One Towering Homer, One Sleepless Night, and One Breakout Star: White Sox All-Star Takeaways

Miguel Vargas stole the show Tuesday night in an otherwise uneventful All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

The Chicago White Sox third baseman recorded the game’s only extra-base hit of the night, crushing  a towering solo home run off of Dodger left-hander Justin Wrobleski. Vargas knew it was gone right off the bat, and for good reason. By the time it landed in the second deck, the blast had traveled 433 feet with an exit velocity of 107.3 mph.

Yet despite logging one of the only real highlights of the night that turned into a strikeout fest, Vargas fell victim to the White Sox tax. Instead of rewarding the game’s lone extra-base hit, the All-Star Game MVP award was handed to New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger. 

If Bellinger had been wearing almost any uniform other than the Yankees’, it’s hard to imagine a 1-for-3 performance with a two-run single being enough to earn All-Star Game MVP. 

Regardless, it was hard to view the night as anything other than a win for Vargas and the White Sox. He made the South Side proud and, in the process, reinforced the growing belief that he’s only beginning to tap into his immense potential.

Tristan Peters’ Wife May Be Tougher Than Half The White Sox 2022 Roster

Tristan Peters has fully embraced the nickname “Banana Bonds” after a breakout season turned him into one of the unlikeliest All-Stars in baseball.

The 26-year-old leaned into the moniker all week in Philadelphia, swinging a custom yellow bat during the All-Star Game and revealing a Savannah Bananas logo stitched inside his suit jacket on the All-Star red carpet. But that red carpet appearance didn’t happen.

Hours before first pitch, Peters was at the hospital with his wife, Erin. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Erin was unable to get out of bed after lying down with the couple’s infant daughter. After rushing back to his hotel, Peters was also unable to help Erin get up, prompting a visit to the hospital. 

After a sleepless night filled with scans, testing, and shifts watching the baby, Peters and his family finally left the hospital at 6 am, with Erin hardly able to walk. However, she was able to muster up enough strength to walk the red carpet with Peters. 

According to Nightingale, Erin declined Peters’ offer to stay with her at the hotel, unwilling to let their difficult night keep him from celebrating the biggest moment of his career.

It’s the type of selflessness and toughness that could have been used during the White Sox last failed rebuild attempt, and it helps explain why Peters has remained so resilient throughout his career. Judging by everything she endured, Peters’ wife may have shown more grit in one night than half the 2022 White Sox did all season.

Peters struck out in his lone at-bat, but manager John Schneider didn’t do him any favors, calling on Peters to face left-hander Justin Wrobleski. The only problem is Peters has had just 31 plate appearances against southpaws this season and is just .111 compared to a .324 average against right handers. But at that point, just playing in the game was icing on the cake, for a player who was drafted in the seventh round. 

Murakami’s star keeps rising

Munetaka Murakami also went 0-for-1 with a strikeout in his lone plate appearance. He left Philadelphia as a media darling. 

Murakami looked every bit the part of a rising superstar, sporting a fresh pair of Air Jordans after signing with Jordan Brand, going viral for singing “Strokin'” alongside Pat McAfee, and appearing in a series of MLB social media videos with some of the game’s biggest stars. By the time All-Star Week wrapped up, Murakami had become one of its breakout personalities.

It was also refreshing to see a White Sox player featured during Home Run Derby after three consecutive 100-loss seasons, further raising the club’s national profile and signaling that the days of being an afterthought may finally be coming to an end.