South Side Redemption: Fixing the White Sox One Move at a Time

[XxVols98xX]

South Side Redemption Begins: PJ Bishop Promises to Fix the White Sox “One Move at a Time”
New GM/Manager vows to change the roster, the culture, and the expectations on the South Side.

CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox didn’t bother pretending everything was fine.

Sitting in front of the cameras at Guaranteed Rate Field, newly hired GM and Manager PJ Bishop gave the kind of blunt assessment that usually lives in fan forums, not front offices.

“First off thank you, as an organization all is not lost,” Bishop said. “There are plenty of good coaches and prospects up and down the organization, but the team is bad, I’m not going to lie or sugarcoat it. You don’t come off a 121-loss season and think all is good.”

It was the first official word from the man tasked with dragging the White Sox out of one of the worst seasons in modern baseball history and into something resembling respectability.

A Rebuild, Not a Quick Fix

Bishop wasted no time defining the project: this is a rebuild, not a quick retool.

“I will always try and put the best product out on the field, but this is a rebuild and it will take time,” he said. “There are pieces here I see helping us win long term, but right now more holes need to be filled if we are to avoid 100-loss seasons.”

That balance—trying to compete while acknowledging the depth of the hole—is going to shape the early years of Bishop’s tenure. He made it clear he won’t sell fans a fantasy contender just to win a press conference.

“I’m not here to convince anyone with my words, it’s just that… words,” Bishop said. “I will keep putting together an MLB team that I like and build our organization from the DSL up to the MLB club. It’s all I can do.”

Culture Change Starts with the Roster

Asked about culture, Bishop’s answer was as simple as it was pointed: win games and change the people in the room.

“Changing the roster and winning will change the culture,” he said. “Getting rid of bad apples will be something that’s on my agenda, and when it comes to adding new players their character is something I will consider as the GM and final decision maker.”

Bishop, holding both the GM and manager titles, made it clear that makeup will matter as much as metrics. Players who don’t fit the new standards—on or off the field—won’t be around long.

He stopped short of promising immediate playoff contention but drew a firm line on how the team will compete.

“I can’t promise October baseball by then,” Bishop admitted when asked about the near future, “but certainly a club that competes in all 162 games.”

Draft, Development, Then Everything Else

For Bishop, the foundation of the turnaround is going to be built in scouting rooms and back fields, not just at the big-league level.

“The draft is the most important tool for me when it comes to player acquisition,” he said. “Right behind that will be player development. To me, free agency and trades are to fill immediate holes, while the draft is for us to be a long-term winner and stay a winner.”

It’s a clear statement of priorities: the Sox will still dip into the trade and free-agent markets, but the long-term vision is a sustainable pipeline of talent, not a patchwork of short-term fixes.

Ramen Budget, Steak Expectations

On the subject of ownership and resources, Bishop offered one of the more memorable lines of the day.

“For the most part I have control over all the ingredients,” he said. “I just don’t get to decide on what the budget is. You give me ramen noodle budget then expect a ramen noodle team. Give me a steak budget and you’ll have a steak team.”

It was a rare, candid acknowledgment of the financial reality that has long frustrated White Sox fans. Bishop didn’t throw ownership under the bus, but he made it crystal clear: the quality of the product will match the level of investment.

Within that framework, though, he promised to squeeze every ounce of value from whatever resources he’s given.

An Identity: Exciting, Aggressive Baseball

If there was one immediate on-field identity Bishop promised, it was aggression.

“Yes, we will play exciting baseball,” he said. “Expect us to hit the ball hard and lead the league in stolen bases.”

For a fanbase that has sat through lifeless lineups and station-to-station offenses, the idea of a South Side team that runs, attacks, and forces the issue will be a welcome change of pace.

That aggressive style will be backed by a modern approach behind the scenes.

“Oh yeah, we will be using every tool available within the confines of the game and rules,” Bishop said when asked about analytics. “We don’t have the roster nor the budget to just line up and play ‘old school’ baseball. We need to put everyone in a position to succeed and use any data available to do so.”

The Legacy Bishop Wants

Every new GM talks about “doing things the right way.” Bishop did too—but he attached a very specific dream headline to his tenure.

“‘White Sox have the best run in modern baseball history,’” he said, when asked how he’d like history to remember this era. “I want to be remembered for doing things the right way and bringing respect back to the South Side.”

That’s a long way from 121 losses. But for the first time since rock bottom, the White Sox have a clear voice at the top, a defined plan, and a GM/Manager unafraid to say exactly where this club stands.

Now comes the hard part: proving it on the field, one move at a time.

[XxVols98xX]

South Side Redemption Rotation: Introducing the 2025 White Sox Starting Five

CHICAGO – PJ Bishop promised a staff that would “hit the ball hard and lead the league in stolen bases” on offense, but the first real stamp of his regime shows up on the other side of the ball: a young, upside-heavy Opening Day rotation with one crafty veteran dropped right in the middle.

OOTP ratings say this isn’t an ace-laden group yet, but it absolutely fits Bishop’s rebuild mantra: develop your own arms, live with some growing pains, and give the rotation a ceiling higher than 100 losses.

Here’s how the 2025 Chicago White Sox will line up on the mound.

No. 1 – Shane Smith, RHP, 24

The Opening Day ball goes to Shane Smith, the one arm in the organization who already looks the part of a future No. 1.

Smith brings 96–98 mph heat, a full five-pitch mix (fastball/changeup/curve/slider/sinker), and balanced 50-grade stuff, movement, and control across the board. There’s no glaring platoon split, and his 55 stamina means Bishop can actually let his “ace” work deep into games instead of living in the bullpen by the fifth.

On a staff full of question marks, Smith is the clearest answer: if the White Sox are going to escape the AL Central basement, it probably starts with him taking a jump from “solid 50” to “legit 55+ frontline arm.”

No. 2 – Mike Vasil, RHP, 24

Behind Smith is Mike Vasil, another 24-year-old righty who profiles as a classic strike-throwing, mid-rotation stabilizer.

Vasil sits 94–96, also with five pitches, and pairs average-ish stuff with above-average control. He doesn’t have Smith’s raw nastiness, but he looks like the kind of arm who can quietly throw 170–180 league-average innings if things click – which, in this stage of the rebuild, is gold.

In OOTP terms, he’s a 45/45 guy who can punch above his weight when the defense holds up and the park cooperates. For Bishop, he’s the perfect early test of his “use every tool available” philosophy: smart pitch-calling and modern positioning could squeeze real value out of Vasil.

No. 3 – Martin Pérez, LHP, 33

In the middle of the youth movement sits Martin Pérez, the lone veteran in the group and the only lefty.

Pérez isn’t here to blow anyone away. He’s a crafty, ground-ball–leaning lefty with excellent movement, a deep arsenal, and a long track record of simply surviving big-league lineups. His stuff grades out lower than the kids, but his movement spikes vs. left-handed hitters, giving Bishop a tactical weapon against the division’s lefty-heavy clubs.

He’s also the de facto rotation dad: on a staff where everyone else is 24 or 28, Pérez’s value in mentoring Smith, Vasil, and Cannon might be just as important as the 150-ish innings he can provide.

No. 4 – Davis Martin, RHP, 28

Fourth up is Davis Martin, a 28-year-old righty who looks like the prototype back-end innings eater with just enough weapons.

Martin lives in the 92–94 range with a fastball/change/curve/slider/sinker combo. The ratings say “solid across the board, great at nothing,” but that’s exactly the sort of arm a rebuilding team needs – someone who can turn the lineup over a couple times, keep the ball in the yard, and give the bullpen a breather.

If Bishop’s defense and run support improve year over year, Martin is the type who can swing from replacement-level to quietly valuable without his actual talent changing much. He’s a nice test case for whether the “ramen vs. steak” budget comment applies to infrastructure too.

No. 5 – Jonathan Cannon, RHP, 24

The most interesting choice might be in the fifth spot, where Bishop hands the ball to Jonathan Cannon.

On paper, Cannon has the weakest present-day rating in the rotation, but he owns one of the best potential grades on the staff (55). He throws 94–96, features multiple playable pitches, and projects to 50-grade stuff/movement/control once he matures.

In other words: he’s not ready-made, but he’s the kind of arm you want taking regular turns in a 121-loss recovery season. Every start is both development and evaluation; every rough outing is information.

Slotting Cannon fifth instead of stashing him in Triple-A sends a clear signal about Bishop’s priorities:

The White Sox are willing to live with growing pains at the big-league level.

Potential isn’t just a number in the scouting report – it’s going to be tested on the mound, every fifth day.

The Shape of the Staff

Bishop sets this crew in a strict 5-man rotation, with no starters allowed in relief. That’s a conscious choice: this season is about clearly defined roles, innings, and development curves rather than desperate patch jobs.

You can see the blueprint:

Top of the rotation: Smith as the budding frontline guy.

Middle: Vasil and Pérez stabilizing things with pitchability and veteran savvy.

Back: Martin and Cannon as the developmental laboratory – one in his late 20s trying to solidify a career, one in his mid-20s trying to grow into his potential.

It’s not an Opening Day rotation built to scare October lineups yet. But it is coherent: five legitimate starters, all with multiple pitches, most throwing mid-90s, and two arms (Smith and Cannon) who could still grow into something much more.

For a franchise digging out from 121 losses, that’s a start.

And if PJ Bishop’s words hold – that the White Sox will be about “doing things the right way and bringing respect back to the South Side” – this rotation is the first tangible step: not flashy, not finished, but finally pointed in the right direction, one turn through the order at a time.

[XxVols98xX]

Pen on a Budget: Breaking Down the 2025 White Sox Bullpen

CHICAGO – If PJ Bishop’s rotation is about upside and development, his bullpen is about options. No household names, no big contracts, and not a single reliever rated above the mid-40s on the OOTP scale – but there’s structure, intent, and just enough juice to make late innings interesting instead of inevitable.

The eight-man group:

CL Sean Burke (R) – closer

LHP Brandon Eisert – setup / secondary closer

RHP Penn Murfee – setup

RHP Justin Anderson – middle relief

RHP Justin Dunn – long relief

RHP Mike Clevinger – long relief

RHP Bryse Wilson – long relief

LHP Jared Shuster – lefty specialist

For a team coming off 121 losses, that’s a real bullpen, not just eight guys with RPs next to their names.

The Back End: Sean Burke’s Job to Lose

The ninth inning belongs to Sean Burke, a 25-year-old righty who looks like a classic modern closer in the making.

Burke brings 95–97 mph heat, a 70-grade fastball with 60/60 breaking stuff behind it, and above-average whiff potential to both sides of the plate. His stuff grades out in the mid-50s with room to grow, and the extreme flyball profile plays interestingly in a park that can be punishing if hitters get the ball in the air.

This is a developmental closer, not a finished one: control sits a tick below the rest of his profile, so there will be nights where the zone feels smaller than it should. But if Bishop is serious about building something from the ground up, giving Burke the ball in the ninth from Day 1 is exactly the kind of bet he has to make.

The Setup Duo: Eisert & Murfee

In front of Burke, Bishop leans on a right-left setup combo:

LHP Brandon Eisert – 8th or later, secondary closer

RHP Penn Murfee – 7th or later

Eisert is the more polished of the two. The 27-year-old lefty sits 90–92 mph with a full set of 50s across stuff, movement, and control, but what really pops are the splits: he’s nasty vs. lefties, grading out in the mid-50s there while holding his own against right-handers. Bishop has him tagged as the emergency closer, and it’s easy to see why – he’s the one arm in this pen who looks truly comfortable pitching any pocket of the lineup.

Murfee, 30, is the side of the bridge you hit first. He doesn’t overpower anyone (89–91 mph) but lives on command and deception, with balanced 50 movement and enough control to stay out of self-inflicted trouble. On a staff that will walk its share of hitters, that matters.

The plan is simple: Murfee in the seventh, Eisert in the eighth, Burke in the ninth whenever the Sox actually hand over a late lead.

The Fireman: Justin Anderson

If there’s one reliever fans may fall in love with early, it’s Justin Anderson.

Anderson is 32, right-handed, and throws like he’s late for something. The fastball lives 96–98, backed by a sharp slider and a cutter that give him three legitimate weapons (60/60 fastball and slider, 50 cutter). His movement and control lag behind the stuff – this is not a command artist – but as a pure “come in and blow the inning up in the hitter’s face” option, he’s perfect.

Bishop has him slotted in middle relief with normal usage and mop-up as a secondary role, but that feels more like a starting point than a ceiling. If Burke struggles or the Sox find themselves needing outs in the sixth with traffic on the bases, Anderson is the obvious “hit the panic button” arm.

The Long Men: Clevinger, Wilson & Dunn

Because Bishop doesn’t allow starters to pitch in relief, he’s gone heavy on multi-inning options:

Mike Clevinger (R) – veteran long man

Bryse Wilson (R) – swingman type

Justin Dunn (R) – depth long man

Clevinger, now 34, is the name fans know best. In OOTP terms he’s a 40 overall with average-ish 45 stuff/movement and 50 control, still sitting 93–95 mph with enough pitchability to turn a lineup once or twice in an emergency spot start or early hook scenario. For a club still at the “try to avoid bullpen games by May” stage, that’s valuable.

Bryse Wilson adds a slightly different flavor. He brings 94–96 mph velocity with solid control and a bit more ground-ball tendency. His stuff isn’t overwhelming, but in games where the Sox are trailing by a run or two, Wilson is the kind of arm who can soak three innings and keep things respectable.

Justin Dunn rounds out the trio as the lowest-rated of the bunch but with enough fastball/slider to justify his spot. He’s more pure depth than weapon right now – the guy who protects the rest of the staff when a starter gets knocked out in the second.

None of these three is glamorous, but on a rebuilding team, eating ugly innings so other arms can stay fresh is a job, too.

The Lone Wolf Lefty: Jared Shuster

Finally there’s Jared Shuster, the designated lefty specialist.

Bishop has him set to work only vs. left-handed hitters, leaning on a 94–96 mph fastball and a solid change/slider mix. The overall rating doesn’t jump off the page, but the role does: when an opponent stacks lefties in the middle of the order or a big left-handed bat comes up with men on, Shuster is the matchup card Bishop will play.

In a league that’s constantly trimming LOOGYs, Shuster’s job security will come down to how often he can sneak through an extra righty and still get to the dugout with a zero.

How It Fits Bishop’s Philosophy

For a “ramen budget” bullpen, Bishop has at least given it an identity:

Power at the top (Burke, Anderson, Wilson)

Handedness options late (Eisert from the left, Murfee from the right)

Multiple long men to protect young starters

A defined matchup lefty in Shuster

It’s not the kind of bullpen that shortens games to six innings, not yet. But it is organized, purposeful, and aligned with what Bishop keeps saying publicly: use every tool available, squeeze value out of margins, and live with the mistakes that come from giving real roles to imperfect players.

If the White Sox surprise anyone in 2025, it’ll be because these eight arms turn late-inning chaos into something closer to a plan. For a franchise trying to climb out of the cellar, that alone would feel like progress.

[XxVols98xX]

South Side Redemption Lineup: How PJ Bishop Built the 2025 Everyday Nine

CHICAGO – When PJ Bishop promised “exciting baseball” – hit the ball hard, steal bags, pressure defenses – this is the group he had in mind.

The 2025 White Sox don’t roll out a traditional star-studded offense. Outside of Luis Robert Jr., there are more 45-grade bats than 60s, more grinders than superstars. But top to bottom, Bishop has carved out a clear identity: versatility, speed, and just enough thump to punish mistakes.

Here’s how the Opening Day lineup sets up:

The Everyday Card

Vs RHP + DH

SS Chase Meidroth

1B Andrew Vaughn

LF Miguel Vargas

CF Luis Robert Jr.

RF Nick Maton

3B Andre Lipcius

2B Lenyn Sosa

DH Korey Lee

C Kyle Teel

Vs LHP + DH

SS Chase Meidroth

1B Andrew Vaughn

DH Luis Robert Jr.

LF Miguel Vargas

C Korey Lee

2B Lenyn Sosa

3B Andre Lipcius

RF Nick Maton

CF Michael A. Taylor

Bench bats: Matt Thaiss, Zach DeLoach, Travis Jankowski rotate in as handedness and matchups dictate.

Top of the Order: Contact and On-Base with a Little Chaos
1. Chase Meidroth, SS

Bishop’s very first statement with the lineup: a 23-year-old, bat-first shortstop leading off.

Meidroth brings one of the best offensive profiles on the roster – above-average contact and on-base skills from both sides of the platoon chart, with enough gap pop to keep outfielders honest. Defensively he’s still proving he can stick at short; the glove grades out more average than plus, but Bishop is willing to live with the growing pains if it means a .350–.360 OBP type setting the table.

In a rebuild, this is exactly the kind of gamble you make: if Meidroth hits, the Sox suddenly have a long-term piece at the most valuable infield spot.

2. Andrew Vaughn, 1B

Behind him is Andrew Vaughn, the lineup’s metronome.

Vaughn is built for the two-hole in this version of the Sox: 50-grade bat, balanced contact and power, solid plate discipline, and just enough pop to punish pitchers who come into the zone to avoid walks. He’s not a burner – far from it – but with Meidroth constantly on base ahead of him, Vaughn will have plenty of RBI chances while still getting the extra plate appearance that comes with batting second.

Heart of the Order: Vargas & Robert Jr. as the Engine
3. Miguel Vargas, LF

Bishop slides Miguel Vargas into the three-spot, betting on the bat playing up in guaranteed plate appearances.

Vargas is classic “bat-first corner guy”: solid contact, 50+ gap and home-run power potential, and enough strike-zone control to avoid being just another free-swinging masher. The defensive metrics in left are playable, not pretty, but the speed/steal combo is sneaky-good – 55 speed, 65 stealing – making him a candidate for 15–20 bags if Bishop really sends runners.

4. Luis Robert Jr., CF / DH

Everything still orbits Luis Robert Jr.

He’s the one true star in the lineup: 50+ overall with plus power, plus speed (65), and elite center-field defense (75 range). Against righties he mans center and hits fourth; against lefties Bishop shifts him to DH to protect his legs and leverage his bat while Michael A. Taylor patrols the grass.

If this offense is going to overperform its ratings, it’ll be because Robert Jr. has one of those stretches where he looks like the best player on the planet for a month at a time.

Middle of the Order: Power, Platoons, and Opportunism
5. Nick Maton, RF (vs RHP)

Nick Maton is Bishop’s primary left-handed bat, and he’s deployed in a sweet spot: fifth against righties, eighth against lefties.

Maton brings 45-ish power with enough on-base chops to punish righties, plus a surprisingly solid defensive profile in the corner outfield (above-average arm and range). He’s not a star, but he’s exactly the kind of platoon-friendly role player a low-budget club needs to squeeze value from.

6–7. Andre Lipcius (3B) & Lenyn Sosa (2B)

The infield corners of the middle-middle – Lipcius at third, Sosa at second – are pure “let’s see what we have” plays.

Lipcius offers a well-rounded offensive game: decent contact, modest pop, very strong plate discipline.

Sosa brings a bit more aggression and raw thump, with enough athleticism to make second base work.

Neither glove is gold-plated, but both grade out as functional, and both still hold some upside. If one of them pops, Bishop suddenly has a cheap, controllable infield bat for the next several years.

The Catching Tandem and the 8–9 Turnover
8–9 vs RHP: DH Korey Lee, C Kyle Teel
5 / 9 vs LHP: C Korey Lee, CF Michael A. Taylor

Bishop doesn’t hide the fact that he’s carrying two starting-caliber catchers and using them aggressively.

Korey Lee is the glove-first backstop: 50–55 blocking and framing, a cannon arm (65), and enough power to hurt pitchers who treat him like an auto-out. He catches vs lefties and DHs vs righties, squeezing his bat into the lineup every day.

Kyle Teel, the 23-year-old rookie, has the higher offensive ceiling – a 55 potential bat with good contact skills and a chance to grow into real power. His defense is already strong enough to trust behind the plate, and his presence gives Bishop enviable flexibility with rest days and late-game substitutions.

At the very bottom of the order against righties, Teel becomes a second leadoff man of sorts – a patient hitter with enough speed (55) to turn walks into pressure on the bases.

9 vs LHP: Michael A. Taylor, CF

Against lefties, Bishop swaps in Michael A. Taylor at the nine spot and center field, pushing Robert Jr. to DH.

Taylor brings 60–70-grade defense in center with 60 speed and 70 steal ability; even at 33, he’s a legitimate late-inning weapon. Hitting ninth, he gives Meidroth and Vaughn a chance to work with a runner in motion ahead of them in the middle innings, exactly the kind of “small edges” Bishop keeps talking about in his public comments.

The Bench: DeLoach, Jankowski, Thaiss

Three names don’t show up in the starting cards but will matter:

Zach DeLoach – Left-handed corner outfielder with above-average speed and on-base skills. An easy plug-in on days when Vargas or Maton need rest or when Bishop wants an all-lefty outfield against a certain righty.

Travis Jankowski – Speed-and-defense specialist. With 65+ speed, 75 stealing, and a strong outfield glove, he’s tailor-made for late-game pinch-running and defensive replacement duty.

Matt Thaiss – Lefty bat who can cover first and emergency catching. His raw ratings aren’t loud, but his presence lets Bishop pinch-hit freely for Vaughn or one of the catchers without completely punting defense.

Identity Check: Does This Match Bishop’s Vision?

Look back at Bishop’s introductory promises and you can see the fingerprints all over this card:

“We will play exciting baseball.”

Multiple 60+ speed/steal guys (Robert, Vargas, DeLoach, Jankowski, Taylor).

Two athletic catchers who aren’t black holes with the bat.

A leadoff man in Meidroth built to get on base and run.

“We don’t have the budget to just line up and play old-school ball.”

Heavy platoon usage (Maton, Taylor, Lee/Teel).

Star player protected with DH days.

Bench roles clearly defined instead of eight random backups.

“From the DSL to MLB, we’re building for the long term.”

Young core pieces in Meidroth, Teel, Sosa, Lipcius, Vargas, and of course Robert Jr.

Veterans like Taylor and Jankowski used as role players, not lineup crutches.

Is this a finished product? Not close. There’s no true middle-of-the-order thunder beyond Robert Jr., and the infield defense is still very much a work in progress. But for the first time in a while, the White Sox lineup looks like it was built with a plan:

Get on base. Run. Catch the ball in the outfield. Let your one star shine.
And hope that somewhere in this mix of 45s and 50s, the next pillar of the South Side redemption story emerges.

[XxVols98xX]

From Rock Bottom to the Top: Inside the White Sox’ No. 1–Ranked Farm System

CHICAGO – A year after wearing the scarlet letter of 121 losses, the Chicago White Sox woke up to a very different kind of headline on the Baseball News Network league report:

“Annual Top Systems: 1. Chicago White Sox.”

In the span of one brutal major-league season, the organization that looked hollowed out now sits atop the minor-league rankings, edging out the Red Sox and Rays for the best collection of young talent in baseball. The same front office that keeps reminding everyone, “You give me a ramen budget, you get a ramen team,” has quietly stockpiled steak in the minors.

The Top 5 prospects in the game tell the story:

LHP Noah Schultz

LHP Hagen Smith

RHP Grant Taylor

RHP Shane Smith (already in the MLB rotation)

C Edgar Quero

It’s a group that is heavily tilted toward pitching, exactly how GM/Manager PJ Bishop said he wanted to build it.

“The draft is the most important tool for me,” Bishop said at his introductory press conference. “Player development is right behind it.”

So what does the game’s No. 1 system actually look like? Let’s take a tour.

The Crown Jewel: Noah Schultz, LHP

If the farm system is a skyscraper, Noah Schultz is the steel beam running up the middle.

Still only 21, the 6’9” left-hander already sits in Triple-A Charlotte and checks every box you want in a future ace:

Mid- to upper-90s fastball from a whippy, low three-quarters slot

A biting slider that grades out plus with room to go plus-plus

A rapidly improving changeup that gives him a third weapon against righties

A deepening repertoire that now includes a sinker and cutter

On scouting cards, Schultz shows 60-grade stuff, 60 movement and at least average present command with a chance to be better. In English: hitters don’t see the ball, and when they do, it isn’t usually squared up.

The results have followed. After a brief taste of High-A in 2024, Schultz carved Double-A Birmingham with an ERA south of 1.50, striking out batters at a double-digit-per-nine clip and looking bored doing it. OOTP pegs him as a future frontline starter; the only question is timing.

Bishop has been careful not to rush him, but everyone in the organization understands: the Schultz call-up will be a franchise moment.

An Army of Arms: Pitching, Pitching, and More Pitching

Schultz isn’t alone. The rest of the top of the system reads like an arms dealer’s catalog.

Hagen Smith, LHP

At 21, Hagen Smith is Schultz’s fellow left-handed hammer. He brings a mid-90s fastball that can play up thanks to deception, plus both a slider and changeup that own future-plus grades. The command isn’t as polished as Schultz’s, but in terms of pure stuff, he’s right there.

Scouts see a potential No. 2/3 starter who can miss bats on both sides of the plate. If Schultz is the thunder, Smith is the echo coming right behind him.

Grant Taylor, RHP

Listed as a reliever, Grant Taylor might be the most electric arm in the system pitch for pitch.

He regularly touches the upper-90s and can live around 97–99 with life. His slider and curveball both grade comfortably above average, and the fastball could wear a 70 on some cards. The only real question is durability; his stamina suggests a high-octane multi-inning weapon more than a traditional 200-inning starter.

For Bishop, who loves options, Taylor is the ultimate puzzle piece: future closer, fireman, or even an opener if the Sox lean fully into modern usage.

Christian Oppor & Yobal Rodriguez

Behind the headliners are two more interesting starters:

Christian Oppor, a 20-year-old lefty with a lively low-to-mid-90s fastball and a nasty breaking ball that shows 70-grade future potential. The command is still coming, but the raw ingredients are loud.

Yobal Rodriguez, just 17, already flashes 90s velocity with a promising changeup and the kind of easy arm action that makes scouts comfortable projecting growth.

Neither is close to Chicago yet, but both are reasons the Sox’ system didn’t fall off a cliff once you got past the top three arms.

The Next South Side Lineup: Bats on the Way

The system isn’t just about pitching. The Sox also boast four position players who could anchor lineups in the not-too-distant future.

Edgar Quero, C

At 21, Edgar Quero is the rare catching prospect who might be an asset on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, Quero shows:

Above-average contact skills from both sides of the plate

Developing 20-home-run power

A patient approach that projects to strong on-base numbers

Defensively, he’s not a pure glove wizard yet, but his framing and blocking are trending up, and his arm is solid. In an organization already carrying Kyle Teel and Korey Lee in the majors, Quero gives Bishop the chance to eventually run a three-catcher pipeline, trading from surplus or rotating bats through DH.

If Bishop’s long-term plan is to grind pitchers with fresh, quality catching at every level, Quero is a cornerstone of that strategy.

Colson Montgomery, 2B/IF

The name Sox fans already know, Colson Montgomery, is now settling in as a potential second baseman with enough bat to profile anywhere on the dirt.

Montgomery brings:

50-grade hit tool with room to grow

60-grade future power

Enough athleticism and arm to handle multiple infield spots

Moving off shortstop in this universe might actually help; the offensive bar at second and third is a little lower, and his bat can clear it. He feels like a natural future fit with PJ Bishop’s contact-and-power mix in the top half of the lineup.

Braden Montgomery, OF

No relation, but very much part of the future, Braden Montgomery is a switch-hitting outfielder with real thunder in the bat.

At just 21, his scouting card reads like a future middle-of-the-order threat:

65 future power

Solid 50 hit and gap tools

Enough speed and defense to handle a corner outfield spot

The strikeouts will have to be monitored, but if Bishop is looking for a long-term running mate for Luis Robert Jr. in the middle of the order, Braden might be that guy.

George Wolkow, RF

At 19, George Wolkow is still more idea than finished product, but what an idea: long, left-handed, leverage swing, and 75-grade raw power on some reports. His hit tool is behind the pop for now, but even modest progress could create a devastating power bat in right field.

In a system suddenly thick with outfielders, Wolkow is the highest-variance ticket – but also the one that could change a lineup’s shape all by himself.

Why the System Ranks No. 1

It isn’t just the names; it’s the balance and timeline.

Pitching depth: Schultz, Smith, Taylor, Oppor, Rodriguez – the Sox can realistically dream on three future rotation arms and a high-leverage monster out of that group.

Up-the-middle talent: Quero at catcher, Colson Montgomery in the infield, plus multiple outfielders with center-field experience or corner upside.

Staggered ETAs: Schultz and Quero are knocking on the door. Colson and Braden Montgomery aren’t far behind. Wolkow, Oppor, and Rodriguez form a second wave just behind them.

For a major-league club still trying to climb from “respectable” to “contender,” that staggering matters. Bishop doesn’t need all of these prospects to hit at once; he needs a steady drip of impact at the league minimum while he figures out which veterans are worth paying to keep.

How It Fits the Bishop Blueprint

When PJ Bishop took over, he said it plainly:

“Free agency and trades are to fill immediate holes while the draft is for us to be a long-term winner and stay a winner.”

This farm system is the living proof of that philosophy. The big-league roster he’s rolling out in 2025 is scrappy and imperfect but coherent; the true ceiling of the South Side redemption project lives in Birmingham, Charlotte, and the complexes.

Schultz is the potential ace this rotation doesn’t yet have.

Smith and Taylor could make games effectively six innings when paired with Burke and Eisert.

Quero, Colson, and the two Montgomerys could transform a lineup currently built on role players and one star into something much more dangerous.

For now, those names are just lines on a league report and bars on a scouting screen. But for the first time in a long time, the White Sox are not just chasing hope in the present – they’re holding it in the future, too.

The worst team in baseball last year now owns the best farm system in the sport.

On the South Side, that’s exactly the kind of plot twist PJ Bishop promised when he said he’d fix this club “one move at a time.”

[XxVols98xX]

Angels Take Opening Set, But New-Look White Sox Flash Firepower

CHICAGO – The first series of 2025 at chilly Rate Field had a little bit of everything: a grand slam, a 16-run outburst, a pair of bullpen meltdowns and a mini-roster shakeup. When the smoke cleared, the Los Angeles Angels left town with a 2–1 series win, while the Chicago White Sox came away with equal parts frustration and encouragement.

The headline: the Sox are going to score. The worry: can they stop anybody?

Game 1: Grand Slam Glory, Bullpen Heartbreak

Angels 10, White Sox 6 – March 27

Opening Night followed a script White Sox fans have seen too often.

Down 1–0 after a Mike Trout homer in the first, the Sox exploded in the third. Korey Lee ripped a single, Kyle Teel walked, and Chase Meidroth worked a free pass to load the bases. Andrew Vaughn then announced the start of his season with authority, turning on a José Soriano pitch and lining a grand slam to right to give Chicago a 4–1 lead and send the crowd into early-season delirium.

For a while, Shane Smith made it hold. Trout’s third-inning blast and Logan O’Hoppe’s two-run shot in the fourth chipped away, but Smith gutted through 5.1 innings, leaving with the game tied 4–4.

From there, the bullpen avalanche started.

Bryse Wilson allowed an RBI single in the sixth to put L.A. ahead, then completely lost the handle in the seventh. Kevin Newman singled, Jorge Soler worked a full count before smashing a two-run homer to left, and two batters later Taylor Ward added another two-run shot. By the time the inning mercifully ended, the Angels had hung a four-spot and led 9–4.

The Sox showed some fight – Lee added a two-run single in the eighth and Lenyn Sosa doubled – but never truly threatened again. Final line for the relief crew: 3.2 innings, 6 runs, two long balls, and all of the optimism from Vaughn’s slam washed away.

“It’s tough,” Vaughn would’ve said in any clubhouse scrum. “You feel like you did enough early and then it gets away from you. But it’s Game 1. We’ll be fine.”

Game 2: 16-Run Statement in the Cold

White Sox 16, Angels 3 – March 29

Two days later, the Sox delivered the kind of response every manager dreams about.

Facing veteran lefty Yusei Kikuchi in 36-degree weather with a biting left-to-right wind, Chicago’s offense simply refused to be contained. Chase Meidroth set the tone immediately, lacing a leadoff double and scoring on an Andrew Vaughn single in the first.

The real damage came in the third.

After a brief rain delay, Meidroth reached, Vaughn singled again, Luis Robert Jr. singled, and Miguel Vargas blew the game open with a three-run triple into the right-center gap. The carousel kept turning: Lenyn Sosa doubled Vargas home, Andre Lipcius followed with another RBI triple, and Nick Maton capped the inning with an RBI single. Six runs, six hits and a rattled Kikuchi who didn’t see the fourth.

The fourth inning was somehow worse for the Angels.

Vargas reached again, this time on a grounder and outfield error that plated two more. Lee singled in a run, Sosa doubled again, Lipcius crushed a two-run homer to left, and Maton followed with a 402-foot solo shot of his own. Meidroth doubled yet again and Vaughn singled him home to complete an eight-run frame. By the time the inning was over, the Sox led 15–2.

On a day with 20 Chicago hits, there were stars everywhere:

Miguel Vargas: triple, five RBI, constant loud contact.

Chase Meidroth: three extra-base hits out of the leadoff spot, four runs scored, three steals.

Andrew Vaughn: four more hits and three RBI, continuing his early tear.

Lenyn Sosa & Andre Lipcius: two doubles apiece plus Lipcius’s homer, giving the bottom of the order real teeth.

Nick Maton: three hits, including his own long ball.

On the mound, Mike Vasil’s line (3 IP, 2 ER) wasn’t pretty, but he handed a lead to Mike Clevinger, who stabilized things with 3.2 innings of one-run work before Justin Dunn and Justin Anderson tossed scoreless frames.

The 16–3 final felt like a statement: if you leave the ball over the plate, this lineup is going to punish you, cold air or not.

Game 3: Detmers Dominates, Sox Chasing All Day

Angels 10, White Sox 4 – March 30

The rubber match quickly turned into a long Sunday for Chicago.

Martin Pérez’s first start as a White Sock unraveled in the second. After Taylor Ward reached via hit-by-pitch and gave way to pinch-runner Ryan Noda, a walk and then Jo Adell’s screaming three-run triple to dead center put L.A. on top 3–0.

Matt Thaiss briefly answered with a solo blast off Reid Detmers in the bottom half, but the third inning was a full-scale collapse. Soler led off with a homer, O’Hoppe and Trout singled, walks piled up, and the Angels strung together patient at-bats and line drives to push six more runs across. Detmers got plenty of help from the Sox’ wildness; Pérez and Bryse Wilson combined for four walks in the inning as Los Angeles built a 9–1 cushion.

From there Detmers took over. The lefty held Chicago to two runs over six innings, striking out nine and repeatedly escaping mild traffic with well-spotted breaking balls. Thaiss doubled and scored in the fourth and later singled again, while Lipcius and Zach DeLoach chipped in run-scoring hits in the eighth, but the Sox never seriously threatened.

Nicky Lopez’s solo shot off Justin Anderson in the eighth made it 10–2 before the late Chicago mini-rally set the 10–4 final.

If Opening Night was a bullpen loss, the finale was squarely on the shoulders of the rotation. Pérez’s line – 2.2 IP, 9 R (8 ER), 6 hits, 5 walks – summed up the day.

Early Themes: Big Bats, Big Questions

Three games is a tiny sample, but some trends already stand out.

1. The top of the order looks legit.
Chase Meidroth reached base constantly and stole four bags in the series. Andrew Vaughn exited the weekend with a grand slam, multiple multi-hit games and already looking like the lineup’s anchor. When those two are on in front of Robert Jr., Vargas and Lee, the Sox can bury teams in a hurry, as Game 2 showed.

2. The bottom isn’t a black hole.
Lenyn Sosa, Andre Lipcius, Matt Thaiss and Nick Maton all contributed extra-base damage. That’s a notable change from recent White Sox teams that relied on three or four hitters to do all the work.

3. Pitching depth is going to be tested.
Shane Smith flashed enough to stay in the rotation conversation, but both Wilson appearances were rough, and Pérez’s first outing was a disaster. Clevinger and Dunn were the bright spots out of the ‘pen, while Vasil showed just enough to be intriguing. Still, 23 runs allowed in three games is not a sustainable blueprint.

Roster Moves: Rehab Caravan to Charlotte

While the Angels series played out on the South Side, the transaction wire kept humming – and all roads led to AAA Charlotte:

March 28: SS Josh Rojas began a rehab assignment with the Knights.

March 30: 1B Mike Tauchman followed, also heading to Charlotte on rehab.

March 31: RP Tyler Gilbert was sent out on his own rehab stint, giving Charlotte a suddenly crowded pitching staff.

Those impending returns forced some early tough decisions:

3B Bryan Ramos was optioned to AAA, where he’ll get everyday at-bats rather than bounce around a bench role.

LF Austin Slater was waived and designated for assignment, clearing out one veteran corner-outfield spot as the club leans into younger, more versatile pieces like DeLoach and Jankowski.

The message is pretty clear: the Sox are treating 2025 as a transition year but not a passive one. Rehab returns and prospect promotions are going to churn the roster, and underperformers won’t be gifted long leashes.

Big-Picture Takeaway

The Angels leave town with a series win, but the story of the opening set is more nuanced for Chicago:

Ceiling: When the bats click, as they did in the 16–3 demolition, this team looks explosive and genuinely fun.

Floor: When starting pitching falters and the bullpen is asked to cover too many stressful innings, things can snowball quickly – and they did twice.

If the Sox can find a stable five in the rotation and tighten up the middle-relief bridge, they’ve got enough offense to hang around in the AL Central all season. If not, fans might be seeing a lot of 10–6 and 10–4 scorelines – on both sides – as 2025 unfolds.

Either way, after one frigid, chaotic weekend, one thing is clear: this version of the White Sox won’t be boring.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Overview

The Sox took the opener but dropped the next two, losing the set 1–2. Through six games they now sit at 2–4, with the same “good pitching one night, leaky the next” theme showing up again.

Game 1 – Sox 3, Twins 1

Davis Martin survived a rocky first (solo shot by Mickey Gasper) and then settled in for 3.0 IP, 1 R, 4 K. The bullpen slammed the door: Shuster, Murfee, Eisert, and Burke combined for six scoreless, striking out nine.

Offensively, the Sox did just enough:

2nd inning: Luis Robert Jr. singled, Lenyn Sosa drove him in, and the Sox pulled level.

4th inning: Maton, Lipcius and Sosa strung together hits, with Sosa’s single plating the go-ahead run.

Meidroth tacked on insurance with a late RBI double.

Clean defense and 10 K’s from the staff made it feel like a blueprint win.

Game 2 – Twins 4, Sox 3

Jonathan Cannon couldn’t dodge the long ball. After Robert Jr. blasted a 2-run homer in the first to put the Sox up 2–1, Minnesota answered with a Wallner solo shot and Buxton 2-run homer in the third, flipping it to 4–2.

Key notes:

Cannon: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 2 HR – lots of strikes, but too much hard contact.

Joe Ryan punched out nine Sox and held them to two runs through six before tiring late.

The Sox chipped back: Meidroth’s double and a Vargas RBI double in the 8th cut it to 4–3, but they stranded the tying run in scoring position in both the 6th and 8th.

It was a “missed chances” loss: only six hits, but five walks, and not enough damage with men on.

Game 3 – Twins 9, Sox 7

Absolute roller coaster.

Shane Smith kept things scoreless for two innings, then the third inning blew up: a Mathias walk, Vázquez RBI double, and Wallner 2-run homer put Minnesota up 3–0. The Sox immediately punched back in the bottom half:

Lipcius walk, Sosa single, DeLoach RBI infield hit, then

Chase Meidroth’s 3-run homer to left for a 4–3 Sox lead.

From there it turned into a slugfest:

Top 5th: Correa double, Buxton double, and Jeffers 2-run homer off Smith/Wilson gave the Twins a four-run frame and an 8–5 lead.

Bottom 6th: Sosa double, DeLoach double, Meidroth RBI single – Sox close it to 8–7.

Top 9th: Buxton HBP, steal, and a Jeffers RBI single off Murfee made it 9–7 and gave the Twins just enough cushion.

The Sox brought the tying run to the plate in both the 8th and 9th but couldn’t find one more big swing.

Standouts:

Chase Meidroth: 3-hit game with a HR and 4 RBI across the last two contests.

Zach DeLoach: on base machine with doubles and walks, and some aggressive baserunning.

Lenyn Sosa: three extra-base hits in the series.

Transactions / Roster Moves

All this came amid a flurry of roster shuffling:

SS Josh Rojas to AAA Charlotte (rehab) – March 28

1B Mike Tauchman to AAA Charlotte (rehab) – March 30

RP Tyler Gilbert to AAA Charlotte (rehab) – March 31

3B Bryan Ramos optioned to AAA Charlotte – March 31

LF Austin Slater DFA’d – March 31

The roster is clearly in flux as injured pieces work back and the front office trims the fringes of the bench.

Big Picture – Through 6 Games (2–4)

Record: 2–4 (1–2 vs Angels, 1–2 vs Twins)

Run differential: competitive in nearly every game, but late big innings against the staff keep flipping results.

What’s working:

The bullpen A-team (Murfee, Eisert, Burke, Shuster) generally looks legit.

Meidroth, Sosa, Maton, DeLoach are giving quality ABs and surprising pop.

What’s not:

Too many crooked numbers allowed in a single inning (6-run frame vs Angels, 4-run and 5-run frames vs Twins).

Middle of the order (Vargas, Robert Jr., occasionally Vaughn) still hasn’t fully heated up despite flashes.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Overview – at Detroit (April 4–6)

The White Sox dropped two of three at Comerica Park but salvaged the finale to leave town at 3–6 on the year. The theme of the weekend was late drama: Chicago mounted big ninth-inning rallies in all three games, but bullpen issues and extra-inning rules burned them twice before a much-needed win on Sunday.

On April 7th, the club followed the trip by releasing LF Austin Slater, trimming a veteran from the outfield mix.

Game 1 – Tigers 6, White Sox 4 (10 inn.) – April 4

Reese Olson dominated early and the Tigers carried a 4–0 lead into the ninth, but the Sox finally woke up.

9th-inning rally: Down four, Chicago strung together three hits and a walk against Jason Foley and Will Vest. Kyle Teel’s sac fly and Andre Lipcius’s RBI double helped push four runs across to tie it 4–4.

Walk-off blow: Extra innings didn’t last long. With the automatic runner on second, Gleyber Torres crushed a two-run walk-off homer off Sean Burke in the bottom of the 10th.

Pitching: Mike Vasil battled through 4.2 innings (2 R, 6 K). The bullpen kept things close until Burke’s mistake pitch ended it.

The loss dropped Chicago to 2–5, wasting what was almost a statement comeback.

Game 2 – Tigers 5, White Sox 4 (10 inn.) – April 5

Saturday was even more painful: another late charge, another extra-inning loss, and this time a long rain delay mixed in.

Rain & short start: Martín Pérez didn’t escape the third and a 54-minute rain delay ended his day early. The bullpen (Wilson, Clevinger, Murfee, Burke, Eisert) had to cover the final 7+ innings.

Tigers edge ahead: Detroit chipped away to take a 3–1 lead into the ninth behind Jack Flaherty’s 6.1 strong innings.

Sox tie it in the 9th: Will Vest couldn’t close it. After a Nick Maton single, Zach DeLoach and Travis Jankowski ripped back-to-back RBI doubles to tie the game 3–3.

Go-ahead in the 10th: With the ghost runner, Chicago scratched out a run on an Andrew Vaughn single and Miguel Vargas infield hit to go up 4–3.

Another walk-off: Detroit answered in the bottom half. Manuel Margot’s single, an error on Javier Báez’s grounder, and Eduardo Escobar’s sac fly off Brandon Eisert walked it off, 5–4.

Chicago fell to 2–6, with back-to-back extra-inning heartbreakers and a very taxed bullpen.

Game 3 – White Sox 7, Tigers 4 (called after 8) – April 6

The Sox finally cashed in on their early offense and got enough pitching to close the trip with a 7–4 win in a rain-shortened finale.

Tigers strike first: Spencer Torkelson’s leadoff homer and an RBI knock from Colt Keith staked Detroit to a 2–0 first-inning lead.

Immediate response: Chicago answered with two runs in the 2nd (Vargas double, Matt Thaiss RBI single, and a second run on an Andre Lipcius double play) to tie it 2–2, then took the lead for good with a Chase Meidroth triple and Andrew Vaughn RBI single in the 3rd.

Big middle innings:

4th: Luis Robert Jr. singled, stole second, and scored on a Nick Maton RBI single to make it 4–2.

5th: Vaughn opened with a solo homer off Casey Mize, then later in the frame Thaiss ripped a two-run double to blow it open at 7–2.

On the mound: Davis Martin gave a solid five innings (3 R, 2 ER, 5 K). Justin Anderson and Justin Dunn handled the late frames; Dunn surrendered a two-run shot to Zach McKinstry in the 7th, but that only cut it to 7–4.

Weather ends it early: Heavy rain rolled in, and after Chicago batted in the top of the eighth the game was called, locking in the 7–4 score.

The win snapped the skid and moved the Sox to 3–6, while also showing what the offense can do when the middle of the order (Vaughn, Robert Jr., Vargas, Thaiss) is clicking.

Big Picture

Late-inning offense: Three straight ninth-inning rallies show this lineup doesn’t roll over.

Bullpen strain: Two extra-inning walk-off losses and a rain-delay game exposed how thin the relief corps can look when overworked.

Roster note: The post-series release of Austin Slater signals a tightening of the outfield picture as the club leans into Robert Jr., Maton, Vargas, DeLoach/Jankowski, and the catching duo of Teel/Lee/Thaiss for offense.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Recap

Guardians sweep White Sox, take all three at Progressive Field

The road trip went from bad to worse for Chicago, as the Guardians took all three games in Cleveland by scores of 5–2, 11–7 and 7–6, dropping the White Sox to 3–9 on the year while Cleveland climbs back to 6–6.

Game 1 – April 8

Guardians 5, White Sox 2
Bibee outduels Cannon, Manzardo’s 3-run blast the difference

Jonathan Cannon cruised early but one bad inning sank Chicago. With two on and two out in the 3rd, Kyle Manzardo turned a 0–0 game into a 3–0 Guardians lead with a three–run homer to right. Cannon finished with 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 K, taking the loss.

The Sox chipped away:

Lenyn Sosa singled and Korey Lee doubled in the 5th to set up Kyle Teel’s RBI groundout.

In the 8th, Andrew Vaughn doubled home Chase Meidroth to make it 5–2.

That was all they’d get against Tanner Bibee, who earned Player of the Game honors with 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 5 K. Three Cleveland relievers – Tim Herrin, Paul Sewald and Cade Smith – closed it out.

Game 2 – April 9

Guardians 11, White Sox 7
Chicago’s 7–4 lead evaporates in seven-run Cleveland 8th

Game 2 was a wild one that slipped away late.

Chicago’s offense did plenty early:

Miguel Vargas homered in the 1st.

A four-run 5th capped by Vargas’s second homer of the night and RBI knocks from Luis Robert Jr. and Lenyn Sosa pushed the Sox ahead.

Zach DeLoach added a pinch-hit double and Robert Jr. an RBI in the 7th as Chicago built a 7–4 cushion.

But Cleveland kept answering. Spencer Torkelson and Nolan Jones powered the attack, and the Guardians finally broke through against the bullpen in the 8th. With the game tied 7–7, Bo Naylor ripped a two-run double off Brandon Eisert, keying a seven-run frame that turned a tight game into an 11–7 Cleveland win.

White Sox starter Shane Smith was tagged for 6 ER on 10 hits in 5.1 IP. Chicago’s relievers Penn Murfee and Eisert combined to allow 5 ER in the 8th.

Cleveland’s offense was led by Nolan Jones (3-for-4 with a walk, 2 RBI, 1 R) and José Ramírez, who homered and drove in three. Game Notes also listed C Austin Hedges as injured in a collision at the plate.

Game 3 – April 10

Guardians 7, White Sox 6
Vasil shines, but another late collapse costs Chicago

Chicago appeared ready to salvage the finale behind an excellent start from Mike Vasil. The right-hander held Cleveland to 1 run on 3 hits over 6.0 innings, striking out five and walking one.

The offense staked him to a big lead:

1st: Nick Maton was hit by a pitch and scored on Miguel Vargas’s RBI single.

3rd: Andrew Vaughn and Maton singled; Vargas singled in Meidroth for a 2–0 edge.

5th: Vaughn doubled, Maton singled, and Luis Robert Jr. launched a two-run homer to right, pushing the lead to 5–1.

6th: Zach DeLoach crushed a solo shot (424 ft) to make it 6–1.

Vasil left with that five-run cushion, but the bullpen couldn’t hold it. Cleveland chipped away with a run in the 8th off Justin Anderson, then everything unraveled:

The first four Guardians of the inning reached on three singles and a walk.

Bo Naylor and Brayan Rocchio delivered run-scoring hits.

Steven Kwan added another RBI single as Cleveland sent ten men to the plate, scoring six times to surge ahead 7–6.

Chicago went quietly in the 9th against Cade Smith and Joey Cantillo, stranding the tying run in the dugout. Robinson Martínez picked up the win in relief; Penn Murfee was charged with the loss and blown save.

Game notes also reported that CL Cade Smith left with an injury while pitching during the series.

Series Notes

Sox bats:

Andrew Vaughn stayed hot, collecting extra-base hits in all three games and tallying 3 doubles, a homer and multiple RBI.

Miguel Vargas homered three times in the series (once in Game 1 vs DET previously, twice here) and drove in a pile of runs, continuing to be the club’s main power source.

Nick Maton went 5-for-11 with a homer and several RBI out of the 2-spot over the last two games.

On the mound:

Mike Vasil turned in the best start of the set (6 IP, 1 ER) only to see a win slip away.

Starters Jonathan Cannon and Shane Smith both had one crooked inning that defined their outings.

The bullpen was the clear issue: Chicago relievers gave up 18 runs over the three games, including 13 in the 8th inning alone (7 in Game 2, 6 in Game 3).

Guardians standouts:

Nolan Jones (multi-hit games, key RBI), Kyle Manzardo (3-run HR in Game 1, big homer in Game 2), and Bo Naylor (go-ahead two-run double in Game 2, big hits again in Game 3) were constant problems.

Tanner Bibee’s strong Game 1 start and the late-inning work of Sewald, Herrin, Smith and Cantillo helped Cleveland repeatedly slam the door.

Roster / Injury updates:

Prior to the series (April 7), the White Sox released LF Austin Slater, opening up more playing time for Zach DeLoach, Miguel Vargas and Nick Maton in the corner-outfield/DH mix.

The Guardians may be monitoring injuries to C Austin Hedges (collision at the plate in Game 2) and CL Cade Smith (left Game 3 while pitching).

[XxVols98xX]

Series overview

Result: White Sox win series 2–1 vs Red Sox

Record: now 5–10

Run differential vs BOS: CWS 16, BOS 22 (two tight wins, one blowout loss)

Game 1 – Walkoff chaos

White Sox 6, Red Sox 5 (10 inn.) – 4/11

Dream start: Meidroth double, Robert 2-run shot, and Korey Lee solo in the 1st = quick 3–0 lead. Newcomb threw 100+ pitches in <5 IP and you made him pay.

Perez shaky but serviceable: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 7 K. Dominant first three, then the 5th got ugly (Campbell 2-run HR, Casas solo).

Bullpen marathon:

Shuster/Wilson/Eisert bridged to the 9th; Burke tried to close it but Casas walk + small ball + sac fly from Duran tied it.

Extras: Chapman intentionally walked Vargas in the 10th, Lee singled, and Lenyn Sosa shot a walkoff single through the left side to score Vargas.

Key performers

Luis Robert Jr.: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 SB, several big defensive plays.

Chase Meidroth: table-setter, 3 hits including that leadoff double.

Lenyn Sosa: the walkoff knock and solid second base defense.

Game 2 – Vargas and the middle of the order slug a comeback

White Sox 7, Red Sox 5 – 4/12

Martin vs. Giolito had “who blinks first?” vibes. Martin punched out 9 in 4.2 IP but one crooked inning (Casas grand slam) flipped a 3–0 lead into a 4–3 deficit.

Third inning punch: Teel walk, Meidroth walk, Vaughn RBI grounder, then Miguel Vargas crushed a 2-run homer to left for a 3–0 lead.

The Boston 5th: Wong single, two walks, sac fly from Sabol, then Casas’ three-run blast to right. 4–3 BOS.

Game-winning 6th:

Lee single, Teel single, Meidroth RBI single (4–4).

Bases-loaded walk to Vaughn and then another to Vargas made it 6–4.

Robert sac fly pushed it to 6–4; Boston never quite recovered.

Insurance in the 7th: Sosa single, steal, and Meidroth smoked a double for a 7–5 cushion.

Pitching

Davis Martin: 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 9 K – kept you in it despite the big swing.

Bryse Wilson: 2.0 scoreless for the win, Clevinger/Eisert locked it down from there.

Standouts

Vargas: HR, multiple walks, constant traffic in the middle.

Meidroth: on base all series; 2 more hits and the big double.

Sosa: 3 hits, 2 steals, quietly a pest.

Game 3 – Houck and Devers slam the door

Red Sox 12, White Sox 3 – 4/13

Early signs: Abreu’s 1st-inning homer put Cannon behind right away. You tied it in the 3rd (Meidroth single, steal, Robert sac fly), but never led.

Game turns in 4th–5th:

4th: string of singles + wild pitch = 3-run Boston frame.

5th: Devers leadoff double, then Bregman 2-run homer off Cannon made it 6–1 and effectively ended his day.

Dunn/Anderson/Shuster couldn’t stop the bleeding; Devers’ 2-run shot and Rafaela’s late double blew it open to 10–2 and then 12–3.

Offensively you scratched out 3 runs (Robert sac fly, Maton RBI double, Meidroth RBI double), but just 3 hits total and very little sustained pressure.

Player of the Series (White Sox)

Miguel Vargas

Hit in all three games and was right in the middle of every rally:

Game 1: big early ABs plus scored the winning run in extras.

Game 2: 2-run HR and a bases-loaded walk; 3 RBI total.

Game 3: still reached base and drove the ball even in a blowout.

He’s starting to look like a legitimate middle-order anchor.

Honorable mentions: Chase Meidroth (on-base monster; key doubles & RBI), Luis Robert Jr. (power, speed, defense, impact in every close game).

Pitching snapshot from the set

Arrow up

Bryse Wilson: 4.0 IP across Games 2–3 with only one run allowed, plus the win in Game 2.

Back-end trio (Clevinger, Hendriks, Eisert): closed out the Game 2 win cleanly; Eisert also put out fires in Game 1.

Concern

Cannon & Dunn: combined 6.0 IP, 10 ER vs a patient Boston lineup. Walks and deep counts were a problem.

Perez/Martin: each had one bad inning that turned good starts into merely “fine.” Still, both at least got into the 5th and kept you competitive.

Lineup / roster notes

Zach DeLoach optioned to AAA (4/15):

Classic “numbers game” move: RF/LF is crowded with Vargas, Robert, Maton shuttling around, plus Taylor as the true glove.

DeLoach delivered one of the year’s biggest swings so far (monster HR vs Newcomb earlier in the homestand), but with sporadic playing time and some chase, he’s the easy option guy.

Josh Rojas activated from IL:

Adds a lefty bat and real infield versatility (2B/3B/SS).

Likely squeezes Maton’s playing time at short and could eat into Meidroth/Lipcius reps if they cool off.

Also gives you a legit bench bat vs RHP late in games where you’d been leaning on Taylor or backup catcher spots.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Recap

California Athletics at Chicago White Sox
Result: A’s win series, 2–1
Chicago record: 6–12

Game 1 – A’s 4, White Sox 2 (4/15)

Luis Severino and the A’s staff kept your lineup mostly quiet in the opener.

California scratched one across in the 1st after a Jarren Duran misplay in center set up an RBI knock from Nick Kurtz.

Esteury Ruiz added an RBI infield single in the 4th, and Lawrence Butler’s RBI double in the 5th made it 3–1.

Shea Langeliers provided insurance with a solo homer in the 8th.

Offensively, you finally broke through in the 4th when Luis Robert Jr. singled and Andre Lipcius drove him in. Miguel Vargas launched a solo shot in the 9th, but the comeback stopped there. You stranded 12 runners, which really told the story of the night.

Game 2 – White Sox 4, A’s 1 (4/16)

This was your cleanest, most complete win of the series.

Mike Vasil shoved: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K, facing just one real jam all night.

In the 3rd, Lenyn Sosa and Kyle Teel set the table, and Vargas’ deep sac fly made it 1–0.

The big swing came in the 4th: Luis Robert Jr. triple, then newly activated Josh Rojas crushed a 2-run homer to right to push it to 3–0.

A’s finally got on the board in the 6th on a Nick Kurtz RBI double, but the pen (Murfee, Anderson, Burke) closed it down.

In the 7th, Meidroth’s sac fly brought home Teel for a key insurance run.

You only had five hits, but they were loud and well-timed, and the pitching/defense did the rest.

Game 3 – A’s 8, White Sox 2 (4/17)

The finale got away immediately and never really came back.

Martin Pérez was ambushed: a leadoff single, a walk, then a 3-run Brent Rooker homer. Later in the inning, Esteury Ruiz added a 2-run shot. It was 5–0 before your lineup even settled in.

Two more runs in the 2nd and a solo blast by Langeliers in the 4th stretched it to 8–0.

Your bullpen (Dunn, Bryse Wilson) stabilized things, tossing 5+ scoreless and at least keeping you from burning more arms.

Offensively, you didn’t break through until the 7th, when Andrew Vaughn singled and Luis Robert Jr. followed with a 2-run homer off José Leclerc. That’s all you got; Mitch Spence otherwise cruised through six shutout frames.

Series Themes & Standouts

Luis Robert Jr. – Impact all over: multiple hits, a triple, a home run in Game 3, several steals, and some aggressive baserunning that kept pressure on the A’s.

Josh Rojas’ return – Immediately slotted in at short and made noise: the huge 2-run homer in Game 2, plus added contact and speed at the top half of the lineup.

Pitching rollercoaster –

Vasil’s dominant start in Game 2 was exactly what your rotation needed.

On the flip side, rough outings from Shane Smith (Game 1) and especially Pérez (Game 3) put you in early holes.

RISP issues – You repeatedly put traffic on the bases (especially in Game 1), but the big hit was often missing. California out-slugged you early; you answered late, but usually from too far behind.

Overall: you grab the middle game behind Vasil/Rojas/Robert Jr., but two flat offensive nights and a nightmare first inning in the finale give California the 2–1 series win. You head out of the set at 6–12.

News / Transactions

April 15, 2025

LF Zach DeLoach optioned to AAA Charlotte.

SS Josh Rojas activated off the IL and joins the MLB club (immediately starting at short and homering in Game 2).

April 16, 2025

SP Jesse Scholtens optioned to AAA Charlotte.

April 18, 2025

1B Matt Thaiss designated for assignment.

LF Mike Tauchman activated off the IL.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Overview

After dropping the opener in a pitchers’ duel, Chicago ripped off three straight wins at Fenway to grab a badly needed road series. The rotation turned in three straight quality efforts after Game 1, the bullpen survived a ton of leverage, and the offense finally woke up with late-inning damage in Games 2 and 4.

Game 1 – Red Sox 2, White Sox 1

Giolito outduels Martin in tight opener

Luis Robert Jr. got the trip started with a 426-foot solo shot to straightaway center in the 2nd, but that was the only dent Chicago could make against Lucas Giolito, who fanned ten over 5.2 innings.

Davis Martin matched him for five scoreless frames before a walk and a mistake turned fatal: Triston Casas launched a two-run homer to right in the 6th, flipping the game.

Chicago’s best late chance came in the 8th with Lenyn Sosa’s leadoff double, but Giolito and the Boston bullpen (Adams, Wilson, Chapman) slammed the door. Martin’s line (5.2 IP, 2 ER) went to waste as the Sox fell to 6–13.

Game 2 – White Sox 4, Red Sox 2

Cannon grinds, Rojas and Maton spark comeback

Boston again scored first on Jarren Duran’s leadoff homer, but Jonathan Cannon settled in, giving Chicago 7.0 innings of two-run ball while navigating traffic and a rain delay.

Chicago tied it in the 3rd when Kyle Teel singled and Chase Meidroth ripped an RBI double. The game stayed 1–1 until the 4th-inning Devers blast made it 2–1 Boston, but the bullpen (Eisert and Burke) kept it there.

In the 7th, the offense finally broke through:

Josh Rojas crushed a go-ahead solo homer off Liam Hendriks.

In the 9th, Andrew Vaughn lined an RBI single and Nick Maton followed with another RBI knock for insurance.

Burke handled the 9th for the save as Chicago evened the series and moved to 7–13.

Game 3 – White Sox 2, Red Sox 1

Clevinger & the pen pick up an injured Smith

This one turned into a bullpen and defense showcase for Chicago. Shane Smith left after just one inning with an injury, forcing Mike Clevinger into early duty. Clevinger answered with 5 strong innings, allowing only a single run on a Devers RBI in the 3rd.

The game flipped in the 5th:

Luis Robert Jr. reached on an error.

Josh Rojas smoked an RBI double to right-center.

Kyle Teel followed with a line-drive RBI single to give Chicago a 2–1 lead.

From there, Jared Shuster, Brandon Eisert, and Sean Burke combined for three scoreless innings, Burke nailing down another tense save. Chicago climbed to 8–13, and Boston’s offense was held to a single run for the second straight day.

Game 4 – White Sox 8, Red Sox 4

Big third, bigger eighth cap series win

Chicago’s offense finally exploded. After two quiet innings against Walker Buehler, the Sox erupted for four runs in the 3rd:

Meidroth walk, Vargas single, and a Nick Maton RBI single loaded the line.

Luis Robert Jr. ripped a two-run double.

Mike Tauchman added a sacrifice fly and Andre Lipcius punched an RBI single to cap the frame.

Mike Vasil gave the team 5.2 innings of two-run ball, but Boston chipped back to 5–3 thanks to a Devers RBI and a Romy Gonzalez homer.

The bullpen was teetering until the 8th, when the offense slammed the door:

Travis Jankowski singled and stole third.

Meidroth singled him home.

Miguel Vargas then rifled an RBI double, and Maton followed with another RBI double to make it 8–3.

Boston scratched one in the 9th, but Dunn and Shuster finished it off. Chicago took the game and the series, landing at 9–13.

Series Standouts

Lineup

Nick Maton: consistent damage all series, including multiple multi-hit games and big RBI doubles in Games 3 & 4.

Josh Rojas: go-ahead homer in Game 2, RBI double in Game 3, and another big extra-base hit in Game 4.

Luis Robert Jr.: two homers in the set (Game 1 bomb, Game 2 HR) plus key RBIs in the finale.

Chase Meidroth: on-base machine in the leadoff spot, piling up walks, a big RBI double, and sparking the 4-run 3rd and 3-run 8th in Game 4.

Kyle Teel: a quietly clutch series, with RBI singles in both of the tight one-run wins.

Pitching

Mike Vasil & Jonathan Cannon: each gave deep, competitive starts in their wins, stabilizing the rotation.

Mike Clevinger: emergency long-relief hero in Game 3, throwing five innings of one-run ball after Smith’s injury.

Back-end bullpen (Shuster, Eisert, Burke): combined to protect narrow leads in Games 2 and 3 and help close out the set.

Injury Report

SP Shane Smith left his April 20th start after one inning with an apparent injury. No specific diagnosis yet, but his status bears watching heading into the next series.

News/Transactions

April 20th, 2025

LF Andrew Benintendi sent down to AAA Charlotte for a rehab assignment.

April 22nd, 2025

1B Matt Thaiss assigned to AAA Charlotte.

[XxVols98xX]

Game 1 – Sox 3, Twins 2

Vargas steals it late

Miguel Vargas was the offense: RBI double in the 3rd and a towering solo shot off Jhoan Duran in the 9th for the game-winner (3 RBI total).

Martin Pérez danced through traffic (4.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 BB), but the ‘pen picked him up: Bryse Wilson, Justin Anderson and Sean Burke combined for 4.1 scoreless, Burke locking down save No. 5.

Chase Meidroth and Kyle Teel set the table (two hits each), while the defense turned a Lipcius–Meidroth–Vaughn double play at a key moment.

Storyline: first true “bullpen win” of the year – heavy traffic for Minnesota (11 LOB) but no damage after the 4th.

Game 2 – Sox 3, Twins 0

Davis Martin shoves, Rojas provides thunder

Davis Martin was excellent: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 K, no walks – efficient and in control all night.

Bullpen perfection again: Shuster, Murfee, and Eisert closed the last three frames without allowing a run.

The offense did just enough early (Lipcius RBI double in the 1st) and then Josh Rojas crushed a solo homer in the 9th for breathing room.

Andrew Vaughn, Nick Maton and Rojas all chipped in extra-base knocks as Chicago out-slugged Minnesota 7–5 in total bases despite only three runs.

Storyline: back-to-back one-run, then shutout wins – Sox clinch the series behind 18 straight scoreless innings from the staff (4th inning of Game 1 through the end of Game 2).

Game 3 – Twins 5, Sox 2

Cannon wobbles, Buxton and friends avoid sweep

Jonathan Cannon again fought his command (4.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, HBP). Byron Buxton punished him with a 2-run blast in the 1st, and Minnesota never trailed.

Mike Tauchman did his best to drag the offense along, rapping two RBI singles (both driving in Travis Jankowski after steals), but the lineup mustered just six hits.

The game got away in the 8th: Clevinger and Shuster combined for three walks, a sac fly from Trevor Larnach and an RBI single by Carlos Correa to push it from 3-2 to 5-2.

Jhoan Duran slammed the door in the 9th, stranding two runners to preserve the win for the Twins.

Storyline: control issues and free passes finally bite the bullpen after a near-perfect first two games.

Series Themes & Standouts

Pitching carries the trip (mostly)

Team allowed just 10 runs in 27 innings (3.33 RA), and five of those came in the finale.

Davis Martin’s 6 scoreless and the combined bullpen line in Games 1–2 (8.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R) are huge positives.

On the flip side, Cannon’s rough rookie April continues, and Pérez was inefficient even in a “fine” start.

Sneaky, aggressive baserunning

Meidroth, Jankowski and Teel all grabbed bags; Jankowski in particular basically manufactured a run by himself in Game 3.

This club suddenly looks willing to push the envelope – something that fits the low-scoring, pitching-first identity.

Bats: just enough, but still inconsistent

Vargas (series-winning HR + RBI double), Rojas (2 HR in back-to-back nights), and Lipcius (pair of key doubles) look like the current heartbeat of the lineup.

The overall run total – 9 runs in 3 games – shows the margin for error remains razor thin. When the walks and strikeouts spike (Game 3), there isn’t enough raw thump to bail them out.

Series MVPs (Sox)

Davis Martin: 6.0 IP, 0 R in Game 2, setting the tone for the shutout.

Miguel Vargas: go-ahead bomb off Duran plus 3 RBI in Game 1, and the monstrous 9th-inning shot in the opener is the single biggest swing of the series.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Overview

Result: A’s take 2 of 3
Records: White Sox 12–16, A’s 19–10

You steal the opener in the 9th, then lose an absolutely brutal 13-inning marathon and get handled in the finale. Big picture: the rotation mostly held its own, the offense continues to be just short, and the bullpen logged a ton of high-stress innings and came out of it with an injury.

Game 1 – Late Thunder Steals One (CWS 3, CAL 2)

Story: Down 2–1 in the 9th against Mason Miller, your offense finally broke through.

9th-inning rally:

Miguel Vargas works a walk.

Mike Tauchman, pinch-hitting, rips a game-tying RBI double into the gap.

Travis Jankowski’s sac fly puts you ahead, and Michael A. Taylor’s pinch-hit RBI single adds insurance.

On the mound:

Shane Smith: 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 K – easily his best start of the year, matching Ginn pitch for pitch.

Murfee / Eisert / Burke combine for 3 scoreless, with Burke getting the save by blowing through the heart of the A’s order.

Key Sox hitters:

Nick Maton and Andre Lipcius both double.

Tauchman’s PH double is the swing play of the night.

Tone: You finally win one of these close, low-scoring games on the road, and it feels like a potential momentum shifter.

Game 2 – The One That Got Away (CAL 4, CWS 3 – 13 innings)

This is the game that defined the series.

Early: Nick Kurtz’s 2-run shot in the 1st puts you behind again.

Answer back:

In the 4th, Maton doubles, Lipcius singles, and Andrew Vaughn laces a 2-run double to tie it 2–2.

Pitching duel from there:

Mike Vasil: 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 K. Electric stuff, a couple of mistakes but he absolutely looked like a rotation anchor.

Bryse Wilson: 3.0 shutout innings out of the pen – huge.

9th-inning drama both ways:

Top 9: Josh Rojas ambushes Enyel De Los Santos for a go-ahead solo shot to right, giving you a 3–2 lead.

Bottom 9: With two outs, Jhonny Pereda sneaks a game-tying RBI single off Sean Burke. That’s your second blown 9th-inning lead in a week.

Extras:

You strand the free runner over and over (15 team LOB in total), including runners at third with less than two outs multiple times.

The bullpen keeps surviving traffic until the 13th, when Jacob Wilson lines a single to left off Brandon Eisert to walk it off, scoring Lawrence Butler from third.

Sox standouts:

Josh Rojas: 3-for-6 with the big homer.

Kyle Teel: 3 hits and a couple of walks in the first two games; his OBP is quietly carrying the bottom of the order.

Pitching usage: Vasil 5 IP, Wilson 3, Burke 2.1, Eisert 1.2 – a heavy day for a pen that already works a lot.

This was the swing game: you were one out away from a series win and ended up with a crushing loss.

Game 3 – Perez Rocked, Offense Silent (CAL 7, CWS 2)

Fast start:

Meidroth singles and steals second, Vaughn unloads a 2-run homer to dead center in the 1st. You’re up 2–0 immediately.

After that? Nothing.
Bido and Hogan Harris combine for 8 scoreless innings the rest of the way; you finish with just three hits total.

Perez’s nightmare line:

5.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R (5 ER), 5 BB, 4 K

Allows a Jacob Wilson homer and a Brent Rooker 2-run shot, plus gets buried by the big 6th-inning rally where California strings together doubles, singles, and walks.

Dunn / Anderson:

Justin Dunn throws 2 scoreless but clearly doesn’t look right and later lands on the IL.

Justin Anderson mops up the 8th.

You never seriously threatened after the first inning; this one felt over once Rooker’s 2-run bomb landed.

Sox Takeaways
Offense

Runs scored: 3, 3, 2 = 8 runs in 31 innings. You actually led in all three games, but rarely added on.

Good signs:

Chase Meidroth: on base constantly; multiple hits and walks plus a pile of steals. He’s functioning as a legitimate table-setter.

Nick Maton: a key double in Game 2, another double and some quality PAs in Game 3 – looks more locked in.

Josh Rojas: homers in Game 2, adds hard contact throughout the series.

Andrew Vaughn: the monster 421-foot homer in Game 3 and key RBI double in Game 2; power is showing up.

Concerns:

Very little slugging from the middle after Vaughn – Robert Jr., Lipcius, Vargas and Sosa all had chances with men on and didn’t cash in.

Runners at third with <2 outs were a recurring failure point, especially in the marathon loss.

Pitching & Defense

Rotation:

Smith & Vasil combined: 11.0 IP, 3 ER, 15 K. That’s series-winning quality.

Perez is the obvious problem: another short, crooked-number outing ballooning his ERA and burning the bullpen again.

Bullpen:

When not exhausted or injured, they were mostly solid:

Wilson’s 3 scoreless in Game 2.

Burke/Eisert excellent in Game 1, but Burke gives up the tying run in Game 2.

Usage is heavy; you leaned hard on the same core arms in all three games.

Defense / baserunning:

Meidroth, Teel, Tauchman, Jankowski and others continue to create value with their legs.

A few big miscues (Perez error in Game 3, an infield misplay behind him, and a couple of missed double-play chances) helped extend innings the A’s turned into multi-run frames.

Injury / Transaction Notes

Justin Dunn → 15-day IL (rotator cuff strain, out 4–5 weeks)

He’d just thrown two high-stress, multi-inning relief appearances this series and clearly came out of it worse for wear.

Practically, you lose a mid-leverage, multi-inning righty at exactly the time your bullpen was being stretched.

Tyler Gilbert activated from IL

Gives you a fresh left-handed arm who can cover multiple innings.

Depending on role, he can:

Piggyback behind Perez or another short-leash starter.

Take some of the innings load that’s been falling on Murfee/Eisert/Burke.

Big Picture

You leave California 1–2 on the series, 1–5 on the road trip (Twins + A’s), and sitting at 12–16.

The pattern is clear:

Starters other than Perez are giving you enough to win.

The lineup gets early runs but rarely stacks on, and one bad pitch or one failed high-leverage AB flips games.

Bullpen volume and health are becoming real issues.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Overview

Brewers take 2 of 3 at Rate Field.

You walk off Game 1, then get out-pitched the next two nights.

New record: Sox 13–18, Brewers 14–18.

Milwaukee’s calling cards all series: gap power (Durbin especially), aggressive baserunning, and three excellent starts (Ashby, Peralta, Cortes). Your side showed flashes – the Game 1 comeback, Vargas heating up, Sosa’s big moments – but the offense went quiet late in the set and the long ball + traffic on the bases burned your pitching.

Game 1 – 4/29: Sox 3, Brewers 2 (10 inn.)

Story: Classic, grindy extra-inning win with three solo homers and a walkoff.

Davis Martin gives you 5 strong (2 ER), then things get messy in the 6th: Yelich double, Collins pinch-hit double, and some shaky defense lead to two unearned runs off Jared Shuster and a 2–1 deficit.

Your entire offense comes via the big fly:

Nick Maton solo shot in the 3rd.

Andrew Vaughn solo shot in the 5th.

In the 10th:

Travis Jankowski starts as the ghost runner, immediately swipes third.

Brewers intentionally walk Tauchman, but Lenyn Sosa shoots a groundball single through the left side for the walkoff.

Brandon Eisert is nails: 2 scoreless with 3 Ks, stranding the Manfred runner twice to earn the win.

Vibes: That’s as “find-a-way” as it gets – bench guys (Teel, Jankowski) and Sosa carrying the day while the pen bends but doesn’t break.

Game 2 – 4/30: Brewers 5, Sox 2

Story: Peralta shoves, Brewers string together big innings, and defensive miscues bite you.

Jonathan Cannon cruises through 3, but:

Jake Bauers ambushes him for a solo HR in the 3rd.

A catchers-interference call on Monasterio, two steals from Yelich, a HBP, and a line-drive single from Garrett Mitchell fuel a three-run 5th that chases Cannon and puts you in a 4–1 hole.

Offensively:

Josh Rojas ties it early with a solo blast in the 2nd.

Later, Miguel Vargas plates a run with a sac fly, but you never get the big, crooked number.

Bryse Wilson actually throws well (4 IP, 1 ER), but Milwaukee’s staff is better:

Freddy Peralta: 6.2 IP, 7 K, 2 ER.

Avila + Uribe finish it off, allowing just two baserunners.

Vibes: This one feels like a missed chance – Peralta is tough, but you had traffic (six team LOB) and the defensive slop/extra 90 feet in the 5th is the difference.

Game 3 – 5/1: Brewers 5, Sox 1

Story: Nestor Cortes dominates, Durbin wrecks you in the gaps, and the Brewers slowly pull away.

Shane Smith actually opens okay but lives in the zone a bit too much:

Caleb Durbin sets the tone with a doubles parade – two two-baggers by the 3rd, another in the 7th. He ties the Brewers’ regular-season record with three doubles.

An RBI double by Durbin and a Garrett Mitchell homer give MIL a 2–0 lead by the 5th.

Mike Clevinger comes in and gets popped:

William Contreras rips a double.

Peyton Burdick unloads a 2-run shot in the 6th.

On your side:

You do finally get to Cortes in the 7th: Miguel Vargas triples and Lenyn Sosa knocks him in with a single.

Overall, though, Cortes shoves: 7.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB.

Tyler Gilbert, just activated, looks sharp in relief (2.2 scoreless), which is a nice silver lining.

Bad news: Michael A. Taylor leaves hurt after a collision at a base – you’ll have to see how serious that is on top of Justin Dunn already hitting the IL with the rotator cuff strain.

Vibes: Very “ran into a hot starter” game. You had some hits (7), but almost no sustained pressure, and Milwaukee kept adding on with extra-base damage.

Series Takeaways

What went well for you

Extra-base pop exists. Maton, Vaughn, Rojas, Vargas, and Sosa all did damage at various points.

Eisert + Wilson + Gilbert: all three were solid out of the pen, which is big with Dunn shelved.

Running game: Jankowski, Robert Jr., Sosa, Meidroth, Taylor, etc. keep stealing bags and creating chaos.

What hurt you

Inconsistent scoring. After 3 runs in the opener, you’re held to 3 total in the next two games.

Too many “free 90s.” Errors, catchers interference, HBP, and steals (Yelich & Monasterio in particular) kept putting Brewers in scoring position without hits.

Star bats quiet. Vaughn/Robert Jr. had moments, but there hasn’t been that sustained middle-of-order heater yet.

[XxVols98xX]

Big Picture

April record: 11–15

Overall record through April 30: 13–17 (.433)

Place: 5th in AL Central, 5 GB of Detroit

Run diff: basically in the “slightly underwater” zone – offense at 130 runs (11th in AL), pitching at 151 allowed (9th).

The Sox spent most of April hovering a few games under .500 – never really collapsing, but never catching a hot streak either. The identity is pretty clear already:

Elite on the bases (90 SB, best in the AL).

Average-ish offense, light on slug.

Rotation dragging a very solid bullpen.

April ended with a home series vs Milwaukee: a gritty 3–2, 10-inning win, then a 5–2 loss on the 30th that put the April record at 11–15 before May started with another loss.

Offense: Chaos on the Basepaths, Looking for Thump
Team profile

.239 / .315 / .376 slash line – 8th in AVG, but 13th in SLG and 12th in OPS.

26 HR (t-13th) and 130 runs (11th).

90 steals, best in the AL, and +3.5 BsR (3rd) – this club absolutely lives on pressure and motion.

You’ve basically built a track team that’s trying to paper over a lack of loud contact.

Standouts

Miguel Vargas – Team Hitter of the Month
The middle-of-the-order anchor. He leads the team in HR (5) and RBI (21) and is one of the few regulars with real extra-base damage (.470ish SLG). Even in the Brewers series, when the bats were quiet, he kept finding barrels (hard hit RBI double in the walk-off game, big triple off Cortes on May 1).

Josh Rojas – OBP machine / spark plug
Rojas quietly put together a really strong month: over .300 with on-base skills and a bit of pop, plus that huge game-tying solo shot off Freddy Peralta in the 2nd game of the Brewers set. He’s been one of the only lefty bats consistently punishing mistakes.

Chase Meidroth – leadoff pest
Meidroth is exactly what you want at the top: .400+ OBP, tons of deep counts, and 14 SB. He grinds at-bats, draws walks, and has a knack for laser singles (two hits and a walk in the extra-inning win vs MIL). The stolen-base efficiency plus plate discipline is a legit top-of-the-order foundation.

Lenyn Sosa – doing a bit of everything
Sosa’s line doesn’t jump off the page, but: solid average, some pop, some walks, and he’s running too. He comes up with “adult at-bats” – the go-ahead double vs Ashby, the series-winning knock in the 10th on April 29, and a lot of competent middle-infield work.

Luis Robert Jr. – weirdly quiet, but the speed is wild
The power hasn’t really shown up yet and the AVG is low, but he’s leading the AL in steals (15). Right now he’s doing more damage as a chaos agent than as a classic middle-order slugger. If the bat ever catches fire, this whole offense jumps a tier.

Kyle Teel & bench bats – still searching
Teel’s first taste of the bigs has been rough at the plate, and Michael A. Taylor / Jankowski / some of the righty bench bats have been more defense and speed than offense. That’s fine structurally, but you’re definitely one “real bat” short on the roster.

Pitching: Rotation Problems, Bullpen Backbone
Team profile

Team ERA: 4.52 (10th in AL)

Starters’ ERA: 5.47 (13th – near the bottom)

Bullpen ERA: 3.48 (8th)

Starters dig holes, the bullpen spends all night filling them in. That’s basically the April story.

Rotation review

Mike Vasil – Ace of the month
Vasil’s been your best starter by a mile: 2.67 ERA in 30+ IP, good strikeout rate, and generally working into the 6th with minimal damage. When you win a crisp low-scoring game, odds are Vasil’s name is on it.

Davis Martin – solid mid-rotation arm
Martin’s April was more “functional than flashy”: low-3s ERA after his April 29 start, plenty of strikeouts (8 vs MIL), and mostly keeping you in games. He did tire late against the Brewers which allowed a two-run sixth, but overall he’s a stabilizer.

The problem trio: Cannon, Smith, Pérez

Jonathan Cannon is sitting on an ERA north of 6.5. The stuff is okay, but the big innings keep piling up (Brewers tagged him for a three-run frame on April 30).

Shane Smith flashes strikeouts but can’t avoid damage (5+ ERA), and Milwaukee’s relentless doubles in his May 1 start were basically the microcosm of his season – fine for 3 innings, then bang.

Martín Pérez had that ugly start in California (7 R) and is carrying a double-digit ERA. In a month where the margin for error is small, having three rotation spots bleeding runs is brutal.

Given how good the bullpen’s been, one of the clearest April takeaways is: you either need internal improvements from these guys, or someone’s losing a rotation spot to Vasil-plus-kids soon.

Bullpen: legit strength

Sean Burke – lockdown closer
Burke’s been nails: 6 saves, ERA near 1.00, barely any hard contact. When you get him the ball with a lead, games end quickly.

Jared Shuster – April Relief Pitcher of the Month
Tiny ERA just over 1, multiple multi-inning holds, and a huge escape act against Milwaukee in the series opener. He’s quietly become the fireman you trust when the starter wobbles in the 5th or 6th.

Brandon Eisert, Penn Murfee, Tyler Gilbert

Eisert has been a versatile weapon – finishing that 10-inning win vs MIL, missing bats, and showing good command.

Murfee gives you true middle-relief reliability with a mid-2s ERA.

Gilbert, just activated when Justin Dunn went down, immediately jumped into leverage and has looked the part so far.

Mike Clevinger / Bryse Wilson / Justin Anderson
Clevinger’s ERA in the mid-3s is a big plus – he’s been the line between “game blown open” and “we still have a chance.” Wilson and Anderson are more volatile, but for April the ‘pen as a unit absolutely did its job.

Injuries / Transactions

Justin Dunn → 15-day IL (rotator cuff strain, out 4–5 weeks). He’d been filling a useful swing role before the injury.

Tyler Gilbert activated and immediately shoved solid innings, including in that May 1 loss where he was really the only pitcher who kept Milwaukee quiet.

How April Looked in the Standings / League Context

You’re 13–18 overall, 5 GB in a very bunched AL Central – nobody is running away from you.

The White Sox are:

1st in AL steals,

near the middle in run prevention,

and slightly below average in scoring and slugging.

Around the league, the fun note is that Luis Robert Jr. and Chase Meidroth are both on the AL stolen-base leaderboard, while guys like Brent Rooker and Bryce Harper are dominating the power categories. You’re not built like the league’s homer monsters; you’re trying to win with speed, defense, and just enough pop.

April Awards (Team-only)

Sox Hitter of the Month: Miguel Vargas

Sox Pitcher of the Month: Mike Vasil

Reliever of the Month: Jared Shuster

Table-Setter of the Month: Chase Meidroth (because that OBP + speed combo is your whole offensive personality)

What April Told Us Going Forward

The identity is real. High-contact, high-speed, pressure offense with aggressive running. It fits your personnel and it’s working well enough to keep you competitive.

You’re one middle-order bat away. If even one of Robert/Vaughn/Teel truly heats up, or you add a bat externally, this lineup looks a lot more dangerous.

Rotation help will decide the season. If you can turn one of Cannon/Smith/Pérez into a league-average arm (or swap one out for an upgrade), you probably climb back to .500 and into the Central race quickly.

Bullpen is a legit weapon. In close games, this group gives you a real edge – which fits nicely with all the speed and small-ball.

[XxVols98xX]

White Sox Shake Up Battery, Land German Márquez in Busy Roster Day

By PJ Bishop – Chicago White Sox Franchise Report

The calendar flipped to May and the White Sox wasted no time sending a clear message: the status quo wasn’t good enough. Sitting at 13–18 and last in the AL Central, Chicago overhauled its pitching staff and catching situation Friday, highlighted by the acquisition of veteran right-hander Germán Márquez and the long-awaited promotion of top catching prospect Edgar Quero.

Cannon Down, Schweitzer Up

The first move of the day saw right-hander Jonathan Cannon optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Cannon flashed good stuff in April but never quite found his footing, carrying an ERA north of six in his first six big-league starts and often struggling to put hitters away the second time through the order.

Taking his place is left-hander Tyler Schweitzer, whose contract was selected from Charlotte. Schweitzer, 24, has been one of the Knights’ steadiest arms to open 2025. Across his first handful of AAA starts he’s logged quality innings nearly every time out, working into the sixth or seventh and limiting hard contact. His April line – three wins, an ERA in the mid-3s and more strikeouts than innings – earned him a serious look; the trade of Martin Pérez (more on that in a moment) and Cannon’s demotion opened the door all the way.

Schweitzer doesn’t come with frontline stuff, but he throws strikes with four pitches, features a solid fastball/slider combo from the left side, and holds his velocity deep into games. He’ll slide directly into the back of the rotation and give manager Pedro Grifol a different look against the left-heavy lineups around the league.

Blockbuster with Colorado: Márquez Comes to the South Side

The headline move of the day was a significant trade with the Colorado Rockies:

White Sox receive

RHP Germán Márquez (30)

Rockies receive

C Korey Lee (26)

LHP Martin Pérez (34)

RHP prospect Pierce George (21)

Márquez, 30, instantly becomes one of the most accomplished arms on the staff. A classic power pitcher, he brings mid-90s velocity with a sharp breaking ball and the track record of a workhorse. Even coming off his Tommy John recovery in this universe, his 2025 start with Colorado has been encouraging: around 40 innings of above-average run prevention, solid strikeout totals and his usual low walk rate.

Scouting grades in the Sox system peg Márquez as a 50-overall starter with plus movement and command, the kind of profile that should play even better away from the thin air of Denver. He slots near the top of a reworked rotation that now features Márquez, Mike Vasil, Shane Smith, Davis Martin and newcomer Tyler Schweitzer, with Jared Shuster and Tyler Gilbert providing depth.

To get that stability, Chicago paid a real price.

Korey Lee had emerged as the club’s primary catcher, bringing a strong arm and some pop, but the bat never fully clicked on the South Side. With top prospects Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero knocking on the door, the front office chose to cash in Lee’s value as a near-everyday defender.

Martin Pérez struggled badly in his brief stint as a back-end starter for Chicago, posting an ERA over 10.00 despite providing innings. A move to Colorado offers him a fresh start.

Pierce George, a hard-throwing 21-year-old righty, gives the Rockies a lottery ticket relief prospect with premium velocity.

For the Sox, the deal is about stabilizing the rotation right now without touching the very top of their farm system.

The Edgar Quero Era Begins

With Lee headed west, the White Sox filled the catching void from within. Edgar Quero, 22, had his contract selected and will make his long-anticipated big-league debut.

Quero has been one of the organization’s crown jewels since arriving in the minors. A switch-hitter with advanced on-base skills and budding power, he’s coming off back-to-back strong seasons in the upper minors, including a standout year in Charlotte where he posted an OPS north of .800 while handling a full catching workload.

Scouting reports see a future middle-of-the-order catcher:

Above-average bat control and plate discipline

Gap power that’s beginning to translate into home run pop

Improving defense, with solid framing and an average-plus arm

Defensively he’s still polishing the finer points, but the Sox believe his receiving is ready for major-league pitching, especially paired with his offensive upside.

Quero will join fellow young backstop Kyle Teel, giving Chicago a dynamic, homegrown catching tandem. Teel’s athleticism and left-handed bat combined with Quero’s switch-hitting and on-base chops could turn a spot that was a question mark in April into a long-term strength.

A New Look for a Flawed but Intriguing Club

These moves come against the backdrop of a team that has been frustratingly inconsistent through the season’s first month. The Sox finished April 11–15 before dropping a series to Milwaukee to open May, leaving them 13–18 and five games back in the AL Central. Team stats tell the story: middle-of-the-pack offense, but a pitching staff that ranks near the bottom of the league in ERA and home runs allowed.

Friday’s flurry suggests the front office still believes this group can contend in a muddled division – provided the run prevention improves.

Márquez gives them a legitimate No. 2-type arm to pair with breakout right-hander Mike Vasil and steady Shane Smith.

Schweitzer offers a fresh lefty look and some innings-eating potential at the back end.

Quero’s promotion, along with Teel, signals a shift toward a younger core and a belief that better game-calling and offense from behind the plate can squeeze a few more wins from the pitching staff.

There’s risk everywhere: Márquez’s health history, Schweitzer’s lack of big-league experience, and the usual learning curve for a rookie catcher. But at 13–18, standing pat wasn’t an option.

The White Sox will get their first look at the new-look battery almost immediately as Márquez slots into the rotation during the upcoming homestand and Schweitzer lines up for his MLB debut. If things break right, May 2nd could be remembered as the day the 2025 White Sox stopped treading water and started pushing back toward contention.

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Astros Sweep Sox at Rate Field; Chicago Skids to 13–21

The White Sox came home hoping their new additions could spark a turnaround. Instead, Houston rolled through the South Side, taking all three games and out-scoring Chicago 21–7 to drop the Sox to 13–21 on the season while the Astros climbed to 17–16.

Game 1 – Valdez bends, not breaks in 5–3 opener

Houston punched first on Friday and never really gave the lead back.

Isaac Paredes set the tone with a first-inning solo shot off Mike Vasil.

The knockout blow came in the second: Brendan Rodgers ripped a double, Jeremy Peña followed with a triple, and Jake Meyers added another triple as Houston raced to a 4–0 lead.

Vasil settled in and got through 5.1 innings (4 ER, 5 K), giving the Sox a chance. They finally broke through in the sixth:

Walks to Josh Rojas and Chase Meidroth, a Nick Maton single, and free passes to Miguel Vargas set the table.

Lenyn Sosa and rookie catcher Edgar Quero each delivered RBI singles, and Andrew Vaughn added a sac fly to cut the deficit to 4–3.

The Astros answered in the seventh on a Meyers single, Taylor Trammell knock and Yainer Díaz sac fly for the insurance run that stuck. Chicago brought the tying run to the plate multiple times late but couldn’t solve the Houston bullpen trio of Brazoban–Sousa–Hader.

Game 2 – Márquez shines, bullpen implodes in 7–2 loss

Saturday felt like the one that got away.

Newly-acquired right-hander Germán Márquez looked every bit like a rotation stabilizer in his White Sox debut, carving Houston for 6.2 innings of two-run ball (8 K) and leaving in a tight 2–1 game.

The Sox offense, though, remained stuck in the mud against lefty Brandon Walter, who carried a shutout into the sixth. Chicago’s only damage against him:

A leadoff double from Josh Rojas, followed by productive outs from Meidroth and Vaughn to finally push across a run.

Still trailing 2–1 in the ninth, the bullpen came apart:

José Altuve opened the frame with a solo homer off Bryse Wilson.

A single and double set up Peña’s RBI knock, and after a pitching change Jake Meyers unloaded a three-run homer to right, turning a one-run game into a 7–1 rout in a blink.

The Sox scratched out a cosmetic run in the ninth, but the damage—and the series—felt suddenly lopsided.

Game 3 – Schweitzer’s debut turns into another Houston rout

Sunday brought another fresh face: top left-hander Tyler Schweitzer making his MLB debut. Houston immediately welcomed him to the show.

Díaz tripled on the second pitch of the day and scored on an Altuve single.

An error and Díaz’s two-run homer in the second made it 3–0.

Christian Walker and Jeremy Peña helped push the lead to 5–0 by the third.

Schweitzer showed flashes (7 K in 4.2 IP) but paid for every mistake, leaving after 90 tough pitches and five runs (four earned).

On the other side, Tyler Ivey silenced the Chicago bats over 6.1 innings of one-run ball. The Sox didn’t score until the sixth, and by the time they broke through, Houston had already decided things with a four-run seventh off Tyler Gilbert:

Walker’s second homer of the day, a two-run shot, was the backbreaker.

Rodgers’ RBI double and Mitch Haniger’s RBI single capped another crooked frame.

Chicago added single runs in the seventh and eighth, but Houston cruised to a 9–2 win and the sweep.

Injury Hits, Reinforcements Arrive

The series came on the heels of major roster news:

CF Michael A. Taylor was moved to the 60-day IL with a fractured elbow, expected to sideline him roughly four months. His elite defense and speed are a big loss for a club already ranking near the bottom of the AL in run prevention.

Andrew Benintendi was activated from the IL and jumped straight back into the lineup in Sunday’s finale, giving the Sox a much-needed left-handed bat and some stability in left field.

On the pitching side, top prospect Hagen Smith earned a promotion to AAA Charlotte on May 5. With mid-90s heat and frontline stuff, he’s now just one step away and looms as a potential mid-season rotation option if the big-league staff continues to struggle.

Where the Sox Stand

After the sweep, Chicago sits at 13–21, buried in the AL Central standings, while Houston leaves town at 17–16 and trending up.

Big themes coming out of the series:

Run prevention issues: 21 runs allowed in three games, including late-inning blowups on Friday and Saturday, highlight a bullpen that’s being asked to cover high-leverage innings almost every night.

Offense too quiet: Seven total runs, with very little power, won’t win many series. The club continues to live on walks and singles without the extra-base thump to cash them in consistently.

New arms, new hope: Márquez’s debut and Schweitzer’s strikeout ability, plus Smith’s promotion, at least hint that the rotation picture could look different—and better—by mid-season.

Next up is a road trip to Kansas City, where the Sox will try to stop the skid, integrate their returning and rookie pieces, and finally turn competitive games into wins instead of “what-ifs.”