With the AL Wild Card Series set to open tonight against the Astros, the White Sox have locked in their roster, and the group looks just about as expected.
Chicago is carrying 14 position players and 12 pitchers, choosing flexibility on the bench over extra arms in the game. That means more options for pinch-hitting and pinch-running as the series unfolds, and it also helped the club settle the final roster decisions around players such as Tommy Pham, Tyler Davis and Trevor Richards. The White Sox went with Pham, leaning into his experience.
Here’s how the roster breaks down:
Right-Handed Pitchers: Huáscar Brazobán, Sean Burke, Erick Fedde, Jordan Hicks, Davis Martin, David Sandlin, Grant Taylor
Left-Handed Pitchers: Bryan Hudson, Anthony Kay, Sean Newcomb, Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith
Catchers: Kyle Teel, Jake Rogers
Infielders: Luisangel Acuña, Chase Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas
Outfielders: Sam Antonacci, Andrew Benintendi, Brenton Doyle, Randal Grichuk, Braden Montgomery, Tristan Peters, Tommy Pham
One of the more interesting inclusions is Anthony Kay, who threw 75 pitches in Sunday’s win over the Rockies. His spot on the roster suggests the White Sox and Kay believe he could be available on short rest later in the series.
Hagen Smith is slated to start Game 1, though both clubs have already labeled it a bullpen game. That points to a short outing for Smith, likely in the range of 2-3 innings before the White Sox turn it over to the bullpen after the order goes through once for Houston.
Chicago has not announced its starting lineup for tonight’s game.
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Manager Will Venable and general manager Chris Getz have both framed the plan as one built on flexibility, with multiple pitchers expected to work in short bursts rather than hand the ball to a starter and a bulk reliever in the usual order. The approach puts a premium on matchups and versatility, and it also sets up an early postseason test of just how far the White Sox are willing to push that style when every inning carries extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
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A projected postseason lineup around players such as Sam Antonacci, Kyle Teel and Miguel Vargas gives the White Sox a clearer sense of direction, but it also underlines how much is still being decided on the margins. The discussion is not just about talent, it is about usage, matchups and which players the staff trusts to carry over the roles they carved out during the 2026 season. However the order settles, it will say a lot about how the White Sox see themselves going into a series that could turn on one lineup choice. [Read more 🡒]