{"id":642519,"date":"2026-03-25T12:49:25","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/642519\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T12:49:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:49:25","slug":"chicago-white-sox-players-to-watch-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/642519\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago White Sox players to watch in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz expressed excitement about Munetaka Murakami\u2019s potential impact on the lineup a day after the Japanese slugger signed a two-year deal with the club.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust think about the meat of the lineup \u2014 to add power is something we need, we desperately need,\u201d Getz said on Dec. 22 following Murakami\u2019s introductory news conference at Rate Field<\/a>. \u201cOf the left-handed variety, too, which is always really attractive in our game just based on how many righties are in our league.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a significant force in the lineup. There\u2019s no question about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murakami\u2019s MLB debut nears as the Sox open the regular season Thursday at Milwaukee.<\/p>\n

\"ChicagoChicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami hits a fly ball out to center field as Athletics catcher Austin Wynns looks on during the third inning of a spring training baseball game, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin)<\/p>\n

The first baseman gives the Sox a new look in the middle of their order, joining the team after hitting 246 home runs in 892 career games over eight seasons for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the Nippon Professional Baseball Central League.<\/p>\n

During the span, Murakami led the NPB in home runs, RBIs (647), walks (614), slugging percentage (.557) and OPS (.979) while earning MVP honors in 2021 and 2022. He hit 56 home runs in 2022, the second-highest total in NPB history and the most by a Japanese player.<\/p>\n

Murakami, 26, went 8-for-29 (.276) in nine Cactus League games<\/a> with one home run and three RBIs. He also played five games for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, going 4-for-19 with one home run (a grand slam) and five RBIs.<\/p>\n

His arrival generated buzz around a Sox team that made a 19-game improvement from 2024 (41-121) to 2025 (60-102).<\/p>\n

He will be one of the players to watch this upcoming season. Here\u2019s a closer look at some more key contributors.<\/p>\n

SS Colson Montgomery
\n\"ChicagoChicago White Sox Colson Montgomery at bat during a spring training game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo\/Brynn Anderson)<\/p>\n

Understanding game situations was one area Colson Montgomery took pride in last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just reading the game,\u201d he said last month at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. \u201cIf there was a time when I needed to get a guy over, get a guy in, that was my one priority. But then some other times, you feel like you have to make things happen. I also did a good job of letting the game come to me and not really trying to do too much.\u201d<\/p>\n

That approach led to 21 home runs in 71 games after joining the Sox from Triple-A Charlotte last July.<\/p>\n

Montgomery, 24, is concentrating on consistency<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s continuing to adapt and not really be satisfied,\u201d he said last month.<\/p>\n

Montgomery was one of several impact rookie position players in 2025, along with second baseman Chase Meidroth and catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero. The next step the group takes will be an important part of the upcoming season.<\/p>\n

The Sox will begin the year without Teel, who is recovering from a right hamstring strain<\/a> suffered on March 10 during the World Baseball Classic. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. Quero and recently signed Reese McGuire<\/a> will handle the catching duties at the start of the season.<\/p>\n

SP Shane Smith
\n\"ChicagoChicago White Sox pitcher Shane Smith throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning of a spring baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Goodyear, Ariz., Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo\/Chris Carlson)<\/p>\n

Shane Smith went from a Rule 5 draft pick to an All-Star last season. And this year, he earned the nod to start on opening day.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpening day is a big deal for every team, especially this year for me,\u201d Smith said on March 8, the day the Sox announced the assignment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Smith, 25, went 7-8 last season with a 3.81 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 146 1\/3 innings, ending the regular season on a strong note by taking a perfect game into the sixth inning on Sept. 28 against the Washington Nationals.<\/p>\n

Fastball command is key, after the right-hander walked nine and hit five batters in 10 2\/3 innings this spring.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that\u2019s really where it starts with him, the fastball,\u201d manager Will Venable said on Saturday. \u201cI know it\u2019s something he\u2019s working on, the group is working on, and confident he\u2019ll be able to do on opening day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith will be followed in the rotation by Sean Burke, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin and Erick Fedde. Kay is back in the big leagues after spending two seasons in Japan. He has five seasons of major-league experience, mostly as a reliever.<\/p>\n

The Sox bullpen now includes veteran arms\u00a0Seranthony Dom\u00ednguez and Jordan Hicks. Dom\u00ednguez signed a two-year deal in the offseason. He\u2019ll be the closer. Hicks came over as part of a trade with the Boston Red Sox<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CF Luisangel Acu\u00f1a
\n\"WhiteWhite Sox second baseman Luisangel Acu\u00f1a participates in media day during Spring Training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 17, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n

A major trade the Sox made in the offseason centered on center fielder Luis Robert Jr.<\/a>, who was dealt to the New York Mets. Luisangel Acu\u00f1a, 24, was part of the return. While he\u2019s been in the infield for most of his 109 career big-league games, Acu\u00f1a got plenty of work at center field during camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel comfortable in any position they ask me to play,\u201d Acu\u00f1a said last week through an interpreter.<\/p>\n

The Sox were still finalizing their outfield depth as camp neared a conclusion.<\/p>\n

Brooks Baldwin had been slowed recently by elbow soreness, complicating matters. The options could include Everson Pereira, acquired from Tampa Bay in an offseason trade. On Monday, Venable said Pereira had a \u201creally good camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

Expect to see Andrew Benintendi at times in left field and as a designated hitter. And free-agent addition Austin Hays<\/a>, who tied Acu\u00f1a for the team lead with 18 hits this spring, will be playing either right or left field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chicago White Sox general manager Chris Getz expressed excitement about Munetaka Murakami\u2019s potential impact on the lineup a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":642520,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2379],"tags":[5,138,49,2561,10448,2186,4,256,73,1406,3399,396,2562],"class_list":["post-642519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chicago-white-sox","tag-baseball","tag-chicago","tag-chicago-white-sox","tag-chicagowhitesox","tag-colson-montgomery","tag-luisangel-acuna","tag-mlb","tag-mlb-baseball","tag-munetaka-murakami","tag-opening-day","tag-shane-smith","tag-white-sox","tag-whitesox"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116289901348790181","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=642519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642519\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/642520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=642519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=642519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=642519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}