Sign up for our White Sox Insider newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe identified him for a reason, the pitch-ability,\u201d Getz said. \u201cAnd you look at the Rule 5 success we had last year (with pitchers Shane Smith and Mike Vasil), to replicate that is not the easiest thing in the world. We were fortunate to be able to do it last year.<\/p>\n \u201cBut he\u2019s going to get a chance, and he\u2019s more than capable of doing that and we want to make sure to put him in a position to get comfortable in the big leagues and help us out.\u201d<\/p>\n With the rosters set and the games nearing, here\u2019s a look at some 2026 Sox storylines.<\/p>\n 1. What\u2019s in store for Year 2 under manager Will Venable? The Sox made a 19-game improvement during Venable\u2019s first season as the Sox manager, going from 41-121 in 2024 to 60-102 in 2025.<\/p>\n Venable said there are a number of areas the Sox are working on to take another step in the right direction.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the pitching side, we\u2019ve got to throw strikes, we\u2019ve got to control the running game and really just attack hitters,\u201d Venable said. \u201cOn the offensive side, we know we\u2019re going to try to do a lot of different things to score runs. It\u2019s going to be a key for us to have different guys involved on a nightly basis, find different ways to score runs. Defensively, we\u2019ve talked about the defensive versatility and we\u2019re going to ask guys to do different things.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of things on our list, but we\u2019re excited to go out and do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Venable added: \u201cIf you look at last year and the days that we didn\u2019t have the results we wanted, there were plays in those games that we have to get better at. And when we really pin down the step forward we want to take, it\u2019s executing those plays and knowing that if we\u2019re able to do that on a more consistent basis, we\u2019re going to get the results that we want.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. What are some realistic expectations for Munetaka Murakami? No player in Nippon Professional Baseball had more home runs over the last eight seasons than Murakami, who hit 246. He had five seasons of at least 30 home runs while playing for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.<\/p>\n The slugger signed a two-year, $34 million contract<\/a> with the Sox in the offseason.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not asking him to do anything beyond anything that he\u2019s capable of doing,\u201d Getz said. \u201cWe have other players here that are here to help support him, they\u2019re getting comfortable at the major-league level just like he is.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just want him to go out there and play the game that he brings to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sox saw glimpses of Murakami\u2019s power during spring training.<\/p>\n Most importantly, Getz said, the Sox saw \u201cthe work ethic and the desire to continue to get better and really prove that he can play at the major-league level.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEvery day is about grinding and getting at-bats and coming up with everyday results,\u201d Murakami said Wednesday through an interpreter.<\/p>\n 3. What will the young position players do for an encore? Colson Montgomery had a very productive 71 games with the Sox after being called up from Triple-A Charlotte last July, hitting 21 home runs.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774489518_540_CTC-SOX-SPRING-TRAINING-23_259553050.jpg\")
Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable watches players practice during spring training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ctc-z-Athletics-White-Sox-Spring-Baseball_260702818.jpg\")
Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami tosses a baseball into the crowd during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Athletics, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin)<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774489520_693_CTC-SOX-SPRING-TRAINING-Photo-Day-125_259602294.jpg\")
Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery participates in media day during spring training at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CTC-L-soxfest015_258842168.jpg\")
Chicago White Sox pitcher Shane Smith has a laugh with a fan during SoxFest at the Ramova Theatre in Chicago on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n