Spring Training in Glendale is officially in full swing, and if you haven’t already muted the “Chris Getz is building a team of 2023 roster castoffs” jokes on X, now might be the time. The biggest buzz at Camelback Ranch isn’t just the desert heat; it’s the arrival of Munetaka Murakami. While most of the roster is easing into their routine, Murakami is ramping up for the World Baseball Classic. The Sox are banking on that high-stakes environment keeping his timing sharp, which is a bold strategy for a guy adjusting to MLB velocity. But hey, seeing him and Colson Montgomery side-by-side in the infield at least gives us something to dream about while we wait for the Cactus League opener against the Cubs this Friday.
On the “project” front, Erick Fedde is back for a second act on a one-year flyer, and the early reports suggest he’s already tinkering with his hand break to fix the mechanical mess that was his 2025. Meanwhile, the front office continues its quest to collect every available depth piece with a recognizable last name, apparently signing Darren Baker (son of Dusty) to a minor-league deal.
Whether any of this translates to more than 60 wins is a conversation for another day. For now, the pinstripes looked crisp at yesterday’s Photo Day, and the optimism is palpable.
Yes, it’s early, and we all know the drill. It’s mid-February, the sun is hitting the back fields at Camelback Ranch, and hope is really the only thing we have in abundance before the actual games start exposing the flaws. But with the Luis Robert Jr. era officially over (still feels weird seeing him in Mets blue), the 2026 iteration of the White Sox is definitely leaning hard into the “Youth” movement, which does bring some excitement. And one thing is for certain, manager Will Venable has a lot of pieces to move around, with the general consensus being that the kids are finally getting the keys to the South Side. Between the high-OBP profile of Chase Meidroth, the sheer “juice” Murakami and Montgomery bring to the middle of the order, and the All-Star caliber catching duo of Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, the 2026 lineup might actually — dare I say — force a pitcher to break a sweat in the fourth inning.
So, grab your sunscreen and settle in. If Murakami’s power is as real as the desert heat and the kids can maintain that second-half swagger from a year ago, we might actually find ourselves enjoying South Side baseball again before the 162-game marathon is through.