After a series win over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Chicago White Sox head to Arlington for a three-game set against the Texas Rangers, with Game 1 set for 7:05 CT at Globe Life Field.
The White Sox are expected to stick with their familiar look against a right-handed starter, the same alignment they’ve used since Munetaka Murakami returned from injury. Chicago’s lineup has plenty of punch when it’s healthy, and even after scoring just three runs combined over the final two games in Toronto, it still carries real threat against righties.
Here’s how the White Sox are lined up: 1.
Sam Antonacci, LF
2.
Munetaka Murakami, 1B
3.
Miguel Vargas, 3B
4.
Colson Montgomery, SS
5.
Andrew Benintendi, DH
6.
Kyle Teel, C
7.
Braden Montgomery, RF
8.
Tristan Peters, CF
9.
Chase Meidroth, 2B
Andrew Benintendi gets the nod against Jacob deGrom, and the matchup points to a platoon decision from manager Will Venable. Benintendi is 0-for-8 in his career against the two-time Cy Young winner, while Randal Grichuk has gone 5-for-13 with two home runs.
Kyle Teel is another White Sox bat worth watching. Since returning from injury, the catcher has been in a rough stretch, going .143/.217/.190 over his last seven games with a 43.0 percent strikeout rate. Chicago is going to need more from him in the second half if it wants to stay in the mix.
Texas counters with a lineup that starts with plenty of danger at the top: 1.
Joc Pederson, DH
2.
Wyatt Langford, LF
3.
Josh Jung, 3B
4.
Brandon Nimmo, RF
5.
Jake Burger, 1B
6.
Ezequiel Duran, SS
7.
Evan Carter, CF
8.
Elias Díaz, C
9.
Nicky Lopez, 2B
The Rangers enter the night leading a weak American League West by a half-game, and their first three hitters all bring an .800 OPS or better: Joc Pederson, Wyatt Langford and Josh Jung.
Chicago will also see a couple of familiar names. Jake Burger is at first base and hitting fifth, though he’s scuffled over his last 15 games with a .136/.190/.237 line and two homers.
Nicky Lopez, meanwhile, has been one of the bigger surprises on the Texas side, batting .315 in 127 at-bats. The power isn’t there, but the average alone has made him a tough out.
On the mound, the White Sox appear set to go with Erick Fedde, rather than using him behind an opener. That would be a change from what’s been happening lately, since he has started only once in his last seven appearances.
Even so, he’s been effective, posting a 2.64 ERA with 24 strikeouts over 30.2 innings in that span. He also brings strong career numbers against this Rangers lineup, leaving the big question of whether he can keep it rolling.
Across from him is Jacob deGrom, whose résumé needs no introduction. He has stayed healthy this season, making 18 starts and throwing 100.2 innings, and he’s put together a 3.49 ERA for Texas. After battling injury from 2021-2024, deGrom has looked like himself again, and the White Sox will have to be sharp to handle a pitcher who already has 122 strikeouts and only 22 walks this year.
In Other News...
White Sox May Have One Last Hope In That Curtis Mead Trade
The Curtis Mead deal looked like a small spring-training move at the time, the kind of roster shuffle that barely registers once camp breaks. Chicago had designated Mead for assignment after 2026 spring training and sent him to Washington, getting catcher Boston Smith and a 2025 draft pick back in return, a package that was easy to overlook when the transaction was announced.
Mead has since turned into a real hitter for the Nationals, which only sharpens the question of what the White Sox actually got out of the swap. The answer may still be developing in the minors, where Smith has emerged as one of the more interesting names in the system and given Chicago at least one reason to believe the trade could age better than it first appeared. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Minor League Update Puts Pitching Prospect Return In Focus
The Charlotte Knights came up short again Tuesday, falling 3-2 to Durham in a game that left the White Sox system with a familiar mix of missed chances and a pitching return worth watching. Charlotte was outhit but could not cash in enough of its opportunities, while Shane Murphy handled the start and gave the club a chance to stay close.
The bigger note for Chicago was Hagen Smith making his first appearance back from the injured list, a development the organization has been tracking closely. His return is the kind of checkpoint that matters more than the final score in a minor league box, especially with the White Sox still sorting out how their pitching prospects fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Finally Had A Feel Good Win Then Teel Left
For a White Sox team that has spent much of the season searching for any kind of lift, Tuesdays win over Texas at least offered a little of everything they have been missing. Andrew Benintendi delivered the biggest swing, a bases-clearing double in the fifth that flipped the game and gave Chicago a cushion it could protect, while the bullpen kept the Rangers from mounting much of a push the rest of the way.
The mood around the game changed, though, when Kyle Teel left early for Texas after a non-contact injury at home plate. The White Sox will take the victory and the work from their relievers, but the final image from a much-needed feel-good night was a reminder that even on a good day, there is still plenty that can go sideways. [Read more 🡒]