A rough opening series has put pressure on the White Sox to respond quickly as they try to build momentum in Miami.
On Monday evening, with first pitch scheduled for 5:40 p.m. CT, the Chicago White Sox (0-3) will begin a three-game series against the Miami Marlins (3-0) at loanDepot Park.
Davis Martin will get the ball, looking to secure the White Sox’s first win of the 2026 season. And while this might seem relatively low-stakes to the casual viewer, I firmly believe this is one of the most important series the White Sox will play all year.
Baseball is a mental game. Small, sometimes seemingly trivial factors—momentum, belief, clubhouse energy—can have a significant impact over the course of a 162-game season. And before the 2026 campaign began, I highlighted just how important it was for this particular White Sox group to get off to a strong start.
Entering the season, the White Sox were 23-78 over their last 101 games played in March and April. Not only has this team failed to be competitive—losing 100 games in three consecutive seasons—but each of those years has effectively felt over before it ever really began.
This current group came in with genuine expectations for itself. As players said throughout spring training, they expect to win. They expect to compete. And why shouldn’t they? Most of them don’t know any different. Many just made their MLB debuts last year. And while the 2025 record wasn’t pretty, there was still a sense of optimism—like the White Sox were on the verge of turning a corner and surprising people. Like the days of being a bottom-feeder in the AL Central were coming to an end.
But the White Sox certainly didn’t look like that team in their opening series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
They were outscored 20-3 in the first two games, pairing feeble offensive performances with poor defense and a starting rotation that couldn’t provide any length. Shane Smith, Sean Burke, and Anthony Kay combined for just 10.1 innings across their three starts. That taxed the bullpen early. And in the one game where the offense finally showed some life, the bullpen imploded—surrendering six runs in the eighth inning and blowing a 7-2 lead.
It was about as deflating a start as you can imagine through three games.
You could feel it in the postgame tone. Sunday’s finale in Milwaukee felt like an opportunity to reset, regain some confidence, and get back on track. Instead, the same four words started creeping in—into the minds of fans, and maybe even players:
"Here we go again."
Which brings us to Miami.
The Marlins are off to a hot start themselves at 3-0 after sweeping the Colorado Rockies. Meanwhile, the White Sox will return home Thursday afternoon to face the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays. That won’t be an easy series, which makes this stretch in Miami even more critical. You’d like to see the White Sox build at least some momentum, or confidence, before that home opener. You’d like Rate Field to have some energy.
If the White Sox can take this series—or better yet, sweep—you’re suddenly looking at a 2-4 or 3-3 team with encouraging early production from Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth. That’s something to build on. Something fans can rally around. Something that reinforces the belief inside that clubhouse that this team can compete and surprise people in 2026.
But if it’s more of the same—if the White Sox drop another series or get swept again—they’ll head home to face a dangerous Blue Jays team at 1-5 or 0-6, with confidence already wavering. That’s how a season can spiral before it ever gets going. And that kind of start doesn’t just show up in the standings—it can impact performance, belief, and everything in between.
Milwaukee was a tough draw. You can reasonably give the White Sox some benefit of the doubt—the Brewers were the best team in the National League in 2025, and Chicago looked overmatched.
But Miami is different.
The White Sox should be able to go toe-to-toe with this team. And it’s paramount that they do. The domino effect of what happens over the next few days could be significant one way or another.