The White Sox keep rolling, and the reward is a season-high eight games over .500 after taking the first three games of their series against the Minnesota Twins. Chicago has built real momentum here, and it heads into the second game at Target Field with the kind of lineup that looks very familiar.
The Sox are going with the same group they used in their last game, with one change behind the plate. Jake Rogers gets the start at catcher over Drew Romo, which fits with Rogers being the club’s main catcher for now until Kyle Teel returns. Romo had picked up enough starts that he had effectively become the regular option by default.
Chicago’s batting order is set like this: Sam Antonacci leading off in left, Munetaka Murakami at first, Miguel Vargas at third, Andrew Benintendi in the cleanup spot as the designated hitter, Braden Montgomery in right, Colson Montgomery at short, Chase Meidroth at second, Tristan Peters in center, and Rogers batting ninth.
Benintendi’s return Friday after time on the bereavement list gave the Sox exactly what they needed. He drove in two runs, and the only other RBIs came from Colson Montgomery’s three-run homer in the first inning. That was enough to push Benintendi back into the No. 4 spot.
Minnesota counters with Luke Keaschall in right, Brooks Lee at third, Ryan Jeffers catching, Kody Clemens at second, Josh Bell at DH, Royce Lewis at first, Trevor Larnach in left, Kaelen Culpepper at short, Victor Caratini catching, and Walker Jenkins in center.
Erick Fedde is set for his first start since beating the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays on the road July 31. Since Luis Castillo was acquired at the trade deadline, Fedde has also been used in bulk-pitching roles at different points, and he has gone at least four innings in each of his last two appearances. Chicago could use every inning it can get from its starters right now.
Bailey Ober takes the ball for Minnesota after three straight starts of six innings apiece. He hasn’t gone past the fifth in either of his last two outings, though he did limit damage in both, allowing no more than two runs while throwing 94 and 87 pitches. Ober has not faced the White Sox this season, but he was 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA in two starts against them in 2025.
In Other News...
White Sox Deadline Regret Starts With 3 Missed Opportunities
The White Soxs deadline approach is already drawing second-guessing because the list of names they brought in has not exactly transformed the roster. Joey Bart, Luis Castillo, Huascar Brazoban and Brenton Doyle were all supposed to address obvious needs, but the early return has been uneven at best, with some of the group underperforming and others already dealing with injuries. For a club trying to build something more stable, the frustrating part is that the market offered other routes to the same kind of help.
What makes the scrutiny sharper is that the alternatives were not outlandish swings, either. The article lays out several players the White Sox could have chased for similar roles and similar trade costs, then stacks their production and projected value against what Chicago actually received. In a deadline season where every move gets replayed, this one is starting to look less like a bold reset and more like a series of missed chances the front office will have to answer for. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Rebuild Faces A Farm System Question Fans Cant Ignore
The White Sox rebuild has leaned heavily on the promise of the farm, so a middling placement in ESPNs latest system rankings is the kind of thing fans notice right away. Kiley McDaniel put Chicago 20th in his MLB farm system rankings, using a Future Value-based model informed by FanGraphs evaluations, a reminder that this organizations long-term outlook is still being judged as much by projection as by what has already reached the South Side.
Recent graduations and new additions have kept the system in flux, and that is part of what makes the ranking worth watching instead of simply filing away. The individual prospect performances and upside are still moving targets, while the affiliates keep churning through minor league games that can change the conversation quickly. For a rebuild built on young talent, the real question is not where the White Sox rank today, but how many of those names can force that number to look outdated before long. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Suddenly Face A Huge Munetaka Murakami Decision
Munetaka Murakami has become one of the more interesting pieces in the White Soxs improved stretch in the AL Central, giving the club offense it has badly needed while the front office leans on a mix of top prospects and recent additions. Signed to a two-year deal, Murakami has fit in quickly enough that the conversation has already moved beyond simple production and into what comes next.
Chris Getz has made it clear the White Sox would like to explore a longer arrangement, and Murakami has also signaled a willingness to stay. The catch, of course, is that keeping a player who has already proven his value usually means paying for the privilege, and Chicago will have to decide how aggressively it wants to push if it hopes to make his stay more than a short-term stop. [Read more 🡒]