2025 season: Eliminated Sept. 6
With the first American League team eliminated from the 2025 postseason, let’s take a look at the season that was for the Chicago White Sox, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.
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Things that went right
The White Sox surpassed their historically low 2024 win total on Aug. 2, which makes the 2025 season an unquestioned step in the right direction. While the team is still miles away from contention, fans on the South Side are starting to see the faces who could be on the roster when the club returns to respectability.
The team’s improvement in 2025 was almost entirely spurred by those on the mound. Shane Smith, Davis Martin and Sean Burke formed the core of the rotation. All three are under 30 and have posted respectable stat lines, with ERAs below 4.30. It’s tough to envision an ace in this bunch, but plenty of teams have found success by rolling out one starter after another who can throw five or six innings and maintain an ERA around 4.00.
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Despite never settling on an anchor, the White Sox’s bullpen has been respectable. Converted starter Grant Taylor is arguably the most talented member of the group, but Steven Wilson, Jordan Leasure, Dan Altavilla and Tyler Gilbert have been reliable relievers. Unfortunately, Taylor and Leasure are the only members of that group who are on the right side of 30.
Offensively, Colson Montgomery provides a reason for optimism. The 2021 first-round draft pick had some big games and has hit 18 home runs (and counting) in the second half while splitting time between shortstop and third base.
Things that went wrong
Chicago’s offense continued to be one of the least productive in baseball, as many key members either regressed or failed to improve. In fact, as of Sept. 6, veteran journeyman Mike Tauchman was the only player on the team with at least 200 at-bats and an OPS over .750.
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Luis Robert Jr. was the biggest disappointment. Expected to turn things around after a down year in 2024, Robert instead sunk to even greater depths, arriving at the All-Star break hitting .190 with a .599 OPS before improving only marginally in the second half. Andrew Vaughn was supposed to join Robert as a lineup centerpiece, but he was so ineffective that he was sent to the minors in May and traded to the Brewers in June (and then he did, in fact, become a lineup centerpiece).
Miguel Vargas hasn’t been terrible, but he hasn’t made much of an impact. Still, the 25-year-old has done enough to keep hope alive that he will eventually achieve the lofty status that was once predicted for him. Chase Meidroth, another young player recently acquired via trade, spent the majority of the season in the majors but didn’t get much done at the dish. Still, Meidroth played well in the field and has the combination of speed and plate patience that should eventually allow him to thrive as a lineup sparkplug.
Offseason outlook
The White Sox’s entire infield is set with players who will be 26 or younger on Opening Day 2026. Since debuting on June 6, Kyle Teel has proven to be a patient hitter who can be the team’s No. 1 catcher for years. Teel is supported by another youngster, Edgar Quero, who can be the backup catcher. Meidroth should start at shortstop with Montgomery at the hot corner, though there’s a chance they’ll each slide one position to the right and form the double-play duo. Lenyn Sosa lacks the prospect status of the other infielders, but he is wrapping up a respectable offensive season as the team’s second baseman. Vargas can handle either corner spot but is most likely to open 2026 at first base.
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Although the outfield group could be the same next year, the team might want to look for upgrades. Robert is an offseason trade candidate, as there could be a team that sees upside if he’s rescued from a lengthy rebuild. The White Sox would surely like to get out from under Andrew Benintendi’s contract, but that is unlikely to happen, which means he’ll remain in left field. And it feels like a strange fit for a rebuilding team to continue with the 34-year-old Tauchman as the right fielder and leadoff hitter against righties, so there could be some movement there.
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As mentioned earlier, on the mound, the pool of young starters is deep but lacks upside. Smith, Martin, Burke and Jonathan Cannon are all likely to be part of the Opening Day rotation. It wouldn’t be surprising for the team to make a low-budget free-agent signing to replace Aaron Civale, who is set to hit the open market this winter. Another youngster, Drew Thorpe, could return from Tommy John surgery in the second half of 2026.
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The bullpen is also stocked with low-upside arms who can be serviceable and are under contract for 2026. Seeing Taylor emerge as the anchor would be an exciting development for this group.
Prospects on the horizon
The jewel of Chicago’s farm system is Noah Schultz, who is inching closer to his major-league debut but still has things to work on. A 6-foot-10 lefty with strong strikeout skills, Schultz clearly has high-end upside. His control is still a work in progress, and he had arguably the worst performance of any player in the 2025 Futures Game. The best-case scenario for Schultz is that he lowers his walk rate and debuts in May or June next year.
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Although much shorter than Schultz, Hagen Smith has many similarities. Another lefty who needs to harness his control, Smith was the fifth overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. Like Schultz, he is a strong start to the season away from making his debut as next summer begins.
Most of the remaining Chicago prospects are on course to debut in 2027 or ’28, but outfielder Braden Montgomery could push up his timeline. Like Teel and Meidroth, Montgomery arrived in the Garrett Crochet trade last winter. The 22-year-old was Boston’s first-round pick in 2024 and has advanced to Double-A in his first minor-league season. Montgomery has a balanced offensive skill set and can play any outfield spot.
Goals for 2026
White Sox fans will be disappointed to know that this team is still not ready to climb out of the AL Central basement. Significant free-agent additions are unlikely at this point in the rebuild, and there’s a good chance the veterans who stabilized the bullpen will either regress or pitch for other teams next year.
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The measure of progress in Chicago in 2026 will be the development of several talented youngsters. Fans should be watching Meidroth, Colson Montgomery, Vargas, Sosa, Shane Smith, Burke and Taylor to determine which members of that group can be part of a core that eventually contends for a postseason berth. Additionally, it would be exciting to see Schultz and Hagen Smith make an impact by next summer.
Fantasy focus
The White Sox will likely impact 2026 fantasy baseball drafts less than any other team. Managers will take late-round gambles on a bounce-back season from Robert or the possible ascensions of Vargas, Meidroth or Montgomery, but there’s no one on this roster who will be selected among the top 150 picks. And while the starters deserve credit for keeping their heads above water this season, they didn’t show enough skills to be more than streamers in mixed leagues.
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