Despite a brutal run differential, Chicago’s early momentum and fresh roster are giving the White Sox a chance to stay competitive while waiting for reinforcements.
After sweeping the defending American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, the Chicago White Sox now find themselves at 4-5 with a bit of momentum behind them.
The White Sox were one throw to first base away from losing Friday’s home opener in extra innings and falling to 1-6 on the season. But fresh off the bench due to an injury, Blue Jays backup catcher Tyler Heineman threw the ball into right field after Derek Hill’s bunt in the bottom of the 10th. That allowed the tying run to score, and outfielder Tristan Peters followed with a walk-off RBI single.
Chicago rode that momentum to a 6-3 win on Saturday and a 3-0 victory on Sunday to complete the sweep. The starting pitching settled in during the home series, and the White Sox will now look to keep things rolling as the Baltimore Orioles come to town.
Does this team deserve to be 4-5 or sitting tied for second place in the AL Central? Definitively not. But here they are anyway.
The White Sox have a run differential of minus-24, the worst mark in the American League and the second-worst in all of baseball, ahead of only the San Francisco Giants (-25), who sit at 3-7.
Chicago is the first American League team since the 2012 Tampa Bay Rays to win at least four of its first nine games while being outscored by 20 or more runs. It’s shocking that their record isn’t a complete eyesore, but as long as the White Sox are hovering around .500 with some momentum, they might as well take advantage of it.
One thing I felt was paramount entering the 2026 season was the White Sox getting off to a decent start. Players talked during spring training about having expectations to win, regardless of what the national media or betting odds suggested. The front office has been hesitant to put a number on wins and losses, but manager Will Venable has said there is no ceiling for what this team can accomplish.
Maybe that’s true, though I have my doubts. But one thing has been clear from the start: the White Sox needed a strong opening stretch.
When you’re coming off three consecutive 100-loss seasons and have become the punchline every time something goes wrong, you can’t afford to stumble out of the gate.
Look at the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. They are the two worst teams in baseball right now. Neither fan base is happy, but there’s still enough talent and belief in those organizations to expect things to turn around. The wins will come.
The White Sox don't get the same benefit of the doubt because they've become known for a losing culture. But perhaps that can change this season.
One thing Chicago does have going for them is the number of new faces in the clubhouse. Only a handful of players remain from the 2024 team that lost 121 games. The rest are either young players who are part of the future core or veterans brought in to complement that vision.
They don’t carry the baggage. They haven’t lived through the recent years of miserable baseball. And maybe all they need to overachieve is a little early momentum and belief.
I don’t necessarily expect the White Sox’s luck to carry deep into the season. Teams don’t usually get outscored by 24 runs over nine games and still sit near .500. But if they can build on this momentum, gain confidence, and keep themselves in the mix, there’s help on the way.
Kyle Teel is working his way back from injury. Pitchers like Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, and Tanner McDougal could all make their MLB debuts by the end of the year. Sam Antonacci and Braden Montgomery are both off to strong starts in the minors and could help address outfield needs.
If Chicago can tread water, keep chipping away, and continue winning close games until reinforcements arrive, this team could start to look a lot more complete with fresh faces and nothing to lose.
The White Sox gained real momentum from sweeping the Blue Jays. Now comes the important part, which is taking advantage of it.