The last time the Chicago White Sox had at least three players with 30-plus home runs in the same season was 2008.
Carlos Quentin hit 36 home runs that season while Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome each finished with 34. That team made the playoffs.
The Sox hope that formula works again this season after the trio of Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery recently reached the 30-homer mark. The Sox entered Wednesday with a two-game lead in the American League Central over the Cleveland Guardians with 18 games remaining.
“No. 1, any time that you have a player, one player that can change the score with a single swing, it’s impactful, and you see what the opposition has to do to deal with that,” manager Will Venable said Sunday. “When you have three guys that have 30 homers, obviously that’s … more challenges for the other pitcher to deal with.”
The Sox will need that power to continue during their drive for the playoffs. Here is the road to 30 — and what’s ahead — for the trio.
Miguel Vargas
White Sox slugger Miguel Vargas hits a solo home run against the Guardians on June 23, 2026, at Rate Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Vargas was the first to 30 for the Sox. He was also the last of the three to get to No. 1.
But he did it in style, hitting a grand slam in the fourth inning against the Marlins on March 30 in Miami. Vargas had six RBIs in the 9-4 victory, the team’s first of the season after the Milwaukee Brewers swept them in a three-game series.
“I was pretty confident in trying to get a good pitch and trying to drive (in) some runs,” Vargas said at the time.
His 10th home run came May 15 during a 10-5 loss to the Cubs at Rate Field. Vargas homered twice in that series.
No. 20, a three-run blast in the fifth inning, served as all the offense for the Sox in a 4-3 loss in 10 innings to the Guardians on July 3 at Progressive Field.
Vargas hit his 29th on Aug. 21, then went without one for his next 12 games. That streak came to an end in the first inning Friday against the Minnesota Twins, when he homered to right-center on a 3-2 fastball from Zebby Matthews.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Vargas said after the game. “I know how hard it is and I’ve been working very hard. (To) achieve one of these moments, it means a lot for me for sure.”
His most home runs this season against one club — four — have come against the Detroit Tigers. The Sox have four games remaining with the Tigers from Sept. 17-20 at Rate Field.
Colson Montgomery
White Sox designated hitter Colson Montgomery hits a solo home run against the Mets on Aug. 21, 2026, at Rate Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Like Vargas, Montgomery reached 30 home runs Friday.
And like Vargas, his first home run of the season was a grand slam. Montgomery’s slam occurred in the first inning of the March 29 series finale against the Brewers at American Family Field.
His 10th came May 9 against future teammate Luis Castillo during the first inning of a 6-1 win against the Seattle Mariners.
Montgomery homered twice June 17 against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He hit another one the next night, No. 20 on the season, in a 5-1 victory against the Yankees.
White Sox designated hitter Colson Montgomery celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Mets on Aug. 21, 2026, at Rate Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
No. 30 came in the fourth inning of Friday’s game against the Twins on an 0-1 fastball against Matthews.
“Doing it on the same night and being able to share with Vargas is awesome,” Montgomery said after the game.
He hit his 31st the next night, the most in franchise history by a primary shortstop.
The Twins are one of three teams Montgomery has hit three home runs against this season, along with the Yankees and the Guardians. The Sox begin a crucial three-game series against the Guardians on Monday at Progressive Field.
Munetaka Murakami
White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami hits a two-run home run against the Twins on Sept. 5, 2026, at Rate Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
The big offseason addition wasted no time showing his power, hitting a home run on opening day against the Brewers on March 26. He went deep in each game of that series.
“There’s still a long way to go and a lot of ways to improve,” Murakami said through an interpreter following the series finale. “So that is what I’ll keep on doing in the upcoming days.”
His 10th home run, in the seventh inning on April 22 at Arizona, capped a franchise-tying stretch of five consecutive games with a long ball.
Murakami hit No. 20 on May 27 against the Twins — the only rookie in the modern era (since 1901) with 20-plus home runs before June. He suffered a right hamstring strain May 29 against the Tigers that would keep him sidelined until July 10.
White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Mariners on May 8, 2026, at Rate Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Murakami reached No. 30 on Saturday with a two-run shot to left field in the first inning against the Twins. It was his first since Aug. 18.
“The lone goal I had was not to get injured, and not about home runs,” Murakami said after the game. “Results come at the end overall after the season. Just keeping that up.”
Because of the injury, Murakami has played just four games against the Tigers and three against the Guardians. He has homered twice against both teams.
Vargas, Montgomery and Murakami have helped the Sox to 189 home runs, which was second in the AL coming into Wednesday. The team is on pace for 213, which would be their most since hitting 235 — in 2008.