The first two games of the 2026 MLB season have been a rough go for the Chicago White Sox, who have been outscored by the Milwaukee Brewers 20–3.
Both White Sox starting pitchers have been knocked around, and outside of strong offensive showings from Chase Meidroth and Munetaka Murakami—who became the first White Sox player to hit a home run in each of his first two MLB games—Chicago hasn’t had much to show on the offensive side of the ball.
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There have been critiques of Will Venable’s lineups, and on Saturday night in Milwaukee, there were serious concerns about Chicago’s defensive positioning and overall execution. They haven’t just looked like the less talented team, they’ve also looked like the less prepared one. While it’s only a two-game sample size, the gap between the White Sox and the Brewers couldn’t feel much wider.
That’s a discouraging reality for White Sox fans hoping to see real signs of progress in 2026. Not that it can’t happen—again, we’re only two games into the regular season—but these first two games haven’t done much to inspire confidence that things will be meaningfully better than what fans have seen over the past few years.
But Brewers manager Pat Murphy, a two-time Manager of the Year in his first two seasons with Milwaukee, would seem to disagree.
Murphy made a bold claim about the White Sox following Saturday night’s game, and it might just be the only silver lining fans take away from opening weekend.
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“I’m so proud of our guys. It’s not easy, the ups and downs and the emotions of the game. And there’s some talent on the other side. Mark my words right now: That Chicago White Sox team will be something to be reckoned with in that division,” Murphy said.
Maybe that’s just a manager giving his team credit for beating up on a bottom feeder. If the White Sox are good, it makes these Brewers wins look even better.
But if you’re a White Sox fan searching for some hope right now, Pat Murphy is someone who knows what a winning team looks like—and he clearly sees something in this White Sox group that gives him enough confidence to make a statement like that.
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The AL Central hasn’t been known as the strongest division in recent years, but that could begin to change in 2026. The Detroit Tigers look like legitimate contenders once again, and a strong pitching staff gives the Kansas City Royals a real chance to compete for a playoff spot.
If the White Sox truly are “something to be reckoned with” in the AL Central, 2026 would be a major step forward for the organization and its fan base.
Let’s hope Pat Murphy is right.