Munetaka Murakami injured, but White Sox sweep Tigers

White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami will miss four to six weeks with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, which he suffered Friday night in a game against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field.

It's not great news, especially knowing June features perhaps the toughest stretch of schedule the Sox will face all season long -- including games against the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.

However, the Sox survived Murakami's absence just fine over the weekend, sweeping the series from the last-place Tigers. Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Friday, May 29

White Sox 4, Tigers 3, 10 innings.  Miguel Vargas got a high changeup from Detroit reliever Drew Anderson and cranked a two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning to turn a 3-2 Tigers lead into a 4-3 Sox victory.

The Sox trailed 2-1 from the third inning until the bottom of the ninth, when they scratched across the tying run against Detroit reliever Kyle Finnegan. Back-to-back singles by Andrew Benintendi and Tristan Peters placed runners at first and third with one out.

Rikuu Nishida's safety squeeze bunt was fielded by Finnegan, and while he looked at Benintendi, he didn't force the Sox baserunner to go back to third. As soon as Finnegan threw to first to retire Nishida, Benintendi broke for the plate, and he slid safely ahead of a throw from Detroit first baseman Spencer Torkelson to tie the game.

The Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 10th, with a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly, but Anderson failed to make the lead stick. Detroit went 6-22 in the month of May. That team is finding new ways to lose. 

Saturday, May 30

White Sox 7, Tigers 1. There wasn't as much drama in this game, as the Sox scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning and led from start to finish.

Sox starter Anthony Kay (5-1) made the lead stick through the first half of the game by pitching five innings of one-run ball. The South Siders blew the game wide open late, with two runs in the seventh inning and three more in the eighth.

Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery and Benintendi all homered in the late innings to help put the game away. Quero went 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly, and he's pulled his batting average up to .196 after an absolutely terrible start to the season.

The Sox got four innings of scoreless work from their bullpen. Grant Taylor entered with two men on and no outs in the top of the sixth. He stranded both runners, and then struck out the side in the seventh. Seranthony Dominguez tossed a scoreless eighth. Trevor Richards mopped up in the ninth.

Sunday, May 31

White Sox 2, Tigers 1. Detroit starter Keider Montero cruised through the first six innings, needing only 65 pitches as he held the Sox scoreless on two hits. But then the Tigers took him out of the game and put in ... Anderson.

Thank you very much.

The Sox handed Anderson his second loss of the series by collecting four straight hits in the bottom of the seventh. Montgomery hit his 15th homer of the season to tie the game at 1. Chase Meidroth, Jacob Gonzalez and Peters followed with three straight singles, the last of which scored Meidroth and put the Sox ahead to stay at 2-1.

Bryan Hudson covered four outs, and then Tyler Davis retired two batters in the top of the ninth to earn his first save as a member of the Sox. 

The Sox are 21-10 in their last 31 games and 32-27 for the season. The Guardians lost two of three to the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, which moves the Sox within one game of Cleveland in the AL Central.

Next up, three games in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Twins. 

Rikuu Nishida debuts; White Sox beat Twins

Before the start of a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins, the White Sox on Monday promoted all-purpose player Rikuu Nishida from Triple-A Charlotte.

Nishida, 25, who was born in Japan and played college baseball at the University of Oregon, was selected by the Sox in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB draft.  

He began this season at Double-A Birmingham and quickly earned a promotion to Charlotte, where he was batting .347/.454/.395 with a home run, 10 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 33 games.

It was an eventful MLB debut for Nishida on Monday, as he batted ninth and played right field for the Sox in their 3-1 victory over the Twins.

He collected his first major league hit, going 1 for 3 with a single, and recorded seven putouts in the outfield. Perhaps most impressively, he provided the best defensive play of the game. Nishida threw Orlando Arcia out at the plate to end the top of the second inning, after Minnesota's Alex Jackson had singled to right field.

The play kept the score tied at 1 at the time and got Sox starter Anthony Kay (4-1) out of the only jam he was in all afternoon.

Speaking of Kay, has anyone noticed that he's been the second-best starter on the Sox lately? The left-hander is now 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA across five May starts after he tossed six innings of one-run ball against the Twins.

Brooks Lee homered in the first inning for Minnesota, but that was the only run the Twins could manage all day.

Meanwhile, the Sox hit two home runs in the first two innings off Minnesota starter Zebby Matthews (1-2), and that was the difference in the game.

Munetaka Murakami hit his team-leading 18th home run of the season in the first inning -- a solo shot that tied the game at 1. In the second inning, Tristan Peters worked a leadoff walk and scored when Drew Romo hit his fifth homer of the year. The two-run blast put the Sox ahead 3-1 and capped the scoring for the day early.

The Sox got scoreless innings of relief from Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson and Seranthony Dominguez, with Dominguez earning his 11th save of the season.

The Sox are 27-26, 3.5 games back of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. 

White Sox 'settle' for 2 out of 3 at San Diego

The San Diego Padres are 20-13 this season, so I can't complain about the White Sox taking two out of three at Petco Park over the weekend.

The results of this series are disappointing only in the sense that the Sox won the first two and had a legitimate chance to sweep on Sunday. Alas, the Padres scored late to salvage the final game, and the Sox saw their season-best five-game winning streak come to an end.

Here's a look back at what has to be considered a successful weekend for the Sox:

Friday, May 1

White Sox 8, Padres 2. Munetaka Murakami's 3-run homer capped a six-run second inning that put the Sox in full command of the series opener. It was the Japanese slugger's 13th home run of the season, and he concludes the weekend's action tied for the American League lead in that category with reigning league MVP Aaron Judge.

The run support helped rookie lefty Noah Schultz settle down. Schultz (2-1) walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the first and needed 29 pitches to get through the inning. But after being staked to a 6-0 lead, he only needed 58 pitches to get through the next five innings. When his outing was over, he had thrown six shutout innings, allowing just two hits. He did not walk another batter from the second inning on.

Colson Montgomery hit his ninth home run of the season for the Sox, and Sam Antonacci went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.

Saturday, May 2

White Sox 4, Padres 0. Sox right-hander Sean Burke matched zeroes with San Diego's Michael King until the South Siders finally broke a scoreless tie in the top of the sixth.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Miguel Vargas blooped a two-run single into shallow right field to give the Sox the only two runs they would need. The Sox added two more runs in the seventh on an RBI single by Edgar Quero and a safety squeeze by Tristan Peters.

Burke (2-2) was unscored upon for his second consecutive outing. He struck out eight over six innings, allowing four hits with only one walk.

San Diego loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but Seranthony Dominguez entered the game in relief of Grant Taylor to get two outs and record his eighth save of the season. This is notable because no Sox pitcher recorded more than seven saves for the entirety of the 2025 campaign. 

Sunday, May 3

Padres 4, White Sox 3. With runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, San Diego shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit a check-swing roller up the third-base line for an infield single that plated the go-ahead run for the Padres.

The Sox got the tying run to second base in the top of the ninth when Peters singled and stole second, but San Diego closer Mason Miller fanned Luisangel Acuna on three pitches to earn his 11th save of the season. 

The Padres grabbed a 3-1 lead with three runs in the fourth off Sox starter Anthony Kay. Luis Andujar and Manny Machado each homered during the San Diego rally. The Sox answered in the seventh when Derek Hill hit his second homer of the season, a 2-run shot, to tie it at 3.

Alas, Sox reliever Tyler Davis (0-1) issued a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth, and that runner ended up scoring when Bryan Hudson gave up the infield single to Bogaerts.

Drew Romo also homered for the Sox, his third of the season. Kay pitched five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. He stuck out five and walked one. 

The Sox are 16-18. They had to Anaheim for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, starting Monday night. 

White Sox vs. Blue Jays pitching matchups

Here are your pitching matchups for the first series of the season at Rate Field, as the White Sox prepare to face the defending American League champion Toronto Blue Jays:

(Sox starter listed first) 

Friday, 1:10 p.m.

Sean Burke (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. Dylan Cease (0-0, 1.69 ERA)

Saturday, 1:10 p.m.

Anthony Kay (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. Eric Lauer (1-0, 3.38 ERA)

Sunday, 1:10 p.m.

Davis Martin (1-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. TBD 

Erick Fedde returns to White Sox on 1-year deal

Veteran right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde has agreed to a one-year contract with the White Sox, sources say.

This will be Fedde's second stint with the Sox, as he made 21 starts with the team in 2024 before being traded in July of that season.

The 33-year-old has spent parts of eight seasons in the majors, going a combined 34-55 with a 4.94 ERA with the Washington Nationals, White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.

Fedde enjoyed his best success with the 2024 Sox. Here's a breakdown of that season:

• 2024 with White Sox: 7-4, 3.11 ERA, 1.142 WHIP in 121.2 innings pitched
• 2024 with Cardinals: 2-5, 3.72 ERA, 1.204 WHIP in 55.2 innings pitched
• 2024 totals: 9-9, 3.30 ERA, 1.162 WHIP in 177.1 innings pitched

Those are very respectable totals, and Fedde actually started the 2025 season well in St. Louis. He had a 3.54 ERA over his first 13 starts, but then the wheels completely fell off. Fedde pitched with three different teams before the season was over, and he ended the year in Milwaukee's bullpen. Here's a breakdown of that season:

• 2025 with Cardinals: 3-10, 5.22 ERA, 1.505 WHIP in 101.2 innings pitched
• 2025 with Braves: 1-2, 8.10 ERA, 1.843 WHIP in 23.1 innings pitched
• 2025 with Brewers: 0-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.125 WHIP in 16 innings pitched
• 2025 totals: 4-13, 5.49 ERA, 1.518 WHIP in 141 innings pitched

Fedde seemed to regain his form a bit in the small sample size of relief work with the Brewers, but that season was pretty brutal overall for him.

The Sox are apparently hoping he'll regain his 2024 form in a city where he's comfortable, and where he had his best MLB production.

The best guess here is Fedde slots into the No. 4 spot in the Sox rotation, behind Shane Smith, Davis Martin and Anthony Kay. As camp opens, expect the No. 5 spot to be an open competition among Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon, Tanner McDougal and David Sandlin.

As is our custom when players return for a second tour in Chicago, let's welcome Fedde back with the traditional video:

 

 

How does White Sox pitching staff look at start of 2026?

When people say the White Sox could get back to .500 in 2026, my standard response has been, "With what pitching?"

I think the Sox are lacking in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Granted, the offseason is far from over, and there is still time to make additions before spring training begins in February. But as the calendar turns to 2026, let's take a look at where the pitching staff stands.

Starting rotation

If the season were to begin today -- and of course it does not -- here are the pitchers who would be most likely to land in the five-man rotation:

1. Shane Smith. The Rule 5 draftee made the All-Star Game in his rookie season, going 7-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts. On most teams, Smith would slot in as a No. 3 or No. 4 starting pitcher. However, on this Sox team, he looks like a reasonable bet to start on Opening Day. 

2. Davis Martin. The 28-year-old was mostly healthy for the first time since 2022 last year. He went 7-10 with a 4.10 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). Given that Martin was drafted in the 14th round in 2018, it's a development win for the Sox that he looks like a league-average pitcher when he's out there.

3. Anthony Kay. The 30-year-old lefty was added on a two-year, $12 million contract earlier this offseason. He hasn't pitched in the majors in two years, but he had a great year in Japan in 2025 -- 9-6 with a 1.74 ERA in 24 games. The Sox are hoping he's a sequel to Erick Fedde.

4. Sean Burke. The Opening Day starter in 2025 had an uneven year, going 4-11 with a 4.22 ERA in 28 games (22 starts). In fact, Burke was demoted to Charlotte for a time in 2025 before finishing the season in Chicago. That 1.444 WHIP is going to have to come down. Burke is not guaranteed a spot.  

5. Jonathan Cannon. Speaking of not being guaranteed a spot, if the Sox make another addition, Burke and Cannon might be fighting for the No. 5 spot in the rotation in spring. Cannon had a disastrous 2025. He went 4-10 in 22 games, and his ERA ballooned to 5.82. But he thinks he can bounce back.  

Other names to know include prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, both of whom remain in top-100 lists. Right-hander Tanner McDougal was added to the 40-man roster during the offseason. Righty Drew Thorpe and lefty Ky Bush are expected back sometime this season after Tommy John surgery.

Bullpen 

There should be heavy competition for the eight bullpen spots, but let's take a best guess:  

1. Grant Taylor. The hard-throwing 23-year-old appeared in 36 games as a rookie. He was impressive at times, recording six saves, and erratic and unlucky at other times. It all added up to a 4.91 ERA and 1.418 WHIP. The Sox say he will receive "multi-inning" opportunities in 2026.

2. Mike Vasil. The Rule 5 pick was one of the surprises of the 2025 campaign, totaling 101 innings in 47 appearances. He went 5-3 with a 2.50 ERA and totaled four saves while pitching in every role imaginable -- from starter to closer. Being versatile is one way to stick on a roster.

3. Sean Newcomb. The lefty signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Sox earlier this offseason. There's been talk of letting him compete for a starting rotation spot. Sure, why not? But it's worth noting that Newcomb hasn't been a full-time starter since 2018. Of his 223 career appearances, 158 have been in relief.

4. Jordan Leasure. Somebody had to lead the 2025 Sox bullpen in saves, and it was Leasure with seven. He appeared in 68 games and went 5-6 with a 3.92 ERA. Notably, his WHIP in the second half of last season was 0.791, a drastic reduction from 1.618 in the first half. The Sox are hoping he pitches like he did late in the season. 

5. Brandon Eisert. Congratulations if you selected Eisert to lead the Sox in appearances in 2025. The lefty pitched 72 times, which I did not see coming. The results were mediocre, 3-8 with a 4.39 ERA. There's nothing remarkable about Eisert's platoon splits. He wasn't that great at getting lefties out. But availability is a skill, and Eisert was available.

6. Chris Murphy. This 27-year-old lefty has options left, but I figure the Sox didn't trade for him to bury him in the minors. He was 3-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 23 relief appearances with Boston last season. He was equally effective against both lefties (.597 OPS against) and righties (.598 OPS against).

7. Wikelman Gonzalez. The "fourth piece" of the four-player return from Boston in the Garrett Crochet trade pitched in 16 games with the Sox last season, going 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA. He totaled 20.1 innings in those games and seems suitable as a multi-inning reliever.  

8. Duncan Davitt. The Sox acquired Davitt from Tampa Bay in the Adrian Houser deal last summer, and then added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from Rule 5 last month. He started 28 games in the minors last year, but I don't think that's his role long term. Somebody has to be the long man, right?

It's worth noting that left-handers Tyler Gilbert and Bryan Hudson remain on the 40-man roster. Both are out of options, but how many lefties do you need? I see a competition brewing among Eisert, Murphy, Gilbert and Hudson for perhaps two roster spots. Prelander Berroa is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Rule 5 draft selections Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto will also get a look in camp.

So, basically, I'm naming 13 guys for eight bullpen spots. I'd like to see another veteran added in both the rotation and the bullpen before spring training begins. If you listen to Sox podcasts, there's a lot of talk that more signings are coming. 

Let's hope so.