Introduction to the 2025 White Sox Season
A team that followed up a 61-101 campaign in 2023 with a Major League Baseball-record 121 losses in 2024 likely wants to do anything besides reminisce on the futility of their last two years in existence. The best way to find a silver lining Sox fans can embrace is to turn the page away from the misery of yesteryear and embark on a tour of blissful ignorance, fueled by the promise of youthful optimism.
Team Overview
The White Sox enter the 2025 regular season with the eighth-youngest roster (28 years, 10 months and 21 days) and the third-lowest payroll in baseball ($59.1 million), meaning their movement back toward contention will be centered on the development of prospects in MLB’s No. 4 farm system, according to Baseball America. Left-handed starting pitchers Noah Schultz (No. 10 overall) and Hagen Smith (No. 40 overall), shortstop Colson Montgomery (No. 39 overall), catcher Kyle Teel (No. 52 overall) and outfielder Braden Montgomery (No. 66 overall) offer nearly a half-dozen high-end prospects to keep an eye on, and that’s just from the views of Baseball America. Catcher Edgar Quero also slots in at No. 65 on mlb.com’s Top 100 prospect list and will likely hear his name called up to the big league club sometime in 2025.
Spring Training Performance
The South Siders finished Cactus League play tied for the worst spring training record in the major leagues at 11-19. At least their .367 winning percentage would put them on pace to win 18 more games than last year, right? While a 59-103 season sounds less than delightful, there are some silver linings to take away from the White Sox’s spring training play. After a lackluster, injury-riddled 2024, Luis Robert Jr. looked more like the five-tool outfield star he was in 2023 while at Camelback Ranch. He slashed .300/.386/.580 in 18 games, going 15-50 with 2 doubles, a team-high 4 home runs and 8 RBI.
Player Performances
Third baseman Miguel Vargas and catcher Korey Lee, presumptive starters in the South Siders’ lineup, had resurgent springs after struggles at the plate a year ago. Vargas posted a slash line of .341/.423/.523, while Lee registered a .375/.394/.531 slash line of his own. Davis Martin looked better than he did last year after coming back to make 10 starts following a 14-month recovery process from Tommy John surgery. He went 1-0 with 1.00 ERA across three starts and 9.0 innings pitched. Martín Pérez, the Sox’s most expensive free agent this offseason, went 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA and a 3.75-1 K-BB ratio in five starts on the mound.
Other Storylines
Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) bats during their spring training baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Saturday, March 8, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)
Luis Robert Jr.’s Impact
The biggest domino to fall for the White Sox this season will be how long Robert Jr. stays put on the South Side. The Sox are not one, two, three, or even six moves away from being a contender again. Given their emphasis on a cost-effective youth movement, Robert Jr. fits the narrative of being trade bait in the first half of 2025. When does that trade happen and what will the return for Robert Jr. be? That’s up to him and his individual performance and where the White Sox sit in the standings come June and July.
Will Venable’s Management
Whether or not the South Siders avoid the 100-loss plateau for the first time since 2022 will likely hinge on how many drops of success Will Venable is able to wring from this roster. A year ago, Pedro Grifol fielded questions from the same perch in the third base dugout as Venable this time around, but his management led to a team that seemingly found any way imaginable to lose a ballgame before he was canned with little more than a quarter of the season remaining. Can Venable galvanize a positive relationship with his roster, while developing the managerial feel that helps the White Sox steal a game here and there?
Projected Lineup and Rotation
Based on the latest roster moves and the likelihood that Andrew Benintendi is ready for Opening Day, here’s the best lineup and pitching rotation projection for the Sox. Reminder, this is just a projection, so take it with a grain of salt.
Lineup
- LF – Michael A. Taylor
- DH – Andrew Benintendi
- CF – Luis Robert Jr.
- 1B – Andrew Vaughn
- 3B – Miguel Vargas
- C – Korey Lee
- RF – Austin Slater
- 2B – Nick Maton
- SS – Jacob Amaya
Pitching Rotation
- Sean Burke
- Jonathan Cannon
- Davis Martin
- Martin Perez
- Shane Smith
Conclusion
The 2025 season for the White Sox will be a year of development and growth, with a focus on their young prospects and a new manager at the helm. While the team may not be expected to contend for a playoff spot, there are still many storylines to watch, including the performance of Luis Robert Jr. and the management of Will Venable.
FAQs
Q: What is the White Sox’s expected record for the 2025 season?
A: The White Sox are not expected to contend for a playoff spot, but their exact record is uncertain.
Q: Who are some of the top prospects for the White Sox?
A: Some of the top prospects for the White Sox include Noah Schultz, Hagen Smith, Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Braden Montgomery.
Q: Who is the new manager for the White Sox?
A: The new manager for the White Sox is Will Venable.
Q: What is the White Sox’s payroll for the 2025 season?
A: The White Sox have the third-lowest payroll in baseball, at $59.1 million.
