The Chicago White Sox are no longer just a feel-good surprise. As they inch closer to a legitimate contender, a challenging June schedule is providing an early test of whether their turnaround is for real.
The June gauntlet includes series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees. For many fans, simply treading water and avoiding a string of sweeps would have been considered a success.
But five games into that stretch, the White Sox are doing more than just staying afloat; they’re showing they can compete with some of baseball’s best teams. In the process, they now sit atop the AL Central standings for the first time since 2021.
After taking one game on the road against Philadelphia, Chicago returned home to face the Braves, owners of the best record in baseball. The White Sox responded by winning the first two games of the series before their opportunity for a sweep on Thursday was washed out by the rain.
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While a weekend series against the Dodgers, followed by a road trip to the Bronx, will provide another tough test, the way the White Sox have been winning games is inspiring confidence that they are a bona fide playoff contender in the American League.
Even without rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami, the White Sox offense has continued to produce, averaging five runs per game in June and scoring at least five runs in six of their first eight contests. Even in one of the rare games when the offense was held to just two runs, Chicago still found a way to win as Davis Martin outdueled former Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale.
Those two victories over the Braves were a perfect snapshot of the White Sox season so far. Will Venable’s club is undeniably fun and scrappy, but it has also shown an ability to win in a variety of ways.
The White Sox entered Thursday ranked eighth in Major League Baseball in runs scored. Much of that success has been driven by their power production. Murakami remains tied for third in the majors with 20 home runs despite missing time with a hamstring strain, while Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas have added 16 homers apiece to give Chicago one of baseball’s most dangerous power trios.
That offensive firepower is a major reason the White Sox are never truly out of a game and have already recorded 17 come-from-behind victories this season.
Yet Wednesday’s win showed this lineup is more than just its stars. With both Murakami and Montgomery sidelined, the White Sox still managed to grind out a victory.
That ability to win ugly has become a defining trait. Chicago is 5-11 in games when it scores two runs or fewer, good for a .313 winning percentage, the best mark in Major League Baseball.
A significant share of the credit belongs to Chris Getz and the White Sox player development staff. Chicago’s improved depth has helped keep the club competitive, but just as important has been the timing and deployment of that depth.
After the White Sox returned from a lengthy West Coast road trip, Getz promoted Rikuu Nishida ahead of a day game at Rate Field, hoping to inject some energy into a fatigued roster. The move paid immediate dividends, as Nishida threw out multiple runners at home plate during his first series in a White Sox uniform.
When Murakami landed on the injured list, and the lineup needed another power threat, Getz turned to Jacob Gonzalez, who had been tearing up Triple-A pitching. Gonzalez was called up to help fill the void at first base and provide another offensive spark.
Then, when Colson Montgomery was sidelined by back tightness ahead of the Braves series, Getz promoted Braden Montgomery. Once again, the move delivered an immediate impact. In his first two major league games, Montgomery collected four hits, including a walk-off home run in his debut and a double off former Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale.
For years, White Sox call-ups often felt more like placeholders than difference-makers. This season, each promotion has arrived with a purpose, and more often than not, the player has delivered.
The scariest part for opponents is that the White Sox are still far from full strength. Center fielder Everson Pereira rejoined the roster after a rehab assignment, while Murakami and catcher Kyle Teel are expected back in the lineup within the next few weeks.
The White Sox are still ahead of schedule, but that has done little to diminish the excitement surrounding a team that entered the season looking to escape the shadow of three consecutive 100-loss campaigns. For players and fans alike who lived through those struggles, the turnaround has made this season especially rewarding.
“Being a part of ‘24 and ‘25 you just realize how hard it is to come to the park in some of those teams,” Martin told reporters after Wednesday’s 2-1 victory. “But every day when you come through the parking lot, and you have a chance to win a game, it really just fires you up.”
For the first time in years, White Sox fans aren’t just hoping the future arrives. They’re watching it unfold in real time.
With multiple sellouts expected over the weekend against the Dodgers, Rate Field is going to be rocking, with a fan base that finally has an on-field product they can be fired up about.
