There’s no disputing the Chicago White Sox have shown improvement over one year ago.
The Sox were 28-89 on Aug. 8, 2024, the day general manager Chris Getz finally pulled the trigger on manager Pedro Grifol, mercifully ending a reign that sent the rebuild backward. They began Friday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians at 42-73, which isn’t much to brag about but still a 15-game improvement over ’24.
The offense is starting to click, the bullpen has been effective and the Sox showed an unwillingness to accept mediocrity Friday when they demoted starter Jonathan Cannon to Triple-A Charlotte instead of letting him figure it out at the major-league level.
So have the Sox turned the corner, or maybe just a corner?
“I’d say a corner,” Getz said before Friday’s game. “We’re not there yet. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. Most importantly, we’re playing well right now, and we’re going to look for ways to add to this club and find ways to beat our opponent. … Yeah, we’re certainly not there yet, but we feel like we’re heading in the right direction.”
There was really only one direction to go after last year’s record-setting 121-loss season, but the point was made. The team’s core prospects — Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth and Edgar Quero and minor-league outfielder Braden Montgomery — have given Sox fans reason for optimism, along with the rise of Lenyn Sosa as a productive hitter.
The future rotation remains a question with Cannon dropping down, but Shane Smith figures to be part of it, along with top prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, who’ve been challenged by injuries and will be sent to the Arizona Fall League after the season.
If the Sox can finish strong, it might convince ownership to increase the already miniscule payroll and add some quality free agents in 2026.
OK, that’s a little far-fetched. It’s the heat talking.
Getz confirmed it was “too soon” to think about potential offseason free-agents additions.
“We’ve got essentially two months of baseball left, and a lot of these players are getting through their first full seasons at the major-league level,” he said. “Some of them, first full season in a White Sox uniform. And we’re getting a pretty good idea of what they’re capable of doing. But in regards to shaping the roster, I think we need a little bit more time. But we’re definitely going to look for opportunities to add to this club.”
Expect the same old bargain-bin signings until the Justin Ishbia era gets rolling.
White Sox first baseman Miguel Vargas, left, and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. celebrate a 9-3 win over the Phillies on July 30, 2025, at Rate Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
One player from the old core could be sticking around too. The Sox kept Luis Robert Jr. at the trade deadline instead of dealing him for next to nothing just to move on. That means they’ll either pick up his $20 million option for 2026 or let their best player leave for nothing.
Now that Robert is hitting, it’s a no-brainer to bring him back, if only to go through the same thing again next trade deadline.
“I’m glad we didn’t cut bait considering how productive he’s been since the All-Star break,” Getz said, citing Robert’s recent stats as evidence of his revival without answering whether the option would be picked up.
“When he’s playing well, the team is seemingly playing well and we are getting wins,” Getz continued. “He’s a guy we like having in this organization and we are planning on having him part of the future.”
That would counter the analysis of former White Sox GM Rick Hahn, who told MLB Network that Robert has known for the last “year-plus that he’s a short-term guy in Chicago.”
“When you know you’re not really part of the future, it makes it a little harder to come to the park every day and give your best, where he’s going to be different in a new (environment),” Hahn said.
Robert has been one of the keys to the post-All-Star run. They were 10-4 in their first 14 games until a four-game skid that started in Los Angeles against the Angels.
The Sox might not be as good as Chicago Sports Network’s Dan Plesac seems to think, but there is more reason for optimism than any time in the last four seasons. Now Sox fans are getting upset again when they lose games they should win, which is progress after the Grifol era, during which they grew to expect something awful would happen.
Will Venable has done a commendable job in his first season, but if he can keep them over .500 in the second half we’ll know the rebuild is starting to turn the corner. A 33-32 record over the final 65 games would leave them with a 65-97 record, a 24-game improvement over ’24.
Tyler Alexander will take Cannon’s spot, though he might be a “bulk” pitcher coming in after an opener. Veteran Martin Perez, who made a rehab start for Double-A Birmingham on Friday, figures to be up before the end of the month.
Developing the core is important, but watching the players figure out how to win those close games they usually lose might be the only way to sell this team for 2026. They entered Friday with a 9-25 record in one-run games, including Thursday’s tough, extra-inning loss in Seattle, where they went 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
But games like that are still going to happen. A nice three-week stretch doesn’t change the fact the Sox are on pace for 103 losses, but when was the last time they even had a decent three-week stretch?
“We’re in a period where we’re getting some wins and we’re feeling good and the vibes are solid,” Getz said. “Guys are excited to show up, and they know they have a chance to win every night.”
Originally Published: August 8, 2025 at 7:15 PM CDT