Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Chicago White Sox have transformed from three-time 100-loss teams into playoff contenders just 0.5 games out of first in the weak AL Central.
- Their resurgence stems from aggressive moves no other teams made and a sharp draft record that built core pieces from early-round picks.
- The front office finally cleared out failed investments and embraced a fresh start.
Don't look now, but the Chicago White Sox might be back. Despite losing 100+ games in each of the last three seasons, including an unfathomably bad 121-loss campaign in 2024, the White Sox look, dare I say, decent? What's even crazier is that at 17-19, they're just 0.5 games out of first place in a shockingly bad AL Central.
I'm not here to say the White Sox should be considered AL Central favorites, but with Tarik Skubal set to miss substantial time and no other team in this division looking all that great, Chicago might end up in contention longer than anyone expected. Not only is the division awful, but the White Sox are genuinely not so bad anymore. Here's how they got back to relevance.
White Sox were willing to take the risk no other team was
The biggest reason the White Sox are where they are right now has to do with a player seemingly nobody wanted, Munetaka Murakami. The Japanese phenom went from an expectation of a massive nine-figure deal in free agency to inking a two-year, $34 million pact with the White Sox. Murakami's market crashed harder than anyone expected, and the White Sox took full advantage, signing the slugger to a deal that always felt like a bargain and looks like an even bigger steal than Chris Getz likely thought.
Murakami has done nothing but rake thus far, as he's tied for the MLB lead with 14 home runs and is tied for 12th among qualified hitters with a 159 wRC+. Sure, he's whiffing a lot, and I doubt he'll continue hitting like this, but it's clear Murakami deserved far more than the contract he got and is making several other teams look foolish. At worst, he's going to hit 30+ home runs and draw a ton of walks, making him a Kyle Schwarber-lite of sorts.
MLB teams were scared away by Murakami's flaws but ignored his strengths. As a result, the White Sox have one of MLB's best sluggers right now at a team-friendly cost, locked in through next season.
Success in the MLB Draft
Drafting in MLB is easier said than done because these players are never MLB-ready right away. Some teams are better at it than others. Quietly, the White Sox have thrived in the MLB Draft. Look at their recent first-round picks.
Year | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
2025 | Billy Carlson | SS |
2024 | Hagen Smith | LHP |
2023 | Jacob Gonzalez | SS |
2022 | Noah Schultz | LHP |
2021 | Colson Montgomery | SS |
2020 | Garrett Crochet | LHP |
There's so much to like here. Now, Garrett Crochet is gone, but the success of that pick netted the White Sox building blocks like Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth and Braden Montgomery. Colson Montgomery has hit 30 home runs in just 107 MLB games and looks like a franchise cornerstone. Noah Schultz has a 2.53 ERA in his first four MLB starts and has a ton of upside. Hagen Smith is a top pitching prospect ranked in FanSided's top 100 overall, nearing his MLB debut.
The jury is still very much out on Jacob Gonzalez, in particular, but even in that draft, the White Sox used a second-round pick on Grant Taylor, an extremely underrated right-hander with electric stuff who could either factor into their eventual rotation plans or even be their closer in the not-too-distant future.
Even beyond the high picks, the White Sox have found success. Sam Antonacci, their newly minted leadoff hitter, was a fifth-round pick back in 2024. Davis Martin, the team's ace right now who is second in the AL in ERA, was a 14th-round pick in 2018. Even Sean Burke has excelled for Chicago this season and was a third-round pick.
2024 trade deadline blockbuster turned into a huge White Sox win
The three-team trade featuring the White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2024 trade deadline is one that MLB fans made fun of the White Sox for. The White Sox essentially traded both Fedde and Michael Kopech, receiving Miguel Vargas and a couple of prospects in return. Not only did Vargas struggle, but he looked absolutely miserable after the trade with Chicago, while, to make matters worse, Kopech, a player the White Sox could never get the most out of, starred in the bullpen for the Dodgers, and another player involved in the deal, Tommy Edman, was the NLCS MVP for Los Angeles.
Well, it's safe to say the White Sox made out of that deal alright in hindsight, thanks to Vargas, who showed signs of life in 2025 and completely turned his career around this season. Vargas is slashing .222/.361/.437 with seven home runs, 18 RBI and six stolen bases. The average is a bit low, but he's been getting on base at will thanks to his elite eye, has been hitting for power, and it's worth noting that the advanced metrics suggest he's gotten unlucky.
Vargas is only 26 years old and doesn't even hit arbitration until this upcoming offseason. He has earned the starting third base job right now, and could wind up there long-term on the South Side. Oh yeah, Fedde is back in Chicago too, and has pitched pretty well for the White Sox this season.
White Sox have found value off the scrap heap
To field a winning team, you need to find value in all kinds of places. Yes, you need to be able to develop star talent, but you also need to round out the roster with players you find who might not have been highly touted. I mean, even the Dodgers found Max Muncy off the waiver wire and used a sixth-round pick on Emmet Sheehan. The White Sox have done this very well.
Bryan Hudson has been the best reliever in the White Sox's bullpen thus far, and he was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets following spring training. Everson Pereira had little value when the White Sox acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade, and when healthy, he's been an impactful outfielder for them. Tristan Peters, arguably the best defensive player on the team, was acquired for cash considerations after the Rays DFA'd him.
The White Sox even found value in free agency from guys who didn't have huge markets. Fedde and Sean Newcomb signed cheap one-year deals, and both of them have been productive. The same goes for Austin Hays, who didn't sign until February. There's a chance Randal Grichuk will be the next success story, as he was just signed as a free agent after being DFA'd by the New York Yankees.
These players won't generate headlines, but the White Sox deserve credit for finding impactful role players for cheap.
White Sox were willing to admit defeat on previous mistakes
Perhaps the most exciting part of the 2026 White Sox is that things feel different. It feels like a new era is beginning in the South Side, and a big reason for that has to do with the White Sox finally letting the old era go.
The White Sox had already parted with guys who fizzled out like Eloy Jimenez, Yoan Moncada and Andrew Vaughn, but there was still one key player remaining: Luis Robert Jr. The White Sox held onto Robert for years despite rampant rumors, hoping Robert would turn it around and net them a substantial return in a deal. After finally realizing that was never going to happen, the White Sox decided enough was enough and traded Robert for what they could get.
The deal itself wasn't a good one. Luisangel Acuña probably shouldn't even be in the majors right now, and it's hard to envision Truman Pauley making much of an impact in the majors. However, the White Sox were able to shed money that they invested elsewhere, and most importantly, said enough was enough with the old, failed era.
They decided to start fresh, even if it meant not trading Robert for much, and that's looking like a genius decision in hindsight.
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