Who Will Be the White Sox Right Fielder on Opening Day?

The Chicago White Sox rolling out a new right fielder on Opening Day has become a yearly tradition at this point.

Right field has been a problem area for more than a decade, and the recent track record is staggering. Over the last eight seasons, the White Sox have had eight different Opening Day starters at the position.

The carousel began after 2018, the final year of Avisail García. In 2019, Daniel Palka got the nod after a strong second half the year before. That experiment quickly unraveled—Palka opened the season 9-for-84 and never took another major-league at-bat.

In 2020, Nicky Delmonico started in right field. He appeared in just six games that season and was out of baseball shortly thereafter.

The same fate followed Adam Eaton in 2021. He opened the year as the White Sox’s right fielder, was later traded to the Los Angeles Angels, and played his final big-league game that same season.

The White Sox hoped A.J. Pollock would bring some stability in 2022. While Pollock appeared in 138 games, his production fell off sharply from the year prior.

Romy González got the Opening Day start in 2023 and is now finding success with Boston. In 2024, it was Kevin Pillar, who has since retired. And in 2025, Austin Slater held the role before being traded to the New York Yankees at the deadline and eventually landing back on the free-agent market.

That brings us to 2026—the ninth straight season Chicago will feature a different Opening Day right fielder. And as the calendar turns, it remains a complete toss-up who that player will be.

Mike Tauchman appeared to be the favorite entering the offseason after turning in a solid 2025 campaign. Instead, the White Sox surprisingly non-tendered him, making him a free agent.

It’s difficult to know everything that went into that decision, but the logic seems clear: the White Sox likely viewed Tauchman and Andrew Benintendi as redundant players—both left-handed hitters whose defensive value has diminished with age.

Benintendi is owed $17 million this season and isn’t going anywhere. So Chicago chose to move on from Tauchman, seemingly prioritizing athleticism and defense in the outfield.

GM Chris Getz has already stated that Braden Montgomery, the organization’s top prospect, is not expected to be on the Opening Day roster. Montgomery looks like the long-term solution in right field, but he doesn’t provide an immediate answer.

So who does?

Internal Options

Brooks Baldwin deserves real consideration. The White Sox transitioned Baldwin from a utility role into the outfield in 2025, and the switch-hitter showed signs of growth.

His season-long .697 OPS won’t generate buzz, but from July 3 through the end of the year, Baldwin hit .268 with nine doubles, eight home runs, and an .804 OPS. If the White Sox don’t add a significant free-agent bat, Baldwin could get the first crack at everyday at-bats. He’s just 25 years old and capable of taking another step forward.

The other high-upside internal option is Everson Pereira. The 24-year-old was acquired earlier this offseason and brings plenty of raw tools.

Pereira hasn’t found success at the big-league level yet—he’s batting .146 in 50 career MLB games—but his minor-league track record is far more encouraging. He’s posted an OPS north of .850 in Triple-A in each of the last two seasons and hit 21 home runs last year.

There’s real power here. If the White Sox believe they can help him make key adjustments, Pereira could get a legitimate runway out of spring training. That outcome wouldn’t be surprising.

Free Agent Possibilities

Getz has acknowledged publicly that corner outfield remains an area of need, which makes it hard to believe the White Sox will enter the season without an addition.

Adolis García would’ve topped my list, but that door is closed after he agreed to a one-year deal with the Phillies.

Ryan O’Hearn remains my favorite fit this offseason. He’s a left-handed bat who can play first base or a corner outfield spot, understands the strike zone, and consistently delivers professional at-bats.

The market for O’Hearn should be competitive, and if Chicago signs him, he’d likely see more time at first base than in the outfield. Still, I wouldn’t rule out Will Venable getting creative—possibly even using O’Hearn in right field on Opening Day.

There are other names worth monitoring.

Max Kepler isn’t a star, but he brings some left-handed power and solid defense. He hit 18 home runs last season and posted a .816 OPS with Minnesota in 2023. He’s also been a notorious White Sox killer over the years.

Austin Hays has long intrigued me as well. He posted a .768 OPS with Cincinnati last season while providing veteran leadership to a young playoff team. I liked the fit even more when Tauchman was still under contract, as the platoon potential made sense, but Hays would still represent a clear upgrade over Chicago’s current options.

And don’t overlook Jesse Winker. His recent career has been a roller coaster—some strong seasons, some forgettable ones. He enjoyed success in 2024 but spent much of 2025 injured. Winker wouldn’t cost much and offers left-handed upside, even if he’d be the least exciting addition of the bunch.

Those are the clearest options on the table right now. If the Opening Day right fielder doesn’t come from that group, it likely means the White Sox pulled off an unforeseen trade.

Whoever it ends up being, Chicago needs to stabilize this position sooner rather than later. Braden Montgomery may ultimately do that—but until then, right field remains a glaring question mark.

And for a position that’s supposed to be a power source in a lineup, a revolving door continues to limit the White Sox’s offensive ceiling.

Who Will Be the White Sox Right Fielder on Opening Day?

Tags: