Quest for meaningful steps begins at SoxFest

General manager Chris Getz set the tone for the upcoming White Sox season by saying Thursday he expects, “we are going to take a meaningful step forward.”

Technically, the Sox did that last year, improving by 19 wins. They still lost 102 games, though.

There's no better time to build enthusiasm than on a cold night in late January at the Ramova Theatre, where the second revival of SoxFest began Friday.

The Cubs could stand on stage at their convention two weeks ago and reasonably say they expect to win 90 games. There's no telling what will happen with the White Sox. Everyone on the roster is bursting with potential, and also a huge question mark.

Pitcher Anthony Kay is a perfect representation of the 2026 White Sox. Three years ago, he was a reliever with the Cubs, struggling to stay in MLB. Now after two successful years in Japan, he was signed to the South Side to be the veteran anchor of the Sox starting rotation.

“My first Zoom meeting with those guys, they kind of said that and obviously I was a little thrown back since I'm only 30 years old,” Kay said Friday. “Then I looked at the roster and I'm like the fourth-oldest guy on the team.”

Kay was also a perfect spokesperson, since he faced new Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami during those two years in Japan.

“Yeah, he had some success off me,” Kay said. “No home runs, but I think he hit like .400 off me. A lot of singles and doubles, though, which was a win if you kept it in the ballpark.”

Murakami was not in attendance. He made a short video message for fans, which ended with him saying, “Go White Sox” in English.

When it comes to meaningful steps forward, Kay and Murakami probably top the list of players who need to deliver.

“He's going to hit a lot of homers,” Kay said. “I don't understand why he can't have a lot of success over here. Pitchers might be able to figure him out for a little bit, but he's a good enough hitter where he can also adjust and make adjustments to big-league pitching.”

Getz had an early opportunity to play to the crowd Friday but politely declined. After player introductions, the scene switched to fan questions for Getz and manager Will Venable.

The opening query was (paraphrasing), “Is this year's goal to develop players or compete for the wild card?” The mention of wild card drew loud cheers from the crowd, maybe slightly more than the first reference to Murakami.

Rather than egg on the crowd, Getz launched into fairly bland GM speak, rehashing last year's progress before settling on: “I think good things are going to come. More about sticking to process … the talent pool is increasing.”

Really, what harm would there be in saying: “Sure, why not? Our goal is to challenge for the wild card.” Even if the Sox end up losing 99 games, it's Jan. 30. No one should be taking this too seriously.

Venable got a slightly better reaction with the line, “You develop to get to wins.”

Last year, the White Sox brought the full slate of prospects to Ramova for the Fest. This time, pitchers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, along with top prospect Braden Montgomery, stayed home. They made this more about the current team, with Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas, Shane Smith, Davis Martin and Grant Taylor joining Kay on the stage.

“I think (meaningful steps) is the realization of like, yes, there's a lot of energy. Yes, there's a lot of excitement,” Martin said. “But at the same time, we won 61 games last year. There was a lot of work to be done, and we all know that.”

Kay should have a fair perspective on his new team, since he's new to the White Sox and wasn't even playing in MLB the past two years.

“It kind of reminds me a little bit of when I was coming up with the Blue Jays,” Kay said. “All the young talent they had, like Bo (Bichette), Vladdy (Guererro Jr.). There was so much young talent and they all came together, were really close-knit group.

“I don't see why these guys can't do that. Even just being with these guys the last 24 hours, you see how close they are and how good a friends they are. It's definitely something similar to what Toronto had five or six years ago.”

Dropping a heartbreaking Game 7 of the World Series is probably a few hundred meaningful steps away for the Sox. But it could happen.