Can White Sox stay in first place? Consider the lack of competition
It's mid-June and the White Sox have climbed atop the AL Central. Who's knocking them off the perch?
Seriously, there are so few good teams in the American League. Take a good look at the standings and try to find six teams with a better chance of making the AL playoffs than the Sox right now.
They just won two in a row against Atlanta, the team with the best record in MLB. They did it with two of their best hitters, Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery, sidelined by injuries.
Thursday's scheduled season finale was wiped out by rain, rescheduled for 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20. The Sox home streak stays at 18-3 over the last 21 games.
A good clubhouse got even better with the addition of top prospect Braden Montgomery this week. Pitcher Davis Martin, the confident leader of this young group, talked about the vibes after beating the Braves on Wednesday.
“We're having a great time, and you can't do it without this type of clubhouse,” Martin said. “We have a bunch of entertainers. We have a bunch of guys who make each other laugh. You're super excited to come to the yard every day.”
The Harry Potter souvenir wand wielded by injured pitcher Mike Vasil hasn't even been a focal point lately — except when the Phillies announcers saw it for the first time. Maybe the reason for the South Side's rapid rise isn't a magic wand but talented young players who pull for each other and believe they can win.
“I think it shows our culture is in the right spot,” Martin said. “Whatever we're doing right now is working. So put your head down and continue to work, continue to do things right. Hopefully we pop up our heads sometime in September and we're in a good spot.”
Outfielder Derek Hill was a tough loss, getting traded to Philadelphia on Thursday. Hill was a helpful player with a great attitude, but the Sox needed a roster spot to bring back Everson Pereira back from the injured list, so they made the deal.
But why wouldn't they be OK? Most every move made by general manager Chris Getz has worked out surprisingly well, going back to the blockbuster deal sending pitcher Garrett Crochet to Boston in December 2024.
Martin's victory over Atlanta's Chris Sale on Wednesday brought this whole process full-circle. Trading Sale to Boston all the way back in 2016 kicked off the previous White Sox rebuild, bringing back Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech and a couple guys who never wore the black pinstripes.
Time will tell, but the haul received in the Crochet trade already seems better. The Sox got Montgomery, who hit a walk-off home run in his MLB debut Monday, Chase Meidroth, Kyle Teel and Wikelman Gonzalez.
Montgomery's personality stood out back at SoxFest in January 2025 when the team brought most every top prospect in the system to the Ramova Theatre. At that point he hadn't even made his minor-league debut yet, thanks to a broken ankle suffered in the 2024 super regionals while playing for Texas A&M.
Meidroth wasn't necessarily pegged as a star, but he ranks 10th in second baseman OPS and made an impressive over-the-shoulder catch for the final out of Wednesday's victory.
Now there's speculation the White Sox could be buyers before the trade deadline. Really, though, what holes are there to fill? The Sox still have reinforcements on the way.
Manager Will Venable floated the idea of left-hander Hagen Smith making his MLB debut Saturday against the Dodgers. Teel has yet to take a swing this season due to a pair of injuries. Tanner McDougal's high-90s fastball might be a great fit in the bullpen by August.
The Sox survived Atlanta, now the Dodgers promise to pack Rate Field this weekend. It's a great opportunity for the White Sox to keep making their own magic.