White Sox Notes: Acquisitions, Acuña, Murakami

By Anthony Franco | January 29, 2026 at 11:38pm CDT

The White Sox finalized their two-year, $20MM free agent contract with Seranthony Domínguez this afternoon. The hard-throwing righty is expected to step into the ninth inning for skipper Will Venable. That deal came on the heels of the Sox trading Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets, a move which dropped the center fielder’s $20MM salary from the books.

General manager Chris Getz said after the Robert trade that the Sox would be “very active” in using that payroll space. Domínguez will make $8MM in the first season of his slightly backloaded deal. Even if the White Sox don’t intend to reallocate all $20MM into this year’s roster, there should be room in the budget for another addition.

Getz acknowledged as much, saying on Thursday that the front office remains involved on both free agent and trade targets. “We’re still fairly active in free agency and also talking to other clubs,” Getz said in a TV appearance (video via CHSN). He made similar comments in a fan event before this weekend’s SoxFest Live event. “I believe that there are going to be more adds. To what level, (I’m) unsure,” the GM said (link via Scott Merkin of MLB.com). “What we can provide is opportunity and a runway, and some of these players we’ve acquired just haven’t gotten that runway in other places for various reasons.”

This remains a rebuild even if the White Sox have had a bigger offseason than anticipated.

Domínguez is an established reliever, but the rest of Chicago’s pickups have been upside shots on young players or those whose roles might change. They jumped on the opportunity to add Munetaka Murakami on a two-year, $34MM contract when the Japanese slugger’s market didn’t develop. The Sox signed NPB returnee Anthony Kay to a two-year deal that likely includes a rotation spot. Sean Newcomb worked mostly out of the bullpen last year but could battle for a starting job in camp. On the position player side, they’ve taken fliers on former highly-regarded prospects Luisangel Acuña and Everson Pereira in trades.

Acuña came over from the Mets in the Robert deal. He’s a .248/.299/.341 hitter in 233 MLB plate appearances but never had consistent playing time in New York.
[ That would have been good for what? 5th? maybe 6th best in the Guardian line up last year??? ]

Acuña has primarily been a middle infielder in his career, but he’s also playing a good amount of center field in the Venezuelan Winter League. He has plus-plus speed that could be an asset in the outfield. Jon Heyman of The New York Post writes that Acuña is likely to get an opportunity to step directly into Robert’s role as Chicago’s primary center fielder.

The versatility means Acuña will probably still see some infield work. Chicago’s middle infield tandem of Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth is more exciting than their post-Robert outfield, which may be the worst in MLB. Andrew Benintendi is back in left field. Pereira, Brooks Baldwin, Derek Hill and Tristan Peters — along with minor league signees Jarred Kelenic and Dustin Harris — make for an unimposing right field mix. There’s a decent chance they’ll make another outfield move or two before Opening Day. There’s also ample opportunity in a rotation that is led by Shane Smith, Sean Burke, Davis Martin and the free agent signees Kay and Newcomb.

While there are a lot of moving pieces, Murakami should be a staple as the everyday first baseman. Major league clubs clearly had big reservations about the rate at which he swung and missed in Japan. Murakami may have as much raw power as any hitter on the planet, though, and the Sox will no doubt have a long leash as he tries to acclimate to MLB pitching. It’s the kind of upside play that virtually no one saw coming at the beginning of the offseason, when Murakami was widely expected to command a nine-figure deal.

That skepticism extended to the White Sox themselves. Getz spoke with Scott Merkin of MLB.com about the signing and acknowledged that the NPB superstar was not a player they expected to add. “Candidly, I didn’t think it was going to be a realistic target for us. I didn’t. The speculation was big, whether it be years, and dollars. … We did our due diligence. But I still didn’t feel like it was going to be realistic, even into when free agency opened up.”

It carried well into the offseason, as Getz said he still didn’t view Murakami as a viable addition into the Winter Meetings in early December. Talks didn’t accelerate until a few days before the close of the player’s 45-day posting window, which expired on December 22. Once it became apparent that Murakami wasn’t going to find a long-term deal he desired, the Sox made their move.

“We just view this as truly upside,” Getz said of adding a marquee player from Japan. “The baseball side, the business side. There’s a big impact and it’s leading to things that perhaps we didn’t even anticipate, quite honestly.” Sox fans will want to read Merkin’s full column, which includes more specifics from Getz and Venable on the process leading up to the agreement.

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[ The whiite sox will not be the divisions punching bag this season. They've already upgraded significantly. Getz is not done yet. As he's said, the Sox will be “very active” and acknowledged as much, saying on Thursday that the front office remains involved on both free agent and trade targets. “We’re still fairly active in free agency and also talking to other clubs,” Getz said in a TV appearance (video via CHSN). Meanwhile, the Guardians remain complacent hoping the cards fall in the right places while the sox and royals continue to play catchup. This division is going to have quite a difference face than it had in 2025 and if I were in the front office, I'd be looking in that rear view mirror. ]

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Eli Morgan signs bounce-back contract with Guardians’ division rival

By Henry Palattella

2 hours ago

For three seasons, Eli Morgan was a solid middle-leverage reliever for the Cleveland Guardians. While he doesn’t have overpowering stuff or a varied arsenal, Morgan always seemed to wiggle out of whatever jam he found himself in.

But his career hit a huge roadblock in 2025 thanks to a disaster season with the Cubs where he pitched in just seven games before suffering a season-ending arm injury that led to him being designated for assignment after the season.

But now he’ll get a chance to rebuild his career in a place familiar to every Guardians fans, as Morgan signed a minor league deal with the Royals on Thursday that includes an invitation to major league spring training.

Former Guardians reliever Eli Morgan inks minor league deal with Royals

In total, Morgan posted a 12.27 ERA in 7 1/3 innings with the Cubs last year due to an elbow impingement that ended his season in April. He was due back in September and actually went on a rehab assignment, but the Cubs elected to send him down to Triple-A instead of calling him up.

That was a far cry from where he was during his time with the Guardians, as he had an ERA of 4.01 or better in all three of his seasons in Cleveland’s bullpen. He had a 1.93 ERA in 2024 but also only managed to throw 42 innings due to elbow inflammation, which ended up being a harbinger of what was to come in 2025.

The Guardians were still able to capitalize on his value by trading him to the Cubs for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario, who is becoming a budding star in the Guardians’ minor league system.

Morgan’s best season in Cleveland’s bullpen came in 2022 when he posted a 3.38 ERA in 66 2/3 innings with 72 strikeouts. While he was never the biggest name in the Guardians’ bullpen, it didn’t take long for him to become a favorite for manager Terry Francona.

The biggest thing working against Morgan now is his lack of velocity. He primarily relies on a fastball that sits around 92 miles per hour and a loopy changeup that looks like a cartoon when he’s hitting his spots.

While he has a strong major league track record using that arsenal, it’s tough for him to get hitters out when he doesn’t have his command, which has been a problem that he’s run into in the past (and is the biggest reason why Cleveland converted him to a reliever).

Even though Morgan’s not on a big league contract, he still has a good shot to make the Royals’ roster thanks to the team’s offseason reshuffling.

The main depth options the Royals have in their bullpen are Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch and James McArthur — none of whom have extremely stong holds over their roster spots.

Lange served as the Tigers’ closer in 2023 but has only thrown 19 2/3 innings over the past two seasons due to injury, while McArthur missed all of 2025 due to an elbow injury.

Morgan also has one more minor league option remaining, which gives him a leg up on some of the players he’s competing against.

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Dave Roberts might've just revealed tough Dodgers path forward for Roki Sasaki

Roberts issued a challenge. Will Sasaki accept it?

By Emma Lingan

4 hours ago

Dave Roberts didn’t say it bluntly. He didn’t have to.

When the Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager stood in front of reporters and calmly explained that Roki Sasaki “needs to develop a third pitch,” he wasn’t just talking about mechanics. He was sketching the most difficult road in baseball: the one where a prodigy has to admit that raw greatness is no longer enough.

For most of this roster, the Dodgers know what they have. Shohei Ohtani is the sport’s gravitational center. Mookie Betts remains a marvel even as age creeps into the conversation. Freddie Freeman’s swing is engineered to age gracefully. There is variance, sure—but not mystery.

Sasaki is different. He arrives at camp in February as an unknown variable in a system built on certainty. The Dodgers have invested far more than money in him, effectively burning two international classes to land a 24-year-old who once bent Japan’s domestic league with little more than a 100-mph fastball and a forkball that fell off tables.

That formula works when hitters see you once. It does not work when they see you three times.

Roberts’ comments revealed the hard truth: if Sasaki is going to be a starter in Major League Baseball, he must become something he has never had to be before—a pitcher willing to be unfinished.

Roki Sasaki faces a major challenge entering his second Dodgers spring training

The irony is cruel. Sasaki’s identity has been built on dominance. In Japan, he didn’t need a third pitch. In October, he didn’t need one either, mowing through postseason innings as a closer with pure velocity and bravado. Three saves. A 0.84 ERA. The myth was restored.

But relief stardom is a shortcut. Starting is a journey.

A two-pitch mix can survive in bursts. It rarely survives in arcs. Big league lineups are too disciplined, too prepared, too merciless. They remember. They adjust. They wait. And without something that “goes left,” as Roberts put it — a slider, a curveball, a wrinkle — Sasaki’s brilliance becomes predictable. That’s why Roberts’ challenge is as psychological as it is technical.

Sasaki is famously independent. When the Dodgers credited their staff for restoring his fastball last season, he countered by saying he fixed it himself by studying old video. It wasn’t arrogance. It was identity. He has always trusted his own eye.

Now, the Dodgers need him to trust something else. They need him to be vulnerable.

Roberts is threading a needle. He wants Sasaki to stay dangerous, to keep the edge that let him stare down hitters in October. But he also wants him to accept that greatness in this league is additive. That evolution is not weakness. That needing help is not failure.

The “tough path forward” isn’t adding a pitch. It’s accepting that the game is bigger than the version of yourself that got you here. Sasaki has already conquered one baseball world. To conquer this one, he must let it change him.



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Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki throws against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6 of the 2025 World Series.
Getty Images

Biggest mystery for Dodgers who can make or break season: Roki Sasaki

By Dylan Hernandez

Published Jan. 27, 2026, 6:44 p.m. ET

For the most part, the Dodgers know what they have.

In Shohei Ohtani, they have the best player in baseball. In Mookie Betts, they have a capable shortstop who might or might not be declining offensively. In Freddie Freeman, they have a professional hitter whose short swing should slow down the effects of age.

Nothing is guaranteed in sports, but the Dodgers can estimate the range of potential outcomes this season for most of their players.

One notable exception: Roki Sasaki.

Pitchers and catchers will report to the Dodgers’ spring training home in Arizona on Feb. 13, and Sasaki will once again show up as one of the greatest mysteries in camp.

The Dodgers have invested heavily in the 24-year-old Sasaki, as they basically sacrificed two classes of international amateur players in their quest to sign him. Even after an up-and-down rookie season last year, they remain committed to him. Sasaki is committed to them as well, as plans are for him to stay in spring training rather than join the Japanese national team at the World Baseball Classic.

“We’re gonna give him every chance to be the fifth starter or the sixth starter,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Sasaki is the most naturally gifted pitcher Japan has produced. In his homeland’s domestic league, he dominated with only two-plus pitches, a 100-mph fastball and Wiffle ball-like forkball.

His transition to the major leagues last year was rough. His body looked undeveloped compared with other players. His command was lacking. His fastball velocity declined. By mid-May, he was on the injured list with a shoulder impingement. He didn’t return to the majors until the final week of the regular season.




Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki celebrate in the locker room after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in Game 7 to win the 2025 World Series


When Sasaki returned, it was as a reliever, agreeing to a test run out of the bullpen on the condition that he be granted a chance to start next season. With the back of the Dodgers’ bullpen in shambles, Sasaki inherited the role of closer almost by default and thrived. In four postseason games, he registered three saves and a 0.84 ERA.

His unexpected October heroics restored his phenom status, but Roberts cautioned that for his success as a reliever to translate into success as a starter, he will have to make adjustments.




Roki Sasaki celebrates after pitching in the 2025 World Series.

“For me,” Roberts said, “he needs to develop a third pitch.”

Perhaps a slider, perhaps a curveball.

“It’s going to need to be something that goes left,” Roberts said.

A fastball-forkball mix could work for a reliever who comes in and throws as hard as he can for an inning. But Roberts reasons that as good as Sasaki’s primary pitches are, the right-hander will need another offering to keep hitters guessing in his second or third time through the order.

Some evaluators wonder if Sasaki has a delivery that could prevent him from effectively throwing another pitch, but Roberts believes the obstacle is more mental than physical.

“It’s always hard for a young player who’s had success doing something one way – great success – to now be vulnerable and open to something the game hasn’t told you that you needed to do,” Roberts said.

The Dodgers have encountered trouble reaching Sasaki, who is known for his strong individual streak. When he emerged as a bullpen savior, the organization scrambled to share stories of how it helped him recover his fastball velocity. Sasaki offered an entirely different retelling of events that minimized the role played by the team. He said he discovered the problems with his delivery when he watched old videos of himself.

Roberts said he was conscientious about striking a balance in dealing with Sasaki. He wants Sasaki to have the humility to be open to ideas. But he also wants him to retain the brashness that made him stare down hitters in the ninth inning. Roberts said the game should lead him to his destination.

“I like the phrase, ‘The game tells you,’” Roberts said.

The game once told Ohtani to abandon the leg kick he used in Japan. The game told Clayton Kershaw to develop a slider. Now, Roberts expects the game to tell Sasaki that he has to add a weapon to his arsenal. Sasaki’s future as a starter could depend on it.

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A's extend star shortstop Jacob Wilson to 7-year deal

58 minutes ago

Theo DeRosa

The Athletics continue to secure another young fixture of their promising position-player core.

Shortstop Jacob Wilson and the A’s agreed to a seven-year, $70 million contract extension including a club option for an eighth season, the team announced on Friday.

Wilson, 23, is coming off a second-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year Award voting, with A’s teammate Nick Kurtz claiming the honor. Wilson, who batted .311 with 13 home runs and an .799 OPS, was named an All-Star in his rookie campaign.

Wilson’s extension is the latest in a string of long-term deals issued by the A’s to their key players. Since the start of 2025, designated hitter Brent Rooker (5 years, $60 million) and outfielders Lawrence Butler (7 years, $65.5 million) and Tyler Soderstrom (7 years, $86 million) have all signed extensions of five years or more with the club.

A first-round Draft pick in 2023 out of Grand Canyon University, Wilson -- the son of former Major League shortstop Jack Wilson -- made his MLB debut in 2024, playing in 28 games. In 2025, his batting average topped .350 as late as June 24.

While the A’s finished in fourth place in the AL West at 76-86, their 35-29 (.547) record after the All-Star break ranked in the top 10 in the Majors. With Wilson, Rooker, Butler and Soderstrom now committed for the long haul -- and Kurtz looking to build on a monster rookie year -- the A’s appear to have their sights set on contending in 2026.

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White Sox reach 1-year deal with outfielder Hays (source)

9:27 AM CST

Jeffrey Lutz

The White Sox have agreed to a one-year deal with veteran outfielder Austin Hays, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Saturday morning. The club has not confirmed the deal, which also includes incentives.

Hays missed 59 games with multiple injuries in 2025, but when healthy he displayed the hitting capability that earned him an All-Star nod in 2023. His .768 OPS ranked second among Reds with at least 200 plate appearances, and Hays reached 15 home runs for the fourth time in five seasons.

The 30-year-old outfielder started the season with 12 hits in his first 28 at-bats and was batting over .300 as late as June 27, also carrying a .500 slugging percentage into the final week of July.

Hays got to those numbers by feasting on fastballs, batting .337 with a .709 slugging percentage in 95 plate appearances that ended with four-seamers. Against sinkers, Hays batted .353 with a .632 slugging percentage in 71 plate appearances. He was worth nine runs against those two pitches but minus-7 against all others without a .400 slugging percentage against any of them.

Hays had particular trouble against sliders, sweepers and curveballs, striking out in nearly one-third of the plate appearances that ended in those pitches. Still, he brings success against fastballs and a cannon of a right arm that ranks in the 88th percentile in arm strength.

Hays has appeared in the postseason in each of the last three years with three different teams. His pedigree includes three seasons in which he qualified for the batting title and posted an OPS-plus of at least 105. He hit 35 doubles for the Orioles in 2022 and 36 a year later.

Hays' biggest obstacle as he plays deeper into his 30s is his health -- his 103 games in 2025 came after he played 85 in 2024, battling multiple maladies including injuries to his calf and hamstring, as well as a kidney infection. When healthy, Hays has shown he can contribute in multiple ways to a winning club.

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9:46AM: Hays will earn $5MM in salary in 2026, and there is a $1MM buyout on a mutual option for 2027, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes. Another $375K is available for Hays in incentive bonuses based around plate appearances.

8:42AM: The White Sox have agreed to a deal with outfielder Austin Hays, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reports. The one-year deal will pay Hays $6MM, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, and the contract will be official following a physical. Hays is represented by the MAS+ Agency.

Earlier today, Heyman reported that Hays was “said to be deciding this weekend” about his next landing spot. Heyman listed the White Sox, Cubs, Padres, Tigers, and Rangers as teams who had showed some level of interest in Hays at some point during the offseason. These five clubs were new to Hays’ market, as previous reports this winter linked the Royals, Reds, Mets, Yankees, and Cardinals to the 30-year-old outfielder. The Athletic’s Zack Meisel also wrote that the Guardians “put out feelers on” Hays’ services.

Playing time was an apparent priority for Hays, as Meisel wrote that the outfielder was looking for “a situation in which he could play every day.” That didn’t come in Cleveland since the Guardians didn’t want to block any of its up-and-coming younger outfielders, but Hays will now land with another AL Central team that has plenty of at-bats on offer. Hays figures to step right into at least semi-regular duty in right field, and he might also get time in his regular left field position depending on how the White Sox approach Andrew Benintendi’s playing time.

Brooks Baldwin, Derek Hill, Tristan Peters, Everson Pereira, and Jarred Kelenic are among the names in Chicago’s outfield mix, plus Luisangel Acuna is likely to get a lot of time in center field.

The Hays signing is the latest intriguing move for a White Sox team that is planning to be more competitive in 2026, even if a full-fledged run at a playoff berth remains at least a year away. Trading Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets freed up $20MM in payroll space, and the Sox reinvested that money into a two-year, $20MM deal for Seranthony Dominguez to become Chicago’s next closer.

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[ Well! Take another player off my wish list. White Sox on the right track to a full recovery from being a basement dweller. One more on my wish list, Brendan Donovan, and from what's going on, I guess I can cross him off my wish list. ]


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White Sox sign free agent outfielder who would have been great fit with Guardians

By Henry Palattella

2 hours ago

Another day, another free agent outfielder signing somewhere other than Cleveland.

This time it was free agent outfielder Austin Hays, who inked a one-year, $6 million deal with the White Sox, per MLB insider Jon Heyman.

While Hays signing somewhere other than Cleveland was a bit of a predictable outcome given the fact that it seemed like he was looking to go to a team where he could get everyday playing time, it still stings to see him sign with another American League Central opponent.

Austin Hays spurns Guardians to sign with White Sox

Hays is coming off a season where he posted a .266/.315/.453 slashline to go along with 15 home runs and 64 RBI. While it's not the kind of production that he had during his All-Star season in 2023, it's still above-average production from a platoon outfielder.

And that's also the kind of production the Guardians need from their outfielders since they're coming off a season where they had one of the worst outfields in all of baseball.

But it seems like Chris Antonetti and Co. didn't want to put anyone in the way of the team's young outfielders, which is why it seems like their interest in Hays never rose above a cursory check in.

But now Hays should get plenty of playing time with the White Sox thanks to the fact they traded Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets while also still having a work in progress on the grass.

Andrew Benintendi is spending more and more time at designated hitter which should open up some spots in left, and the competition for the other two spots in the outfield consists of guys like Derek Hill, Everson Pereira and Jarred Kelenic.

All semi-intiguting options, but no one who should stand in Hays' way.

Although the White Sox are still a year or two away from truly competing with for the American League Central crown, Hays' signing in the cherry on top of what's been a strong offseason for them.

First off, it seems like they have a clear vision, which hasn't been the case in the past. But they also did a good job getting prospects in return for Robert while also signing Munetaka Murakami and other impact veterans.

The silver lining of Hays signing elsewhere is that the Guardians now don't have any excuse to not give Chase DeLauter, George Valera, Petey Halpin and others a chance to earn an Opening Day outfield spot.

While adding Hays to the mix would have helped the Guardians' outfield in the short-term, the Guardians front office decided to take a long-term approach toward the future of the young prospects in their outfield.

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Austin Hays Signs with White Sox — What It Means for Outfield Market

Here is who's left.

Curt Bishop

58 minutes ago

The outfield market has shifted as of Saturday morning. Veteran slugger Austin Hays had a lot of interest around the league, but he ultimately joined the Chicago White Sox, signing a one-year, $6 million contract with incentives, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

A lot of the top names have already signed, so there might not be many great options left to fill holes in the outfield for teams looking for help.

However, here is a quick deep dive into what the market looks like with Hays now off the board and where teams looking for help can turn as spring training approaches.

Who's still available?

Again, a lot of the top names have already signed. Kyle Tucker is off the board, as are Adolis Garcia, Lane Thomas, Harrison Bader and Cody Bellinger. But there are still some under-the-radar options.

Another player that teams have shown interest in is Miguel Andujar. He can play the corner outfield spots and also a few infield spots. He hit .318 with 10 home runs and an .822 OPS with the Athletics and Cincinnati Reds.

At this point, he is probably the best option still available, so his market may start to become more competitive as spring training draws closer. In terms of right-handed hitting outfielders, other options include Austin Slater, Hunter Renfroe, Randal Grichuk, Starling Marte, Chris Taylor, Mark Canha and Tommy Pham.

Sooner or later, some players may start signing minor league deals so they can compete for spots on Opening Day rosters and not have to sit on the free agent market for much longer. There are also several left-handed hitting outfielders who have yet to find a home.

Jesse Winker, Michael Conforto, Will Brennan, Jason Heyward and Mike Tauchman have yet to sign. All are solid veteran options who could start coming off the board soon as the offseason enters its latter stages. Max Kepler would be another option, but he received an 80-game suspension.

The next name to come off the board will likely be Andujar, as he is the best option still available, but once that happens, the market could start to pick up again as teams try to fill holes in their roster before spring training.

It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next couple of weeks leading up to the 2026 season.

[ The train has left the station. At this point of the offseason, the front office is now definitely committed. Got no choices left now.]

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Andujar is our last option for a RH OF. Although I suppose we will have to settle for Stuart Fairchild.
Actually we have one good hitting RH OF already in Angel Martinez.
I assume he will play OF everyday vs lefties. If by any chance Valera and DeLauter can both stay uninjured for the whole season, I can see the two of them plus Kayfus getting 350-375 starts among them in CF, RF and DH and Martinez takes on the rest of the OF duties and Fry DH.

Andujar is our last option for a RH OF. Although I suppose we will have to settle for Stuart Fairchild.
Actually we have one good hitting RH OF already in Angel Martinez.
I assume he will play OF everyday vs lefties. If by any chance Valera and DeLauter can both stay uninjured for the whole season, I can see the two of them plus Kayfus getting 350-375 starts among them in CF, RF and DH and Martinez takes on the rest of the OF duties and Fry DH.

Andujar is our last option for a RH OF. Although I suppose we will have to settle for Stuart Fairchild.
Actually we have one good hitting RH OF already in Angel Martinez.
I assume he will play OF everyday vs lefties. If by any chance Valera and DeLauter can both stay uninjured for the whole season, I can see the two of them plus Kayfus getting 350-375 starts among them in CF, RF and DH and Martinez takes on the rest of the OF duties and Fry DH.

Andujar is our last option for a RH OF. Although I suppose we will have to settle for Stuart Fairchild.
Actually we have one good hitting RH OF already in Angel Martinez.
I assume he will play OF everyday vs lefties. If by any chance Valera and DeLauter can both stay uninjured for the whole season, I can see the two of them plus Kayfus getting 350-375 starts among them in CF, RF and DH and Martinez takes on the rest of the OF duties and Fry DH.

Andujar is our last option for a RH OF. Although I suppose we will have to settle for Stuart Fairchild.
Actually we have one good hitting RH OF already in Angel Martinez.
I assume he will play OF everyday vs lefties. If by any chance Valera and DeLauter can both stay uninjured for the whole season, I can see the two of them plus Kayfus getting 350-375 starts among them in CF, RF and DH and Martinez takes on the rest of the OF duties and Fry DH.

Colson Montgomery belted 21 homers in 71 games. Colson Montgomery has 40-homer potential

AP MLB:

White Sox players embrace higher expectations after young core showed promise last season

The Associated Press

January 31, 2026

CHICAGO (AP) — Colson Montgomery grew up in Indiana rooting for the Hoosiers and committed to play baseball for them before the Chicago White Sox made the slugging shortstop a first-round pick in the 2021 draft.

Fair to say, he’s inspired by the football team’s historic transformation under coach Curt Cignetti. In just two seasons, Indiana’s gone from doormat to national champion.

“Cignetti kind of summed it up,” Montgomery said Friday before the team kicked off its fan festival. “He said Indiana University football just won the national championship. It can be done.”

The White Sox believe they are poised to turn a corner. General manager Chris Getz said this week he expects the team to take “a meaningful step forward” after three straight 100-loss seasons.

The players echoed that on Friday, when the team kicked off its weekend fan festival.

“It’s great,” right-hander Davis Martin said. “I love the energy that we have and I think everyone in the clubhouse feels it. So the fact that it’s emanating outside the clubhouse into the community, into the city is great. But all of us know at the end of the day, wins matter. You’ve got to go win games.”

The White Sox haven’t done much of that in recent years. They made the playoffs in 2020 and 2021 with young stars like Tim Anderson and Luis Robert leading the way, only to unravel.

The White Sox are coming off back-to-back last-place finishes in the AL Central. They went 60-102 in manager Will Venable’s first season. But as bad as that sounds, they made a 19-game improvement over 2024, when they finished 41-121 and set a modern major league record for losses.

Last season, there were at least some promising developments. Right-hander Shane Smith made the All-Star team as a rookie, and Montgomery, catcher Kyle Teel and versatile infielder Chase Meidroth all showed potential after making their debuts.

“I think we use last year as a good foundation,” Smith said.

Montgomery belted 21 homers in 71 games [ Murakami averaged 35-40+ home runs per full season NICE 1-2 PUNCH ], Teel, who hit .273 in 78 games, showed the potential to hit for power and average and the ability to keep runners at bay with his arm.

“It didn’t quite satisfy us,” Montgomery said. “It just made us (feel) like, OK, we think this is what we can do. And now, we just want to be able to sustain it for a 162-game season.”

It’s not just the young players the White Sox have returning. They also made a series of moves in the offseason, most notably signing Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami and trading center fielder . They acquired infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley in that deal.

The White Sox used some of the financial flexibility they got in the Robert deal to sign veteran reliever Seranthony Domínguez. He figures to close for them.

“It’s all going in the right direction,” right-hander Davis Martin said. “But at the end of the day, you’re in the big leagues, you’ve still got to do your job. I think there’s been plenty of times where teams get hyped up and they fall short of expectations. And I think for us we’re not really worried about anything except just going out and playing the game and seeing where we end up after nine innings.”

The fact that things appear headed in the right direction, that there is a building buzz, is a big change from a year ago. Maybe fans will show up. The White Sox were near the bottom in attendance last season at 1,445,738. Only Miami, Tampa Bay and the Athletics were worse.

“From the fans that I’ve spoken to, they feel it’s coming just as much as we do,” Smith said. “So I don’t think the convincing takes much. But people want to see wins. There’s only so many things you can say without wins. That’s what we want to do, too.”

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[ Montgomery belted 21 homers in 71 games - 4o homers on the season?? Murakami averaged 35-40+ home runs per full season NICE 1-2 PUNCH. Wouldn't mind that kind of potential in the middle of the Guardians lineup. Should be interesting Ramirez-Manzardo vs Montgomery-Murakami ]

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AP MLB:

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