White Sox prospects finally putting it all together at Triple-A

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 won the draft lottery last December and now own the No. 1 overall pick in July’s MLB Draft. While Roch Cholowsky is widely viewed as the consensus top prospect and the clear favorite to go first overall, the fit becomes especially intriguing despite Chicago already possessing a deep group of infield prospects. After all, shortstops with legitimate 70-grade power are exceptionally rare.

The possibility of one day pairing Cholowsky with Colson Montgomery in the same infield is an exciting vision for the organization, particularly when imagining a lineup that could also feature Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas at first base and third base. If everything comes together, the White Sox could be building an infield capable of producing enormous power throughout the lineup.

However, one MLB insider in particular, Bob Nightengale, has spent weeks fueling speculation about the White Sox potentially passing on Cholowsky. Among the rumors and talking points floated have been the idea that Chicago is not among Cholowsky’s preferred destinations, that he could seek a record-setting signing bonus, and that he may even attempt to use the possibility of a future MLB lockout as leverage. There has also been speculation that Cholowsky could consider spending a season overseas before reentering the draft if he does not receive the bonus package he is seeking.

Where the truth ultimately lies remains unclear, but one development has only added more fuel to the speculation surrounding Nightengale’s reporting. The San Francisco Giants recently acquired an additional $3,270,200 in MLB Draft bonus pool money, intensifying speculation that Cholowsky, a California native, could remain in his home state by sliding to San Francisco at No. 4 overall in the draft.

San Francisco Giants latest trade means the Chicago White Sox may have to pay more for Roch Cholowsky

Earlier this week, the San Francisco Giants traded catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson and Cleveland’s Competitive Balance Round A selection, the No. 29 overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft. By acquiring that additional draft choice, San Francisco also added the accompanying $3,270,200 in bonus pool money, increasing the club’s total draft pool to $17,350,600. That figure now ranks fourth-highest in MLB and sits just $241,500 below the Chicago White Sox.

For context, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s MLB Draft carries an estimated slot value of $11,350,600, though it is widely expected that the selected player will ultimately sign for below that figure. The current record for the largest signing bonus given to a No. 1 overall pick belongs to Paul Skenes, who received $9.2 million in 2024. Even so, it would not be surprising to see Cholowsky surpass that mark and potentially push beyond the $10 million threshold given the leverage and speculation surrounding his draft situation.

No matter how much truth there is to the rumors surrounding Cholowsky, the White Sox, and his ties to the Giants, the growing speculation alone has created valuable leverage for the star shortstop. With San Francisco now armed with additional bonus pool money, Cholowsky and his camp suddenly have more negotiating power at the table for a record setting signing bonus.

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The Chicago White Sox have actually been one of the more surprising teams in baseball this season, as they find themselves firmly in contention in the AL Central after being one of the league’s worst ballclubs the previous several years.

That puts the White Sox in a rather precarious position heading into the MLB trade deadline. Should they actually buy for a playoff run? Should they sell and continue building for the future? Or should they do a little bit of both?

It’s a complicated situation for Chicago, but you have to figure that the White Sox will be more focused on the long term than anything else.

That means someone like breakout pitcher Davis Martin may very well find himself on the trade block between now and Aug. 3. He would surely drum up a lot of interest, and Chicago may be able to reap quite a return for him.

However, Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown feels that trading Martin would be a mistake.

Chicago White Sox warned to avoid trading Davis Martin

Martin has gone 5-1 with a 1.64 ERA thus far this season, allowing 37 hits while registering 43 strikeouts over 44 innings of work. His 2.45 FIP is a great sign, and his sparkling 5.38 K/BB ratio is beyond impressive.

But the right-hander is 29 years old and has made a grand total of 58 appearances (51 starts) since entering the big leagues in 2022. He underwent Tommy John surgery back in May 2023, which has certainly thrown a wrench into things, but overall, Martin is still wildly unproven. That means trading him might be the White Sox’s best bet.

Still, Phalen thinks Chicago would be making a mistake, noting that Martin doesn’t have much service time under his belt.

“Because of this, Martin hasn’t accrued as much service time as a player normally would at his age, giving the White Sox more years of control,” Phalen wrote. “Martin won’t be a free agent until after the 2030 season, and he’ll be entering his age-34 season by the time he hits free agency.”

Because Martin is under club control for so many years and Chicago is closer to contention than most anticipated, Phalen feels it would be a good idea to keep him around.

“2026 may not be a contention year for the White Sox, but with the club envisioning competing in 2027 and beyond, Martin’s contract lines him up to be a part of it, and the White Sox will have him for what is likely the rest of his prime,” Phalen added.

Of course, the question is whether or not Martin’s run is sustainable. While I don’t think anyone expects him to maintain a sub-2.00 ERA, you also have to wonder if he is even really a mid-3s ERA type of pitcher based on his peripherals.

Chances are, if Chicago gets a strong enough offer between now and early August, Martin will be moved.

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Back in 2023, the Chicago White Sox made infielder Jacob Gonzalez their first round pick, selecting him 15th overall and signing for $3.9 million. At the time, Gonzalez was coming off of a decorated college career at Mississippi, but until 2026, he had been unable to put things together as a professional.

During his first full minor league season, Gonzalez slashed .238/.307/.343 across High-A and Double-A. A year later, in Double-A and Triple-A, his numbers were a similar .232/.307/.345. This year, he is off to a torrid start at .285/.404/.529 with a career high 10 home runs to his name already.

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Munetaka Murakami has been launching home runs at a historic pace early this season. The Chicago White Sox first baseman has already provided a massive boost to the lineup, but recently he added another accomplishment to his resume when home run No. 15 of the year set a MLB record, and it’s one few people would ever be able to guess.

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has hit home runs during the first game of eight consecutive series

 

On Friday night, Murakami launched another home run against the Seattle Mariners. His long ball came during the first inning on the second pitch he saw against starter Emerson Hancock. While it initially looked like just another blast in what has already been a power-filled season, the homer actually helped him claim sole possession of a surprisingly obscure MLB record.

According to Sarah Langs, Murakami has now surpassed Eddie Murray’s 1987 mark, holding sole possession of the record for the most MLB players to homer in the first game of eight consecutive series. Murray previously held the record at seven.

Munetaka Murakami has homered in the first game in each of the last eight series

He’s the first player in MLB history to do so https://t.co/DVHMTupqL4

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 9, 2026

This streak began back on April 14 against the Tampa Bay Rays, meaning Murakami has homered in the opening games of series also against the Athletics, Diamondbacks, Nationals, Angels x2, Padres, and most recently the Mariners. Chicago is 6-2 in those contests where Murakami has provided a spark offensively to begin a series.

This quirky, ultra-specific record underscores just how consistent Murakami has been in delivering instant impact series after series. While the feat may not be the most traditional benchmark of greatness, it highlights both his longevity and his ability to start series with immediate power.

Hopefully Murakami can keep his streak going, and Chicago can get back to winning games as overall they have lost four out of their last five contests. With the American League Central open for the taking, the White Sox needs to capitalize when they are getting a boost offensively from the games current most talked about slugger.

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When the Chicago White Sox signed first baseman Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract back in December, many wondered how in the world the hyped Japanese star was forced to settle for such a small contract with a non-contender.

How did none of the top teams across the MLB scoop him up?

Nevertheless, the White Sox nabbed him, and they have been reaping the benefits. Through the first month-and-a-half of the 2026 campaign, Murakami is slashing .237/.369/.565 with 14 home runs and 28 RBI over 160 plate appearances.

Yes, Murakami has a tendency to strike out, and he has hit just one double on the year, but his prodigious power and his ability to draw walks have made him an incredibly valuable hitter. It has also propelled the White Sox into legitimate AL Central contention.

So, why was Murakami so readily available for Chicago?

White Sox GM Chris Getz reveals biggest problem for Munetaka Murakami

White Sox general manager Chris Getz was recently asked about why other ballclubs shied away from Murakami over the winter, and he revealed the biggest concern about the slugger.

“I know that there were concerns with the velocity, and with high-end velocity in this league, if you’ve got a hole, it just seems to get exposed,” Getz said, via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “But he didn’t see much of that over there. And just because you haven’t seen it, doesn’t mean you can’t hit it.”

Essentially, teams wondered if Murakami’s mashing in Japan would translate over to the United States. Thus far, it hasn’t been an issue.

Yes, Murakami’s average has dropped nearly 50 points from the .286 he posted with the Yakult Swallows in 2025, but his plate discipline and power has compensated for his overall questionable contact skills.

Batting average is not valued nearly as highly as it was decades ago thanks to the advent of on-base percentage, so as long as Murakami is finding ways to reach base, it doesn’t really matter how he gets there. Obviously, consistently making contact would be nice, but that doesn’t appear to be his game.

One thing is for sure: Murakami is becoming one of the most feared power bats in baseball, and the other 29 teams are surely regretting they didn’t push harder for him when they had the chance.

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So you’re saying the Chicago White Sox have a chance? Three games under .500 (17-20), the White Sox sit two games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the lead of the American League Central.

The White Sox have a chance to win in one of the least chaotic divisions in Major League Baseball, which could give them the chance to sneak into a wild-card spot, despite the roster not being ready. The early signs of life from the White Sox have made them one of the surprise contenders to make the postseason.

The Chicago White Sox have a chance to make the postseason if they play their cards right

According to MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan, the White Sox ranked fourth on a list of six major league teams whose surprise success put them in line to make the playoffs. The White Sox have not made the postseason since they lost in the American League Division Series to the Houston Astros (3-1).

“The White Sox are only 17-20 on the year, but they’ve gone 11-7 in their past 18 games to move within 1 1/2 games of first place in the AL Central, which was shaping up to be a wide-open race even before the Tigers lost ace Tarik Skubal to an elbow issue,” wrote Harrigan. “Ultimately, Chicago’s playoff hopes may rest on whether Davis Martin (1.64 ERA) and Sean Burke (2.72 ERA) continue to provide stability in the club’s rotation.”

More News: Chicago White Sox acquire veteran reliever in trade with the Phillies

The White Sox’s offseason acquisition of first baseman Munetaka Murakami has proven to help give a jolt to the offense (.237 batting average with a .934 OPS and second in Major League Baseball in home runs (14). However, the starting rotation is a question mark, as right-hander Shane Smith was optioned to Triple-A and is on the injured list and will offer no help anytime soon.

If by the Aug. 3 trade deadline the White Sox continue to show they have a chance, a trade for a starting pitcher or two could help push them past the Guardians and or the Detroit Tigers (18-20).

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The Chicago White Sox are already exceeding expectations early in the 2026 season. Even as of May 8, they sit only a few games under .500, and in a weakened division, especially with the absence of Tarik Skubal for the next several months, the idea of staying in the playoff race into September is starting to feel increasingly realistic.

That said, the White Sox’ approach at this year’s trade deadline may need to shift. Instead of selling off assets as originally expected, they could find themselves standing pat, or even taking a modest step forward in roster construction if their early-season competitiveness continues.

Despite the team’s success, one player whose name has surfaced in trade speculation is right-hander Davis Martin. The former 14th-round pick has been outstanding through his first seven starts, posting a 1.64 ERA while showing improved command, generating strikeouts, and consistently attacking the zone with minimal damage allowed.

That production might make Martin a logical trade candidate on paper. However, here’s a closer look at why he should not be available.

Regardless of how 2026 pans out, the Chicago White Sox should make Davis Martin a part of their future plans

At 29 years old, Martin has just over a year of MLB service time and won’t reach arbitration eligibility until the 2028 season. That gives the Chicago White Sox a cost-controlled, affordable arm for at least the next few years. Given his current performance, he also has the potential to develop into a stabilizing presence atop a rotation that still features plenty of young, developing talent on the horizon.

That’s why the argument for keeping him outweighs the temptation to move him for assets right now. While his trade value is strong due to his team control, continuing success would only strengthen his long-term worth, even with fewer years remaining later on. For Chicago, the priority should be retaining productive pitching when it’s available, making Martin a key piece to keep in-house, regardless of how the 2026 season ultimately unfolds.

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The Chicago White Sox have been seeing many prospects get promoted to the majors. As a result, they are having a major shakeup with their top prospects in the organization. While they have some quality players looking to make their MLB debut eventually, others have had less linear journeys. Let’s take a closer look at one prospect who has fallen off a bit and discuss why that has happened.

Tanner McDougal falls off Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list

Josh Norris of Baseball America wrote an article where he discussed the biggest risers, fallers, and new additions to the May 2026 update to the top 100 prospect list. One player of the White Sox was mentioned. After being the No. 86 prospect on the preseason list, McDougal dropped off the top 100 list entirely. Below is what was written regarding the reasoning for the demotion:

“After a breakout 202, McDougal started 2026 on the cusp of the big leagues at Triple-A Charlotte. Unfortunately, he’s been sidelined with injuries. The latest is a forearm strain, which raises plenty of concerns.”

Getz spoke to the media last month and discussed McDougal’s injury. However, he is yet to be able to get back on the bump. He is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in 24.0 innings (six starts) thus far. The 23-year-old has shown the ability to be a legitimate starter, but has only 308.2 minor league innings. Having a forearm strain, this could mean a more significant injury, but that has not been confirmed. Either way, he has a 4.46 ERA as a minor leaguer, so he needs to figure out how to improve at limiting runs.

If he can get back on the mound and get some more innings under his belt, he will be able to get back on the list. It will be intriguing to see how long the forearm strain will keep him sidelined and if he can continue improving before being called up.

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The Chicago White Sox made a surprise trade earlier this week, acquiring pitcher Trevor Richards in a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Richards was added to the White Sox’s 26-man roster on Thursday, so we’ll get to see him promptly. But the question is, what exactly is the plan for the right-hander?

While Chicago is making a push in the AL Central, acquiring Richards and then placing him on the active roster seems odd. He made just five appearances in all of 2025, bouncing between a couple of different teams. He then joined the Phillies back in December and made a pair of appearances out of their bullpen, giving up run one over 4.1 innings of work.

Richards owns a lifetime 4.55 ERA and was converted from a starter to a reliever years back, so it’s not like he is that juicy of an addition.

However, it seems pretty clear what the White Sox are trying to achieve here.

Chicago White Sox will try to trade Trevor Richards

I don’t actually believe that Chicago landed Richards with the hope that he would be a significant contributor for a playoff run. I think the White Sox did so with the intention of flipping him at the MLB trade deadline.

Richards is 32 years old and does not really factor into Chicago’s future, and for as pleasantly surprising as the Sox have been this season, I think they are more focused on the long term rather than the 2026 campaign.

If the White Sox can get some decent innings out of Richards, they can trade him to a reliever-needy team between now and Aug. 3. Contending ballclubs are always searching for bullpen help at the deadline, and sometimes, they are willing to pay more than you would think to acquire it.

Richards does have solid stuff, as evidenced by the fact that he has averaged 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings over the course of his big-league career. That has value, so a squad wanting a relief arm that can miss some bats may have interest in the veteran.

If Chicago can turn around and flip Richards for a decent prospect, it would be a nice win for the Southsiders.

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The Chicago White Sox are looking to get the top talent on the 26-man roster. There are going to be changes due to injuries, availability, and other factors, but the roster is ever-changing. Chicago has made the decision to shake up one of the 26 men on the roster ahead of their weekend series against the Seattle Mariners. Let’s take a closer look at who it is that is being added and what the corresponding move is.

The Chicago White Sox add Trevor Richards to the 26-man roster

The White Sox have added veteran right-handed pitcher Trevor Richards to the team’s 26-man roster on Thursday. This also comes with a player getting optioned as right-handed pitcher Jordan Leasure returns to Triple-A Charlotte. Richards is a veteran reliever who has been a bit of a journeyman throughout his nine-year MLB career. He pitched in a pair of games this year for the Philadelphia Phillies and went 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 4.1 innings. Chicago acquired Richards on Tuesday in a trade with the Phillies for cash considerations.

Richards would likely enter the White Sox bullpen as a middle reliever and would be one of the veterans in the bullpen to provide some more stability. In terms of Leasure, he has been ineffective as he has a 6.06 ERA in 16.1 innings out of the bullpen. This move gives Leasure a chance to reset a bit in Triple-A and get back to where he is expected to be. He has struggled recently, allowing seven earned runs in his last six innings.

Chicago’s bullpen is a bit of a weaker part of the team, being 21st in reliever ERA, 24th in reliever WHIP, and 26th in reliever walks per nine innings. As a result, this should help the team going forward. It will be intriguing to see how Richards does with the White Sox going forward.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, as they are firmly in contention in the AL Central after having been MLB doormats the past several years.

A whole lot has been going right for the White Sox, at least in terms of players showing improvement. However, if there is one player who has not been following that trend, it’s catcher Edgar Quero.

Quero was tabbed as Chicago’s starting backstop entering the campaign as a result of Kyle Teel suffering a hamstring injury during the World Baseball Classic. Considering Quero was a former top prospect and showed some promise last season, there was hope for him.

Unfortunately, Quero has not delivered, owning a .154/.253/.167 slash line with no home runs and six RBI over 93 plate appearances thus far. His defense also has not been great, and he lays claim to a negative-0.5 WAR at FanGraphs.

So, what should Chicago do with Quero? Noah Phalen of Southside Showdown feels there is only one solution: a demotion.

Chicago White Sox urged to demote Edgar Quero

Drew Romo — another top White Sox prospect — was recently called up and has certainly produced more than Quero, having already homered three times in seven games.

It seems pretty clear that Romo should be the starting catcher for now, which could lead to Quero being sent down to Triple-A … if it’s feasible.

“Any move involving Quero’s demotion to Charlotte would be difficult at the moment,” Phalen wrote. “Kyle Teel has yet to begin a rehab stint as he recovers from his hamstring injury, and the White Sox have no other catchers on the 40-man roster. The team could theoretically add Korey Lee or Josh Breaux to the big league roster, but it would require opening a spot on the 40-man.”

While Phalen clearly acknowledges how awkward such a demotion might be, he isn’t sure Chicago can continue moving forward with Quero on the major-league squad.

“The smoothest course of action would be to wait until Teel’s return to give Quero a break, but the longer it takes, the more the team is being negatively impacted by Quero’s poor play,” Phalen wrote. “At this point, the White Sox just can’t afford to maintain the status quo.”

The White Sox could just give Romo the vast majority of the starts and play Quero sparingly, but even then, it’s almost like giving up an out in the lineup, and again, Quero’s defense has not been up to par, either.

Last year, Quero slashed a respectable .268/.333/.356 across 403 trips to the dish, so perhaps there is hope for a turnaround, but at this point, it seems like the 23-year-old has lost all of his confidence.

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The Chicago White Sox are surging right now, having won six of their last eight games to improve to 17-19 and insert themselves smack dab in the middle of the AL Central race.

Considering how poor this division is, the White Sox absolutely do stand a chance of coming out on top, as it might not even take 90 wins to do so.

Because Chicago is playing better than anyone expected and actually is a playoff contender, its trade deadline plans may have changed rather significantly. Heading into 2026, the entire world expected the White Sox to be full-throttle sellers, but that might not be the case anymore.

That does not mean, however, that Chicago won’t be moving any players at all, and there is one piece the White Sox absolutely should trade while they still can: closer Seranthony Dominguez, and Ryan Shea of Fantasy Sports on SI has named the New York Yankees as a potential match.

Chicago White Sox should trade with the New York Yankees

The White Sox signed Dominguez back in late January, a big addition after the the right-hander put together a strong 2025 campaign between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.

Last season, Dominguez logged a 3.16 ERA while allowing just 44 hits and racking up 79 strikeouts over 62.2 innings of work, his best showing since his rookie campaign with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2018.

But while Dominguez is a flamethrower with obvious strikeout stuff, he has some glaring holes in his game that should make Chicago very wary. Actually, the Sox have already seen them.

Through 15 appearances this season, Dominguez has posted a 3.95 ERA and 5.92 FIP, thanks much in part to his lack of command. The 31-year-old has already walked nine batters across 13.2 frames, and last year, he issued 36 free passes and led the league with 12 wild pitches.

Recently, Dominguez has harnessed his control, having walked just one batter over his last five outings, but how long will that last? The Dominican native has historically had issues with locating his pitches, so it seems hard to imagine he just magically found the secret sauce nine years into his MLB tenure.

But now that Dominguez is pitching well, the White Sox should trade him as soon as possible. There are plenty of teams in need of bullpen help, and that includes the Yankees. Shea proposed a mock deal in which Chicago would send Dominguez to New York in exchange for prospects Rory Fox (a right-handed pitcher) and Jace Avina (an outfielder).

If the White Sox can get that type of return for Dominguez, they should absolutely pull the trigger and turn over closer responsibilities to someone else in their pen.

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Despite sitting two games under .500 (17-19), the Chicago White Sox are a half-game out of the lead of the American League Central. The Detroit Tigers (18-19) and the Cleveland Guardians are locked in for the lead, with the Tigers losing their ace left-hander Tarik Skubal to an elbow injury.

After three straight 100+ loss seasons, the White Sox are showing they could be a Wild Card team. 2024 proved to be the worst season for the White Sox, as they had a major league record 121 losses.

The Chicago White Sox have a chance to compete in a “chaotic” American League Central

According to MLB.com’s Will Leitch, the American League Central is considered the third-most chaotic division in Major League Baseball, with a score of 5/10. Leitch has been most impressed with how the White Sox have bounced back from their 7-14 start.

“The AL Central has the same general shape it usually does: Most of the teams are bunched together (a spread of just 1 1/2 games entering Wednesday), with no one really pulling away,” wrote Leitch. “But the two teams everyone thought were primed to take a step forward this year, the Tigers and the Royals, are having serious issues. The loss of Tarik Skubal for the next few months makes the Tigers’ slow start even scarier, and the Royals, until a recent uptick, had received nearly nothing from their supposedly upgraded offense.

Meanwhile, the White Sox are closing in on .500 after recovering from a 7-14 start. The Guardians — sort of like they did last year — seem to be the steady horse benefiting from everyone else’s woes: They just keep plugging along as everyone else loses their heads.”

The Kansas City Royals are tied with the White Sox in the division (17-19), while the Minnesota Twins occupy the cellar (16-20) and sit a game and a half out of first place.

More News: Chicago White Sox acquire veteran reliever in trade with the Phillies

If the White Sox are to compete, they need to add starting pitching at the trade deadline

First baseman Munetaka Murakami has been a revelation since signing over from the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. Murakami is tied for the major league lead in home runs with New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (14).

Even though the offenses could use another bat, the real need for the White Sox to compete will be to add to the starting rotation. White Sox starters rank sixth in baseball in ERA (3.65).

Right-handers Davis Martin and Sean Burke have pitched like an All-Stars. Martin is 5-1 with a 1.64 ERA in seven starts, while Burke is 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA five starts.

However, adding another arm would help the White Sox better compete. Right-hander Shane Smith, who started Opening Day for the White Sox, in currently in Triple-A and on the injured list. The White Sox have the prospects to trade if they have a viable chance to compete. But should keep their powder dry as next season seems to be where the White Sox can make some noise.

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On May 15, the city of Chicago will live another day to remember: the MLB Crosstown Classic will put the White Sox and the Cubs in the same dome, to play a memorable baseball game. The excitement will last three days, from the 15th to the 17th of May, in Guaranteed Rate Field. The fiery Series between North Side and South Side sees the Cubs in front, leading 77-75 after a total dominance in 2025, when they closed the season with a 5-1 score against the Sox. Now everything is almost ready for a revival of the flame and the fight for Chicago is on.

Every spring, in the Windy City, the Crosstown Classic turns a regular MLB series into a full-blown civil war that engulfs the entire city, pitting the North Side against the South Side. 2026, obviously, is no exception. Games like this defy all logic and prediction, and betting on the outcome is far from simple. For those who still want to bet on the game, no matter what, sportsbook deposit match bonuses are just the thing, because they provide a convenient starting budget to use on events with uncertain outcomes, like this one.

A historic rivalry

Recently, the Cubs swept the floor with the Sox, winning 12 of the last 14 Crosstown Classics. This is a terrible statistic for the proud Sox, who can’t stand to lose to their rivals anymore. The rivalry between the two baseball teams in Chicago is a peculiar one. The Cubs and White Sox don’t play in the same league, so these games are usually meaningless in terms of the season. The Series, however, is a true civil war among neighbours. Mayor Daley, arguably the most popular first citizen in the history of the city, used to close City Hall to go watch the game and some of the most passionate sports fans in the country would eagerly run at the throat of their neighbour simply because he is wearing the cap of the other franchise. It’s almost madness and this is exactly what makes these matches so compelling to watch.

The Crosstown Classic is all about family and tradition.

It’s about bragging rights, obviously, and is about memory. In 1906, when the first Classic was played, there was snow in Chicago, and from that day onward the Classic became part of the city’s history. Nowadays, the Cubs are a tier above and are looking to bigger games, but for several years the Cubs and White Sox were at the same level and the game was fair and balanced. Right now, the Cubs are not looking to actively develop players. With the roster they have, they want to win, as Craig Counsell recently underlined. The White Sox are not at that level, at least for the moment.

Cultural impact on Chicago

If you ask a citizen of Chicago about the Classic, he or she will tell you something close to these lines.

“This rivalry is more than just baseball within a city’s limits. It’s about Hyde Park versus Rogers Park; the South Side Irish, Morgan Park, Mt. Greenwood and Beverly. It’s about Old Comiskey and Wrigley, it’s about the Union Stockyards and Union Station. It’s about Al Capone, Bugs Moran, Earl Weiss, the Polish, the Irish, the Italian, the Hispanics and the African-Americans. Each of them contributed to the city’s rivalry.”

In a city where the winds always blow fiercely, they do so in an even stronger way when the Classic is scheduled.

Going back to the game itself, the Cubs are the strong favourites to win. This is an unpredictable rivalry and the Sox had their moments but we can’t undervalue the talent their opponents have at their disposal. The Cubs dominated in recent years and are expected to keep on doing just that in 2026. So far, the Cubs already won several games and are in second position in their division. The Sox, on the other hand, are not in a good shape and their losses are considerably more than their wins. Shane Smith will probably handle the first pitcher’s duties for the White Sox, while the Cubs will ride with their depth: Matthew Boyd; Cade Horton and Edward Cabrera make for a strong pitchers’ rotation.

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Back in 2024, the Chicago White Sox selected Caleb Bonemer 43rd overall (2nd round) out of Okemos High School. The Michigan product made his professional debut last year and impressed across the Low-A and High-A levels by winning Carolina League MVP honors by slashing .281/.400/.458 with 10 homers and 27 steals in 96 games at age 19.

At seasons end, he got his feet wet in High-A, appearing in 11 total games. To begin 2026, he is once again starting with the Winston-Salem Dash and is putting his 55 grade power on full display by hitting 12 home runs so far in 27 games played. His most recent long ball may have been the most impressive, as it came off a rehabbing Gerrit Cole.

Chicago White Sox prospect Caleb Bonemer continues 2026 power surge by taking Gerrit Cole deep

In the first inning of Tuesday, May 5ths game, New York Yankees rehabbing ace Gerrit Cole made his fourth injury rehab assignment of the year. Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in March of 2025 and is expected back in the big leagues later this month, but so far he’s had a ton of trouble getting results while on injury rehab assignment.

The White Sox minor league affilate Winston-Salem was the most recent team to face him. On just the sixth pitch of the game, Bonemer took Cole deep on a towering home run to left field.

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The Chicago White Sox bullpen will be getting some extra relief, as they made a trade. According to an announcement made on X, the White Sox acquired right-hander Trevor Richards from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.

To make room for Richards on the 40-man roster, the White Sox transferred right-hander Drew Thrope (Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day injured list. Richards became the odd man out when Phillies closer, right-hander Jhoan Duran, returned from the injured list.

Trevor Richards will add depth to the middle-of-the-road Chicago White Sox bullpen

The White Sox bullpen has been okay, but not great this season — ranked the 23rd-best ERA in Major League Baseball (4.71). Despite the high ERA, the bullpen is tied for sixth in saves (11). Right-hander Seranthony Dominguez (3.95 ERA) has eight of them.

More News: ESPN gives Chicago White Sox modest letter grade for start in April

A veteran of nine major league seasons, Richards will offer manager Will Venable someone to eat innings or possibly be an opener. In two outings with the Phillies this season, Richards has a 2.08 ERA and pitched to a 1.93 ERA in nine games at Triple-A Leigh Valley.

Other than Dominguez, the White Sox have seen right-hander Jordan Hicks do well (3.95 ERA), but he needs to lower his WHIP (2.05) to be more effective. Left-hander Bryan Hudson has also done well (1.13 ERA). The White Sox claimed Hudson off waivers from the New York Mets in March.

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Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami is off to a scintillating start to his MLB career, as he leads the majors with 14 home runs while also owning a .961 OPS through his first 35 games.

Watching Murakami’s dazzling power display has certainly been fun, but there have also been a whole lot of strikeouts mixed in, with the Japanese star having fanned 50 times through 154 plate appearances thus far. Of course, the homers have helped offset the punchouts, as have his 28 walks.

But here’s the real kicker: Murakami has just one double on the season, and he has only 30 base hits in total. Essentially, the 26-year-old is good for either a long ball, a strikeout or a walk, which reminded Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller of another player who is no longer even in the big leagues: Joey Gallo.

Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami lands a comparison no fan wants to hear

How is Murakami like Gallo? Miller explained.

“In 2021, Joey Gallo either homered, walked or struck out in 362 of his 616 plate appearances. That is a ‘three true outcomes’ percentage of 58.8, and it is the highest such mark in any MLB season by a player who made at least 500 plate appearances. Well, White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami might surpass that mark, already with 13 home runs, 27 walks and 50 strikeouts in his 149 plate appearances (60.4 percent),” Miller wrote.

Miller wrote that piece prior to the White Sox’s win over the Los Angeles Angeles on Monday night, when Murakami went 3-for-4 with a homer and his first and only double of the season. He walked once and didn’t strike out, meaning Murakami has now homered, walked or struck out in 59.7 percent of his trips to the dish.

That’s obviously still a very large swath of plate appearances and surpasses Gallo’s percentage from 2021, making Murakami an incredibly unique hitter.

And as for Gallo? It wasn’t all bad for the two-time All-Star, who won a pair of Gold Gloves in the outfield and put together two 40-home run seasons. His lifetime slash line of .194/.319/.456, however, isn’t too aesthetically pleasing, and due to his horrific struggles at the plate between 2022 and 2024, Gallo is now attempting to become a pitcher.

Ironically enough, the 32-year-old was signed by Chicago in February 2025 but requested his release from the team a month later.

Hopefully, Murakami does not go that route.

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The Chicago White Sox were not predicted to be very good in 2026. After three straight seasons in which they lost 100+ games, there was little hope that there would be many improvements this year.

However, they are currently 17-18 in the woeful American League Central Division. With the division leaders 18-18, the White Sox are only 0.5 games out of first place.

Of course, the biggest story out of Chicago this year has been rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami, who is currently tied for the Major League-lead in home runs with 14. Not surprisingly, Bleacher Report predicted that he will be named an All-Star this year. However, he may not be the only who gets that honor.

The Chicago White Sox currently have multiple players worthy of an All-Star nod

Murakami is currently hitting .240/.377/.564 with 14 home runs and 28 RBI. His early season production has made him an easy All-Star prediction.

However, given how well the White Sox have been playing as of late, there are three other players who could nab a spot on the roster.

Colson Montgomery

Second-year shortstop Colson Montgomery has a 1.4 WAR so far this year, which matches Murakami’s for the highest among Chicago position players. It is also the second-highest WAR among American League shorstops, only behind Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr.

Currently, Montgomery is hitting .226/.338/.484 with nine home runs and 23 RBI.

Bryan Hudson

Last year, Bryan Hudson had a 5.79 ERA in four games with the White Sox after the Milwaukee Brewers gave up on him. When Chicago brought him back this year, many fans did not think they were serious about improving their bullpen.

After going through the whole month of April without allowing an earned run, Hudson is sporting a 1.13 ERA in 17 appearances. He is not the closer, so his chances of making the All-Star roster are slim. However, MLB tries to add at least one middle reliever every year, and Hudson is among the best so far.

Davis Martin

In 51 career games heading into 2026, Davis Martin was 10-21 with a 4.32 ERA. Through seven starts this year, he is 5-1 with a sparkling 1.64 ERA. His five wins lead the American League, and he has emerged as the best pitcher on what has turned out to be a pretty good White Sox pitching staff.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Scoreless April has White Sox reliever turned into a bullpen weapon
• White Sox sign veteran outfielder to a minor league contract
• White Sox getting last laugh in $20 million heist

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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Don’t look now, but here come the Chicago White Sox. After defeating the Los Angeles Angels 6-0 on Monday night, they improved to 17-18 on the season, and are now third place in the American League Central Division. While being under .500 is never ideal, the fact is that the two teams that lead the division are 18-18, which means the White Sox are just 0.5 games out of first place.

Indeed, a lot has been going right for Chicago over the last couple of weeks. Their pitching staff has been on fire and have emerged as one of the best in the American League. That being said, the buzz around the White Sox began with Munetaka Murakami, and he continues to draw attention to the team.

Chicago White Sox slugger finally hit his first career double

On Monday night, Murakami hit his 14th home run of the season, putting him in a tie for the Major League lead with New York Yankees star Aaron Judge. While Murakami hitting home runs has been a regular occurrence, he did not have any other extra base hits on the season. That is, until Monday:

Mune can also hit doubles ✍️

First one of his career for Murakami pic.twitter.com/qiFP891RJm

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) May 5, 2026

With is double in the top of the sixth inning against Los Angeles, Murakami had his first extra base hit of the year that was not a home run.

Through 35 games, he is hitting .240/377/.584 with 14 home runs and 28 RBI. He has also walked 28 times and struck out 50 times.

Of his 30 hits this season, 15 of them have been singles. He now has 14 home runs and one double.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• Scoreless April has White Sox reliever turned into a bullpen weapon
• White Sox sign veteran outfielder to a minor league contract
• White Sox getting last laugh in $20 million heist

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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Scoreless April has Bryan Hudson turning into a bullpen weapon for the Chicago White Sox

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the more intriguing teams for players looking for opportunities. While they have a lot of young players, there are still chances for veterans to get a chance to play and be leaders for the team. Chicago made the decision to sign one of the available free agents to give the team a bit of a boost as the season tolls along. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what this does for the White Sox going forward.

The Chicago White Sox sign Randal Grichuk to a contract

The Chicago White Sox have reportedly signed veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk on Monday, per Fansided’s Robert Murray. Grichuk was originally signed to the New York Yankees and was on their 26-man roster from Opening Day, but was designated for assignment. He elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment, indicating he cleared waivers. However, he was not a free agent for long as the White Sox have added him to the fray with a major-league contract.

The corresponding move to this has not been revealed, but this gives the White Sox seven players on the roster who can play outfield as the three starters, Luisangel Acuna, Derek Hill, and Jarred Kelenic. This also does not include Tanner Murray, Brooks Baldwin, and Everson Pereira, on the injured list as well. Grichuk struggled in limited action for the Yankees this season as he has gone 6 for 31 (.194) with zero homers, two RBI, and eight runs scored. Between 2022-24, he has been one of the best hitters against left-handed pitching, posting a .317/.367/.573 slash line. This could help a team that has three left-handed hitting outfielders with platoon matchups.

Grichuk has become a corner outfielder and Chicago general manager Chris Getz has some decisions to make about the 26-man roster. They can make room on the 40-man roster by simply transferring Tanner Murray to the 60-day Injured List. However, backup catcher Drew Romo is the only player on the bench with minor league options available. With Acuna’s struggles and both Kelenic and Hill not performing too well, it will be intriguing to see what the roster move is for Grichuk’s arrival.

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The Chicago White Sox were basically begging another team to take Luis Robert Jr.’s $20 million salary off their hands for the 2026 MLB campaign, and they found a gullible trading partner in the New York Mets.

The Mets not only took on Robert’s entire salary, but also sent infielder/outfielder Luisangel Acuna (a former top prospect) and pitcher Truman Pauley to the White Sox in return.

Robert once appeared to be a rising star in Chicago, particularly in 2023 when he smashed 38 home runs to go along with an .857 OPS, but since then, the 28-year-old has seen his production fall off a cliff, and injuries have played a significant role.

So what do you know? Robert is injured again, this time due to a lumbar spine disc herniation which has resulted in a trip to the 10-day injured list. And if we’re being honest, that sounds pretty serious and could potentially lead to an extended stay on the shelf for the center fielder.

While you obviously wish Robert and hope he gets health soon, the White Sox can’t say they didn’t see this coming.

The Chicago White Sox got the last laugh in the Luis Robert Jr. trade

Sometimes, MLB teams think they are smarter than everyone else. The Mets are a perfect example.

New York made a flurry of moves this offseason to try and bolster a disappointing roster that won just 83 games in 2025 in spite of handing Juan Soto near a billion dollars, but just about all of the decisions the Mets made — including trading for Robert — were met with raised eyebrows.

For the White Sox, getting out from under Robert’s salary was incentive enough to make the trade, especially after the 28-year-old posted back-to-back sub-.700 OPS campaigns in 2024 and 2025. During his time on the field for New York this season, he has slashed .224/.327/.329, good for a .656 OPS right in line with what he did his last two years in the Windy City.

To be fair, Acuna has not exactly lit it up for Chicago, owning a .169/.235/.182 slash line. Plus, Pauley has struggled mightily down at Single-A. But at least there is some hope for Acuna, who is currently manning center field for the White Sox. Not only that, but Chicago is 16-18 and is very much in playoff contention. The Mets? They’re just 12-22 and have been one of the worst teams in baseball all season long.

Robert has another $20 million club option for 2027, and at this rate, New York probably can’t wait until it can decline it.

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The Chicago White Sox have been one of the surprise teams this season, as they sit third in the American League Central with a 16-18 record. The American League Central is the worst division in baseball, with the Detroit Tigers (18-17) and the Cleveland Guardians (18-17) tied for the lead in the division and the only teams above .500.

The White Sox’s surge in the Central can be attributed to the success of their first baseman, Munetaka Murakami. Murakami has proven to be one of the most undervalued players coming over from the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization. The White Sox signed Murakami to a now bargain deal of two-years $34 million.

Murakami’s major league-leading 13 home runs have been matched with the White Sox continuing to supplement the roster with their talented young prospects. Left-hander Noah Schultz and infielder Sam Antonacci received call-ups in April to help give a boost to a stagnant team.

More News: Chicago White Sox All-Star suffers injury in Triple-A

The White Sox also called up outfielder Braden Montgomery to Triple-A, which is one step closer to joining the White Sox. Nevertheless, this talent should lead the White Sox to being successful at some point, but it has put them in a good spot to start, as they received a solid letter grade for their strong showing in April.

The Chicago White Sox received a high letter grade for April, despite being under .500

According to ESPN’s David Schoenfield, the White Sox received a B+ for how they performed in April. Schoenfield’s main reason was Murakami, who is making a strong case to be the American League Rookie of the Year.

“The big headline has been Munetaka Murakami, who is a threat to break the single-season record for strikeouts — which scared off many teams, despite his big power numbers in Japan — but nonetheless is hitting .231/.374/.564 with an MLB-leading 13 home runs. He’s as pure a three-true-outcomes guy as we’ll ever see: He hasn’t even hit a double yet. But Murakami isn’t the only story here. Top pitching prospect Noah Schultz has debuted and displayed strikeout stuff. Colson Montgomery is swatting home runs. Sam Antonacci looks like a fun player and Miguel Vargas has more walks than strikeouts. The White Sox probably don’t have the pitching or lineup depth to hang here all season, but they’ll avoid 100 losses — and maybe even make a run at .500.”

The White Sox lost over 100 games in each of the last three seasons. They lost a major league record 121 games in 2024. With the American League Central this bad the White Sox could have a chance to compete. However, this could be false hope and the White Sox.

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The Chicago White Sox have been playing well over the last couple of weeks. However, they have been waiting for one of their pitchers to return to the big leagues. They are going to need to wait a little while as he suffered an injury. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what this means for the White Sox going forward.

Shane Smith suffers an injury in Triple-A Charlotte

The White Sox announced that starting pitcher Shane Smith has suffered a right rotator cuff strain. There is no official timetable for a return, but he will miss a couple of weeks and will land on the injured list. Smith has struggled this season in the majors as he made three starts and was 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in 8.1 innings before being sent to Triple-A Charlotte. He has still be struggling to find his form where he was an All-Star in 202t, but has been pitching to a 5.27 ERA in Charlotte.

This could be a help for Smith in more ways than one. He gets the opportunity to heal up his injury as well as reset his mind. The 26-year-old has struggled with his command since being back in Triple-A, issuing eight walks to six strikeouts over four starts. Chicago has been hoping Smith would correct his woes and return to the big leagues, but it will be some time until that happens. It will be intriguing to see what the severity of the strain is and how long until we see Smith back on the mound. In the meantime, the White Sox have been getting great performances from their starting pitching. The team is seventh in starter ERA, 11th in WHIP, and sixth in HR/9.

Chicago would love to have Smith back on the South Side, but it all depends on how he looks post-rotator cuff injury.

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Prior to the 2025 season, the Chicago White Sox traded left-hander Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth, and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez. Of that return package, 2024 12th overall draft selection Montgomery was the headlining prospect and, by August of last year, had climbed to become the organization’s top-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

In 2025, his first full professional season, Montgomery rapidly advanced through Low-A, High-A, and Double-A while posting an impressive .804 OPS with 12 home runs, 68 RBI, 14 stolen bases, and a 25% strikeout rate. He also showcased his athletic versatility by playing all three outfield positions defensively, further highlighting the upside that made him such a coveted prospect. His strong arm and overall athleticism are no surprise given his background as a two-way player in college.

To begin the 2026 season, Montgomery was assigned back to Double-A, but after just 23 games he is already earning a promotion to Triple-A. The move is well deserved considering the strides he has made offensively early this year. Montgomery already has six home runs, has slightly lowered his strikeout rate compared to last season, and has shown a much more advanced approach at the plate by drawing walks at a significantly higher rate.

Outfielder Braden Montgomery has been promoted to Triple-A Charlotte, the White Sox announced.

— LaMond Pope (@lamondpope) May 3, 2026

Braden Montgomery is one step closer to making his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox

Already this season, the White Sox outfield depth has been impacted by injuries, particularly to Tanner Murray and Everson Pereira. While Tristan Peters and Sam Antonacci have emerged as pleasant surprises, there are still opportunities in the outfield mix. With players like Luisangel Acuña capable of being spelled due to lack of offensive performance, and veterans such as Austin Hays and Derek Hill replaceable, it would not be surprising if Montgomery ends up spending only a brief amount of time at Triple-A before receiving a look in Chicago.

At just 23 games into the season, Montgomery has already shown why the Chicago White Sox viewed him as the centerpiece of the Garrett Crochet trade package. The power is developing, the plate discipline is improving, and his athletic versatility continues to stand out every time he takes the field.

With Chicago’s outfield depth already being tested and Montgomery continuing to force the issue offensively, the conversation will soon shift to when will he get a chance in the big leagues. If he is able to keep producing in Triple-A, it may not be long before White Sox fans get their first glimpse of one of the organization’s most exciting young talents on the South Side.

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Back in 2017, the Chicago White Sox used their top two draft selections on Jake Burger and Gavin Sheets, hoping both would anchor their future corner infield production. However, neither player ultimately developed into long-term solutions in Chicago.

Burger, the club’s first-round pick that year, was later traded and has since spent time with the Miami Marlins and Texas Rangers. Sheets, meanwhile, was given multiple opportunities, including stints in the outfield, as the White Sox attempted to maximize his role, but he was non-tendered following the 2024 season and signed with the San Diego Padres, where he currently plays.

With the White Sox and Padres currently wrapping up a three-game series in San Diego, with Chicago taking the first two matchups, Sheets made some notable comments about his former organization. In what appeared to be a major jab at the White Sox, Sheets referenced his time in Chicago, but the remark ultimately failed to gain much traction and largely fell flat.

Gavin Sheets’ jab at Chicago White Sox falls completely flat

Speaking with reporters, Sheets was asked about his time with, and eventual release from, the White Sox. With a slight smirk, he reflected on the move, saying, “It’s one of the best things to happen to my career… as far as I’m concerned, they did me a big favor.”

“It’s one of the best things to happen to my career…as far as I’m concerned, they did me a big favor. “

Gavin Sheets on being let go by the White Sox, whom the Padres will face tonight at Petco.@FriarTerritory pic.twitter.com/aAfdN6KYEf

— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) May 1, 2026

During his four big league seasons with the Chicago, Sheets posted a -2.9 WAR and a 90 OPS+. Since moving to San Diego last year, he produced a more productive 0.7 WAR and a 105 OPS+ while also setting a career high with 19 home runs and contributing to a Wild Card playoff team, making it easy to understand why he’s embraced his new situation in San Diego.

Still, given his struggles with the White Sox, paired with the noticeable improvement and stronger clubhouse chemistry of this year’s Chicago squad, fans haven’t taken much offense to his comments. Instead, there’s more of a sense of moving on and confidence in the current group, rather than lingering frustration over a former prospect who never quite lived up to expectations.

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Back in February, the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox completed a trade centered around pitchers. Chicago acquired Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin, while Boston received then-No. 21 prospect Gage Ziehl along with two players to be named later, who still have yet to be announced.

Hicks has become an important part of Will Venable’s bullpen, posting a 3.95 ERA across 15 appearances while recording one save and two holds. Meanwhile, Sandlin had his spring slowed by elbow soreness, leading the organization to ease him into action. He opened the season with a pair of High-A outings as part of an injury rehab assignment before making his first Triple-A start on Saturday, May 2.

Chicago White Sox pitching prospect David Sandlin makes first Triple-A start

Sandlin, currently the No. 18 prospect in the White Sox organization, adds yet another power arm to the club’s growing collection of hard throwers. The right-hander typically sits between 95-97 mph and is capable of reaching triple digits with his fastball. While command has remained a developmental challenge, injuries have also interrupted his progress, including an oblique issue in 2023 and a forearm strain in 2024. Those setbacks are a major reason why Chicago took a cautious approach with his buildup entering the 2026 regular season.

As for his 2026 debut with the Charlotte Knights, Sandlin was limited to four innings and 48 pitches. He allowed just two hits while striking out four batters and did not surrender a run. Those restrictions will likely ease as the season progresses, but there is little reason for the Chicago White Sox to rush the talented right-hander back into a heavier workload and risk disrupting his development after previous injury setbacks.

Overall, the early returns from this trade are already encouraging. Hicks has stabilized an important bullpen role at the major league level, while Sandlin still offers significant upside as a high-velocity arm working his way through the system. If Sandlin can stay healthy and continue refining his command, Chicago may ultimately come away from this deal with two impactful pitching pieces that fit both the present and future of the organization.

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When Luis Robert Jr. was traded by the Chicago White Sox to the New York Mets, there was hope among Mets fans that a change of scenery could help the talented center fielder finally put everything together. The tools have never been the issue. Robert’s combination of power, speed, and defensive ability has long made him a very gifted baseball player when healthy. Unfortunately, that final qualifier has continued to define his career.

Now, only a short time into his tenure with the Mets, Robert is once again dealing with injury trouble, continuing a frustrating pattern that White Sox fans became all too familiar with during his time in Chicago.

Lumbar disc herniation lands former Chicago White Sox Luis Robert Jr on injured list with New York Mets

After appearing in just 24 games this season, Robert is headed back to the injured list with a herniated disc in his back. He recently received an injection on Thursday of this week to help address the issue and is expected to miss at least another seven to 10 days. The situation has been frustrating for both Robert and the Mets, especially considering the organization carefully managed his workload after acquiring him. He was eased through spring training and had already been given five off days during the regular season, but injuries have once again interrupted his season.

For White Sox fans, seeing Robert  sidelined yet again feels like a painfully familiar trend. Over the last five seasons, Robert has missed a staggering 289 games due to injury issues. In that stretch, he has eclipsed the 100-game mark only three times, with his healthiest and most productive campaign coming in 2023 when he played 145 games and posted career highs with 38 home runs and 36 doubles. The talent has never been in question, but staying on the field continues to be the obstacle that follows him from Chicago to New York.

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Chicago White Sox first baseman, Munetaka Murakami, has been a sensation since he signed his two-year ($34 million) contract this offseason. Murakami’s power has been an eye-opener, as he hit his major league-leading 13th home run against the San Diego Padres on Friday.

Murakami’s home run in the second inning on Friday extended his streak of all his extra-base hits being home runs. This is the longest such streak since 1900, according to MLB’s Sarah Langs. In 113 at-bats Murakami has no doubles or triples.

Munetaka Murakami's first 13 MLB extra-base hits have been home runs

That extends the longest such streak to start a player’s MLB career since at least 1900

Prior longest: 10, 2016 Dae-ho Lee 

h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/LHJFg1lvyK

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 2, 2026

Munetaka Murakami’s power has paired nicely with Chicago White Sox infielder Colson Montgomery

The power displayed by Murakami has been so valuable for the White Sox, as shortstop Colson Montgomery has started to find his power stroke. Montgomery, who is second on the White Sox in home runs (nine), hit one of his own in the 8-2 over the Padres.

More News: Chicago White Sox pitching prospect faces another major elbow setback

Montgomery’s blast came three innings later in the top of the fifth inning. According to Langs, this was the seventh time this season that Montgomery and Murakami have homered in a game making it the most by a duo through 35 games in MLB history. The White Sox have played 32 games.

This broke a three-way tie between the Colorado Rockies in 1994 (Andres Galarraga – Ellis Burks), the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 (Mike Schmidt – Greg Luzinski) and the New York Yankees in 1956 (Mickey Mantle – Yogi Berra).

Broke a tie at 6 with…

1994 COL Andres Galarraga – Ellis Burks
1980 PHI Mike Schmidt – Greg Luzinski
1956 NYY Mickey Mantle – Yogi Berra

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 2, 2026

Both Murakami’s and Montgomery’s power should help the White Sox compete for the division. Two games under .500 (15-17) and a 1.5 game back of the Cleveland Guardians of the American League Central, the White Sox have a chance thanks to their sluggers.

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At just 23 years old, Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Tanner McDougal, currently the organization’s No. 6 overall prospect and third-highest ranked pitcher, is dealing with his second significant elbow-related injury since being selected in the fifth round out of high school. Shortly after being drafted in 2021, McDougal tore his UCL, underwent Tommy John surgery, and missed the entire 2022 season.

Now, a few years later and after previously battling a hamstring injury, McDougal is once again experiencing issues with his throwing arm, this time diagnosed as forearm tightness. The injury forced him to exit his most recent Triple-A start after he was pulled while warming up for the second inning.

Tanner McDougal left his AAA start with right forearm tightness, per the White Sox. He is undergoing further testing.

— James Fegan (@JRFegan) April 29, 2026

Tanner McDougal was flashing his potential for the Chicago White Sox, but this injury could derail that progress

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When Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami first decided that he wanted to go play in Major League Baseball, many believed that he would fetch a contract worth over $100 million. As such, the Chicago White Sox were not even mentioned as a potential destination for him. Surely, his power numbers in Japan would have every big market team in the league locked up in a bidding war.

But they didn’t. Instead, MLB executives focused more on his high strikeout totals in Japan. As a result, Murakami did not get the lucrative contract offers everyone thought he would. To that end, the White Sox landed him for two years and $34 million.

Munetaka Murakami has been exactly what the Chicago White Sox hoped he would be

So far this season, Murakami is hitting .236/.375/.564 with a Major League-leading 12 home runs to go with 23 RBI. He has also struck out 46 times in 31 games.

Per MLB.com, some rival executives are very impressed with how his offensive game has translated to Major League Baseball:

“Murakami has been very impressive,” an NL executive said. “I wasn’t sure he would get to the game power right away, but he looks like a dangerous at-bat every time up.”

“The swing-and-miss is still a concern,” an AL exec said, “but that is a pure hitter right there.”

As one can see from the executives’ comments, teams that passed on Murakami now realize that they missed out on a genuine power bat. However, they also appear to be coping with their miss by pointing to his high strikeout numbers.

The 2026 MLB season is just one month in, and a lot will happen between now and the end of the year. Even if the strikeout totals remain high, Murakami should take home the AL Rookie of the Year Award if he continues mashing as well.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox call up red-hot former 1st round pick
• Munetaka Murakami nabs top-5 MLB rookie ranking
• White Sox remain in AL Central race due to 1 early season development

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 done an excellent job of identifying young talent and getting them in their organization. They have seen some prospects get promoted to the majors, but there is still plenty of quality prospects in the system. There are a few who are hitting at an unbelievable level to begin the 2026 season, but one is standing out amongst the rest. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what they have done thus far.

Caleb Bonemer is dominating right now in the Chicago White Sox minor league system

Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis, and Sam Dykstra collaborated on an article discussing each franchise’s hottest hitting prospects. For the White Sox, they selected the team’s third-ranked prospect in shortstop/third baseman Caleb Bonemer. Below is the snippet they wrote about

“A 2024 second-round pick from a Michigan high school, Bonemer won Carolina League MVP accolades in his pro debut after leading the Single-A circuit in on-base percentage (.400), slugging (.458), OPS (.858) and doubles (26). He’s posting even gaudier numbers in High-A at age 20, slashing .291/.406/.722 through 21 games. He ranks second in the Minors in homers (10 after going deep three times Tuesday night) and extra-base hits (18), third in total bases (61). fifth in RBIs (25) and sixth in slugging.”

Bonemer is considered one of the best prospects in baseball as well, ranking 53rd in the top 100 list. The 20-year-old is just doing everything well. He has posted a .930 career OPS in the minors and should be able to continue climbing the farm system quickly. It will be likely that he will become a third baseman if he remains with the White Sox as Colson Montgomery is their young shortstop seemingly of the future.

Either way, Bonemer has been emerging as an elite-level hitter. Whether it be as a mainstay in Chicago or as a major trade piece to help the team, the future is bright for Bonemer.

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The Chicago White Sox have seen many players play for the organization throughout the years. There have been some exciting players who have had a cup of coffee with the team, but others who have spent a lot of time with Chicago. One of the more intriguing players post-World Series victory has been in the news, so let’s take a closer look at what happened.

Alexei Ramirez tested positive for PED usage during the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Former White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez is in the news for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The International Testing Agency stated on Wednesday that he tested positive for “metabolites of mesterolone, metandienone, oxandrolone and stanozolol.” The ITA stated that they notified Ramirez of this result during the tournament, as he played for Team Cuba, but they did not advance out of the pool phase of the tournament.

The agency that tested the sample is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. They claimed the steroids are “associated with promoting rapid muscle growth, increased strength and enhanced physical performance.” As a result of this, Ramirez received a provisional ban from the sport.

Ramirez set the record as the oldest player to participate in the World Baseball Classic at 44 years old. Ramirez participated in the 2006 edition of the WBC, but made Team Cuba 20 years later. He played for Chicago from 2008-2016, and was a two-time Silver Slugger and 2014 All-Star. He has not played in MLB since 2016 and not play in any international league since playing in Mexico in 2018.

It appears that Ramirez is not going to be playing in any international tournaments, and he has not commented on the ITA ruling. During the World Baseball Classic, Ramirez would only have one plate appearance, striking out. It will be interesting to see if Ramirez’s name pops up or if this is the last chapter of his baseball story.

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The Chicago White Sox are in a position where they are looking to continue winning games as they are on a bit of a hot streak. They are now in a position where they are calling up a prospect from Triple-A to help bolster the team. The announcement has not happened, but it is being reported. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what it means for the White Sox.

The Chicago White Sox are reportedly calling up Jarred Kelenic

Ian Eskridge of Future Sox is reporting that the White Sox have called up outfielder Jarred Kelenic. As of this writing, the White Sox have not confirmed this move or announced a corresponding move to have him called up. After having Everson Pereira leave Tuesday’s game with right shoulder soreness, this could be the move, but again, nothing is official at this point. Chicago manager Will Venable did say that Pereira is being evaluated, but nothing has been determined in terms of a roster move.

Kelenic has been swinging the bat well for the Charlotte Knights in Triple-A this season. He has an .810 OPS with six home runs, 18 RBI, 16 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 26 games. The former first-round pick has struggled when he is called up to the big leagues, but this can be the chance to get more playing time with less pressure. Kelenic signed a minor league contract as a non-roster invitee this offseason with the White Sox.

If and when this move is official, expect him to get a lot of play in the outfield. He provides another left-handed batter in the lineup who has been swinging the bat well recently. It will be intriguing to see how long he is able to stay in the majors and how he performs.

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The Chicago White Sox have won the first two games of their series against the Los Angeles Angels. They are now 13-17 on the season, just two games out of first place in the woeful American League Central Division. No team in their division is over .500, so despite their inconsistent play, they are not out of the conversation yet.

Of course, much of the positive news that has surrounded the White Sox ever since the start of the season has been the power stroke of rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami. After signing with Chicago on a two-year $34 million contract prior to the season, the Japanese star has quickly emerged as one of Major League Baseball’s premier home run hitters.

Chicago White Sox star Munetaka Murakami named the 4th-best rookie in MLB

Bleacher Report recently released their ranking of the top 15 rookies in Major League Baseball. Not surprisingly, Murakami slotted in near the top, coming in at number four:

“Initially expected to get a contract in excess of $100 million, Munetaka Murakami’s market didn’t pan out how he had hoped this past offseason, forcing him to settle for a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox.

“Right now, the rest of the league has egg on their faces.

“Even with Murakami striking out at a rather-alarming 33.6 percent clip, he’s been such a strong power producer that he’s an early AL Rookie of the Year favorite. Murakami’s 11 home runs are, at the time of publication, tied with Yordan Alvarez for the MLB lead. He’s also got a .935 OPS, and an 18 percent walk percentage.

“The White Sox would probably be wise to try to reach a long-term extension with Murakami sooner rather than later, because if he reaches free agency for a second time, his market is going to be much more robust.”

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox remain in AL Central race thanks to 1 early season development
• White Sox outfielder leaves game with injury
• White Sox top draft pick hesitant to join team

For More Chicago Sports

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

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In recent years, the Chicago White Sox have rarely looked like a team capable of competing deep into the season. That narrative is beginning to shift during the opening month of 2026, however, as the club has already reached 13 wins far earlier than many expected. Under first-year manager Will Venable, the White Sox have exceeded preseason expectations and managed to stay within striking distance in the American League Central. One early-season development, in particular, could be the reason they remain in the race longer than anticipated.

A struggling American League Central division is working in the Chicago White Sox favor

As of April 29, the American League Central remains completely up for grabs, with no team holding a record above .500. The Detroit Tigers currently lead the division at 15-15, while the Cleveland Guardians have dropped four straight games and sit at 15-16. Right behind them are the Minnesota Twins and White Sox, who share identical 13-17 records. The Kansas City Royals round out the division at 12-17.

While the Tigers and Guardians are still the favorites to win the division, it is important to remember how modest the division-winning pace was a year ago. Cleveland captured the AL Central with just 88 wins, while Detroit finished only one game back at 87. Combined with the sluggish start across the division in 2026, there is growing reason to believe the AL Central once again may not require a 90-win season to claim the crown. That reality could work heavily in favor of the young and energized Chicago White Sox, keeping them within striking distance far longer than many anticipated.

Additionally, the schedule sets up some key opportunities for Chicago fans to watch closely, as the White Sox won’t face the Tigers until late May and won’t meet the Guardians until mid-June. If Chicago can stay near the .500 mark until those matchups arrive, those divisional series could carry real significance. Games like that often have a way of shaping momentum and potentially altering the direction of a division race

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The Chicago White Sox have been playing well as of late and are not too far out of the AL Central a month into the season. They have been able to win games as of late, but they have one player who suffered an apparent injury on Tuesday. Let’s take a closer look at what happened and what this could mean for the White Sox right now.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Everson Pereira leaves Tuesday’s game with an injury

The White Sox saw one of their everyday players exit Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. Leading off the bottom of the fourth inning, Pereira would swing at the first pitch and shake his right shoulder a bit, but nothing too noticeable. He would continue the at-bat without any delay and eventually strike out swinging. However, Pereira would exit the game in the top half of the inning, being replaced by Austin Hays in right field.

Chicago would officially announce the injury as right shoulder soreness and list him as day-to-day. Pereira has been swinging the bat well compared to his career numbers. In 15 games, he has gone 16 of 64 (.250) with three homers, seven RBI, seven runs scored, and a stolen base. His .763 OPS this year is more than 200 points above his career number.

It appears that the injury is not anything too severe if the team already called it day-to-day. If he is forced to miss any time, do not be surprised to see either Austin Hays or Derek Hill take his spot. Pereira has become a middle-of-the-order bat for the White Sox this season. Chicago has been struggling offensively, so losing his bat at this point for any team would be difficult to overcome.

Do not be surprised to see him sit out on Wednesday to rest up the injury and give him more time to heal. It will be intriguing to see how manager Will Venable draws up the lineup for tomorrow’s game.

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The Crosstown Classic has been more than city bragging rights. Bettors will find Cubs vs. White Sox a high-variance setting, in which popular opinion frequently trumps statistical reality. It is a pitfall to look at the standings alone. The 2026 Cubs and White Sox have totally opposite risk profiles particularly when the moneyline is compared to the MLB run line.

The first 2026 Crosstown will be May 15-17 at Rate Field, and the second at Wrigley Field on Aug. 17-19. Although everyday fans are interested in the competition, these patterns peculiar to teams are essential to anyone tracking the daily MLB odds and picks.

The early-season picture of the Cubs is an offense-driven pressure and expectation, whereas the White Sox provide another betting opportunity; any person who follows the daily MLB odds and picks will realize that the right value play mostly depends on understanding those team-specific patterns before the market adjusts.

Setting the stage: The 2026 season so far

By late April 2026, the Cubs stood at 18-13, sitting second in the NL Central with a 15-9 April alone. Their offense leads the division in runs scored, but bullpen volatility in close games remains the key concern. The question for bettors is not whether the Cubs can win games, it is whether they can win by margin.

The White Sox, meanwhile, were 11-17 by late April, a record that reflects a rebuilding club but one showing improvement from prior seasons. They remain viable spoilers: not reliable moneyline winners, but capable of keeping games tight and upsetting overvalued favorite prices.

That forms the pivotal pressure divide. The Cubs are the contenders who try to remain elite. The White Sox are the underdogs who have little to lose, and present

The North Side story: Deconstructing the Cubs’ betting profile

Cubs betting profile can be best characterized as winning, but not covering. A team making money in the moneyline may fail miserably in the -1.5 run line. The standings can be satisfied with a 54 win, but the same cannot be said of run-line bettors.

It is there the Cubs take the gaff. There is actual upside to their offense, featuring Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch, Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson who can all drive big innings. However, late-inning volatility can close comfortable margins, and probable covers into one-run finishes.

This explains why the Cubs moneyline is usually safer than Cubs -1.5. Their family can be rated as favorites, yet wobbly relief work transforms the run line into more aggressive than it seems.

Totals are also worth consideration. A good offense and bullpen uncertainty tends to push Cubs games towards the Over particularly when one opponent can tack on late runs against middle relief.

The Wrigley Field advantage: Home vs. away splits

In Wrigley Field, the handicap varies due to weather issues. With the wind blowing away to Waveland Avenue, fly balls carry, power numbers increase and Overs are alluring. On a windy day the same park may be much pitcher-friendly.

The conclusion is straight forward, on a neutral wind, the play is cleaner on the Cubs at Wrigley compared to the road. However, when the wind is blowing out at 10 mph or higher, bettors must re-examine totals before making any commitments.

The South Side saga: Finding value in the White Sox

The White Sox are not a sure favorite, but may be helpful as underdogs. Their straight-up record is in bad taste, which may work against them in terms of artificially high prices, particularly when the populace is predisposed strongly to the Cubs.

And that is where White Sox +1.5 makes more sense. Sean Burke has demonstrated his ability to hold games tight such as good April work that limited harm in a series of starts. Later he gave another good performance against Washington, giving up three hits in 7 1/3 innings in a 2-1 extra-inning loss.

Shane Smith presents another profile. He can swing and miss, thus providing the Sox with an upside, but totals may be hard due to command volatility. In case he restricts walks, Chicago will be able to remain within the number. In case he loses the zone, the bullpen will be vulnerable at an early stage.

In the case of White Sox games, the Under may prove to be appealing in instances where their offense is frigid and the opening game is decent. However that angle falters swiftly when the Cubs get to the bullpen early.

An edge against the odds: Sox as road underdogs

The most interesting underdogs on the road are the White Sox when the team is expected to do poorly. A silent offensive opening by the favorite, a competitive effort by the Sox starter and the clean defense may form a back door cover.

White Sox +1.5 is the contrarian angle that is better in comparison to the upset moneyline. Even a narrow defeat can be cashed and that is why the South Siders can be a viable value play in the right match.

Head-to-head breakdown: Key factors for this series

The Cubs boast the better lineup and ceiling. The White Sox are not under as much pressure and there is enough youthful pitching to make each of the games uncomfortable.

Most important are pitching matchups. An established Cubs starter like Matthew Boyd provides the North Siders with a solid foundation, but the risk of live-betting is in the late inning relief. White Sox +1.5 would be better in case the Cubs starter leaves them with a slim lead.

It is also important in the bullpen battle. Cubs inconsistency of high leverage may result in late swings and White Sox can only afford league average relief to remain within a single run.

The verdict: Smart betting angles for the Crosstown Classic

Cubs moneyline is the clearest angle and particularly in Wrigley when the wind is neutral. The riskier bet is Cubs -.5 run line which is aggressive as their victories may be close.

White Sox +1.5 is the most favorable contrarian case especially when their star pitcher can make the game close. Lean Over on totals, only when the wind is evidently blowing out, at 10 mph or above, with Wrigley in the air. Otherwise, the low-scoring profile of the Sox keeps the Under alive.

The last rule is discipline: check lineups, weather, starting pitchers, availability of bullpen and late injury news before betting the Crosstown Classic.

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Chicago Cubs claim former 2nd round pitcher Doug Nikhazy from Chicago White Sox

Left-handed pitcher Doug Nikhazy is a former second round pick of the Cleveland Guardians in 2021. The Mississippi product was designated for assignment by the Guardians earlier in April, had a brief stint with the White Sox, and now has joined the Cubs organization. Interestingly, Nikhazy has minor league options remaining, so upon being claimed by the North Siders he was optioned to Triple-A.

Nikhazy has just six major league innings under his belt, but he is built up as a starter. With little to no stand out depth in Triple-A Iowa, beyond standout Vince Velasquez, Nikhazy quickly becomes a strong candidate to receive a call-up if the need arises, which, given the current state of the roster, feels more like a matter of when than if.

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The Chicago White Sox are set to have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

They might not get the No. 1 prospect.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is projected by most scouts to be the best player in the upcoming draft. However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today suggested some scouts favor Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey or Texas high school athlete Grady Emerson as the best player.

During an appearance on The Score’s “Mully & Haugh” show, Nightengale said Cholowsky has his doubts about joining the White Sox because of money.

“Works two ways too. He’s got to want to be in the White Sox, and he’s got to, they have to agree to the right signing bonus too. If he has some team say, you know what, we’ll give you about $4 million more than the slot. Well, he can tell the White Sox, ‘I’m not coming, I’m waiting for another team.’”

Chicago White Sox would have to pay Roch Cholowsky

Nightengale thinks Cholowsky could use the lockout as leverage and play baseball in Japan before reentering the draft.

“I think it’s just about money,” Nightengale said. “It’s like, okay, I know what the slot value will be, but what if I have some other teams giving me a bunch more money, a slot?

“He can certainly tell the White Sox, ‘Hey, I’m not signing with you guys. You’re going to waste your pick.’ So he can certainly do that. We’ve seen that before.”

The White Sox have some leverage over the college kid. But not as much as NFL teams have over prospects before the draft.

It would be embarrassing for Chicago to miss out on the best player because ownership is cheap. But that’s a real possibility with Cholowsky.

Still, there are other good options in the draft, and the White Sox could be happy taking Lackey or Emerson.

For More Chicago Sports:

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

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The Chicago White Sox open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday and received good and bad injury news. The good news for the White Sox is that outfielder Austin Hays returns from the injured list after being out with a right hamstring injury earlier this month.

The bad news is that infielder/outfielder Tanner Murray was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder dislocation. According to Sox Machine’s James Fegan, per manager Will Venable, Murray will miss 4-6 months. In addition to the dislocation, there’s a fracture that will require surgery.

More News: Chicago White Sox swap out veteran catcher with former Rockies backstop

pic.twitter.com/HfTocce9iy

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

Before going down with his hamstring injury, Hays was not doing well. In nine games, the former All-Star (2023) was hitting .219 with a .586 OPS.

Murray has also struggled since getting called up from Triple-A after Hays landed on the injured list. In 13 games, the 26-year-old was hitting .214 with a .602 OPS and one home run.

The Chicago White Sox need to find another utility man to replace Tanner Murray

With Murray landing on the injured list, the White Sox are down their most effective utility player. Through his first 13 games, Murray has played left field (seven games, -27 defensive runs saved), third base (three games, 46 defensive runs saved), and shortstop (three games, zero defensive runs saved).

The White Sox have some depth options to replace Murray if they want to add more versatility. First baseman Lamonte Wade Jr. is currently playing with the Charlotte Knights, where he’s played first base (16 games) and one game in right field.

Wade Jr. has played 213 games in the outfield at the big league level, with right field (-2 defensive runs saved) being his best position in the outfield.

The White Sox also have catcher Korey Lee down in Charlotte. Lee would offer the White Sox another catcher to pair with Edgar Quero and Drew Romo (playing 12 games at Triple-A) and another outfielder (five games played this season).

More News:

• Chicago White Sox: Kyle Teel remains optimistic despite long rehab
• Chicago White Sox: Munetaka Murakami may force club to break with past tendencies
• Chicago White Sox GM provides update on Tanner McDougal

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The Chicago White Sox are 11-16 on the season through their first 27 games. While they have been finding some success offensively as of late, they are still a ways away from putting a consistent winning product on the field.

Of course, it has not helped that they have been forced to play the season thus far without one of their best young players: catcher Kyle Teel. Last year, Teel made his Major League debut and hit .273/.375/.411 with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 78 games.

Unfortunately, he suffered a grade-two hamstring strain while playing for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel remains optimistic despite long rehab process

When Teel was first injured, his estimated timeline for recovery was 4-6 weeks. However, that has been delayed due to some setbacks he has encountered while running.

He is not getting down on himself, though. Per the Chicago Sun Times, Teel is taking his recovery one day at a time while also doing everything he can to stay in shape.

“In the grand scheme of things, I’m still within my timeline,” Teel said to the Times. “It is a higher-up grade 2 strain so it’s kind of normal for it to take a bit longer. Still not ideal, right? I want to be back as much as everyone wants me back. That time’s coming soon.

“One thing that this experience has taught me is just to be patient and how important it is to get your work in the training room and weight room every single day because that kind of stuff hasn’t been part of my routine really ever.”

On the positive side of things, at least Teel is doing more to take care of his body as a whole. When he finally does return to the lineup, the White Sox should expect him to be in better shape than he ever has been.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox draw biggest April crowd in nearly two decades
• White Sox swap out veteran catcher with former Rockies backstop
• Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery power surges them into record book

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 11-16 through their first 27 games. While they are not in last place, for once, it does appear that the team is headed for yet another losing season. That being said, they are also among one of the most exciting teams in baseball to watch, and their biggest free agent signing of the off-season is a big reason why.

Munetaka Murakami was expected to land a massive contract when he decided to come over from Japan. However, MLB team were weary of his high strikeout totals, so Chicago was able to lure him in with a two-year $34 million contract.

And while the strikeout totals have been high this season, so have the power numbers.

The Chicago White Sox need to extend Munetaka Murakami

Through the first 27 games of the season, Murakami is hitting .242/.381/.589 with a Major League-leading 11 home runs to go with 20 RBI. He has also scored 20 runs and has walked 22 times. He is the first player in MLB history with 11 home runs and 22 walks in his first 27 games.

He has, however, struck out 39 times.

The high strikeout numbers, though, were expected. What was not certain when he first came to the Majors was whether or not his power from Japan would translate. So far, it has.

If it continues to do so, and Murakami remains one of the most prolific power hitters in the game, the White Sox may be forced to break with the past tendencies and offer him a contract extension.

The truth of the matter is that a rebuilding team like Chicago could get an embarrassment of riches in terms of prospects if they were to trade their slugger. Indeed, his trade value may never be higher than it is right now.

The thing about rebuilding teams, though, is that, at some point, they need to start retaining their best players instead of trading them away. Murakami is, without a doubt, one of their best players. It would be a much smarter decision to extend him beyond his current contract than trading him and taking away both his production and the international money that he helps bring in.

More Chicago White Sox news from ChiCity Sports

• White Sox draw biggest April crowd in nearly two decades
• White Sox swap out veteran catcher with former Rockies backstop
• Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery power surges them into record book

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 enter play on Sunday, April 26 with an 11–16 record, but there’s a noticeable shift in energy surrounding the team. Even while sitting below .500, this younger, more dynamic roster is finding ways to win more consistently than in recent seasons.

The progress is already measurable. When the Sox secured their 10th victory on Thursday, April 24, it marked their fastest climb to that milestone since 2021. While it took 25 games to get there this year compared to just 19 that season, the improvement still signals a team trending in the right direction, and one that’s beginning to give fans a reason to believe.

As a result, the seats at Rate Field are starting to get filled.

Chicago White Sox draw biggest April crowd in nearly two decades

On Saturday, April 25, the White Sox drew their largest April crowd for a non–home opener since 2007, with 35,175 fans packing the ballpark. Nearly two decades ago, 38.513 showed up for a game on April 29 against the Los Angeles Angels. Saturday marked their highest attendance of the season, with the team drawing 33,171 for their home opener earlier this month and previously have no other contests above 22,326.

Excitement around the team is continuing to build not only around the their improved play, but also around Noah Schultz, who made his third major league start in front of the home crowd on Saturday. Schultz didn’t disappoint as the southpaw tossed six innings, allowed four hits, and set a season-high in strikeouts with eight. Unfortunately, Chicago was not able to deliver a win in front of the home crowd, losing 6-3 in extra innings.

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The Chicago White Sox have received little production from the catching position this season. Both, Edgar Quero and Reese McGuire, have White Sox catchers dead last in batting average (.153) and home runs (zero).

Because of this production, the White Sox have opted to make a change, with a new backstop coming up to offer a different look.

The Chicago White Sox opt to get rid of Reese McGuire for Drew Romo

After taking the first game of the series against the Washington Nationals, the White Sox designated McGuire for assignment. To take McGuire’s place on the active roster will be catcher Drew Romo, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Charlotte.

McGuire, 31, hit .172 with a .445 OPS and was not great behind the plate either (-31 defensive runs saved). The White Sox signed McGuire as a free agent when catcher Kyle Teel went on the injured list (hamstring). 

pic.twitter.com/XUsFrHs4UR

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

More News: Chicago White Sox GM provides update on Tanner McDougal

Romo, 24, was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets in January and was designated for assignment in February. Romo was then outrighted to Triple-A Charlotte a day after his designation for assignment.

While in Charlotte, Romo has been great. In 17 games Romo is hitting .298 with a .946 OPS and is third on the Knights in home runs (four).

Romo has big league experience, playing in 19 games between 2024 and 2025 with the Colorado Rockies. While with the Rockies Romo was a .167 hitter but provided solid defense behind the dish (21 defensive runs saved).

A switch-hitter like Quero, Romo will likely hold things over until catcher Kyle Teel returns. Teel is currently waiting to go on a rehab assignment, which, once it’s complete Romo could be optioned back to Triple-A.

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The Chicago White Sox are one of the youngest teams in the majors right now and have some talented pitchers in the minor leagues. They have some of the more talented young arms developing in the minor leagues as well. However, there was some commotion following one of the team’s top pitching prospects exiting his last start early. Let’s take a closer look at what happened and if he will miss time due to the injury.

Chris Getz discusses Tanner McDougal’s injury on Thursday night

While speaking to the media ahead of Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals, White Sox general manager Chris Getz discussed the possibility of an injury to pitcher Tanner McDougal in Triple-A.

“He had a little bit of hamstring tightness when he was covering first base. There weren’t too many concerns with the strength testing. Today there was a little bit of soreness. We are going to alter some of his in between start work. But as of right now, he’s planning on his scheduled start.”

McDougal would be pulled midway through his start on Thursday due to hamstring discomfort, but it appears it was precautionary. McDougal has been off to a strong start for the Charlotte Knights in Triple-A. Through five starts, he is 0-1 with a 3.13 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 23.0 innings. The 23-year-old starter is currently the sixth-ranked prospect for the team and is just outside the top 100 prospects list in baseball.

The White Sox have one of the younger rosters, so it would not be surprising to see McDougal get a spot start for Chicago this season. It will be intriguing to see if this injury affects McDougal going forward or if this is just more of a cramping situation.

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The Chicago White Sox are in a position where they have one of the top hitters in MLB right now with first baseman Munetaka Murakami. After signing him from the NPB this offseason, the slugger has been exceeding any and every expectation. This has had some fans calling for the front office to already extend the 26-year-old to keep him with the team for the future. Let’s take a closer look at what has or has not been happening behind the scenes.

The Chicago White Sox shut down Munetaka Murakami extension rumors

General manager Chris Getz made it known that there have not been any discussions between the team and Murakami in terms of a contract extension. Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox ahead of the 2026 season.

Murakami has been a star in his first month in the majors. Entering April 24, he has a .253/.394/.598 slash line with 10 home runs, 19 RBI, and 19 runs scored across 25 games. He has been able to be a force in the middle of Chicago’s lineup and produce at an elite level at first base.

This does not mean there will not be any discussions in the future, but Chicago has him under contract through the 2027 season. The White Sox have a young team, and Murakami could be a major factor in the future of the White Sox, while players like Kyle Teel and Colson Montgomery are also in the lineup going forward.

Chicago are still a young team that is far from being a major threat in the American League. However, it will be intriguing to see if Murakami can continue to dominate or if pitching will catch up to him.

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Through 24 games, Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery have emerged as the Chicago White Sox’s top power threats. Murakami’s 10 home runs rank second in the league, while Montgomery’s seven place him among the game’s upper tier of sluggers. As if that wasn’t enough, both are riding active power streaks: Murakami has homered in five straight games, with Montgomery right behind him at four.

That said, this pair now shares multiple pieces of history with one another, both organizationally and league-wide, as their simultaneous power surges have not only fueled the White Sox offense but also placed them in rare company for teammates producing at this level so early in a season.

Home run surges from Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery have embedded them both in the Chicago White Sox and Major League Baseball’s record books

Starting with White Sox franchise history, when Murakami blasted his 10th home run on Wednesday, April 23, he became the fastest player to reach that mark by doing so in just 24 games. Per Sarah Langs, he surpassed Zeke Bonura’s 1934 mark by one game, José Abreu’s 2014 pace by two, and even Montgomery’s total from last season by eight games.

Additional history from Wednesday’s game was highlighted by Brooke Fletcher. With both Murakami and Montgomery homering again and extending their streaks, they became the first pair of teammates in MLB history to homer in four consecutive team games.

All of this points to a duo that’s becoming must-watch every time they step to the plate. However, it should be noted that in general this year’s Chicago team is a home run hitting ball club, as they currently are tied for the fifth most in the league with 31. These trends appear to be shaping the identity of this lineup, making them an exciting-young group to follow.

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The Chicago White Sox are beginning to show real signs of progress, winning three of their last four games in a stretch highlighted by Munetaka Murakami going deep in each of those contests. But it hasn’t just been about power at the top of the lineup, Chicago has also been fueled by hustle, grit, and sharp, heads-up play from its youngest players.

Most recently, Sam Antonacci provided a clear example of that growing energy and awareness as his first career MLB home run came on an odd inside-the-park home run. For context, Antonacci was called up by Chicago one week ago and is currently their ninth ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline.

Chicago White Sox prospect Sam Antonacci snaps 50 year drought of a players first career home run being of the inside-the-park variety

In the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, April 21, in what was surely going to be a White Sox victory, Antonacci hit what was for sure a double to left field. The baseball managed to hit one of the ball boys and as a result outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr, who is just a few games back after surprisingly returning to the field following ACL surgery performed last September, gave up on the play.

Antonacci, however, noticed the umpires never signaled time or stopped play, likely in anticipation of an obstruction call, so he kept going. He raced home and managed to slide in safely. Arizona attempted to challenge the play, but because no obstruction was officially called, the challenge was not permitted, and the run stood.

Sam Antonacci inside-the-park home run

The ball boy made contact with the ball, but there was no call on the play so it wasn’t reviewable. The D-backs had another ball boy make contact with a ball in play on Friday.pic.twitter.com/6z3sA1GayA

— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) April 22, 2026

Brooke Fletcher, on-the-field reporter for Chicago, pointed out afterwards that the last time a White Sox players first MLB home run was an inside-the-park type was in 1976. This was last accomplished by Kevin Bell.

In total, the White Sox powered their way to four home runs in the 11–5 win. Alongside Antonacci and Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery also went deep to round out the attack. Notably, they hit three consecutive over the wall type home runs during a second-inning surge. Antonacci also made an impact earlier in the game, adding a triple in the first inning.

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