White Sox On Pace To Shatter MLB Mark
The Chicago White Sox have a storied history. They've been around for over 125 years, so they should.
Recent history, however, has not been as kind: three straight 100-loss seasons, including a 41-121 record in 2024, the fifth-worst win percentage (.253) in the Modern Era – which started in 1901.
But something's going on over on the south side. We're 42 games into the season, just 25% through 2026, and the White Sox are 21-21, and even .500. They haven't been even this late into a season since 2022.
Even if the Sox keep pace and only finish at .500, that could be good enough to get into the playoffs. Right now, the Cleveland Guardians lead the AL Central at 24-21. The Sox are 1.5 games behind. Every other team is below .500.
They're competitive, fun to watch, and showing signs of a real rebuild payoff rather than tanking.
How did the Sox do it? Here are a few reasons:
Breakout hitters, notably Munetaka Murakami
Murakami was signed in the offseason from Japan to add power to a light-hitting Sox lineup. Mission accomplished so far, to the extreme. He ranks third in all of MLB in home runs with 15, behind only Kyle Schwarber (17) and Aaron Judge (16). He's betting only .226 but ranks seventh in the league in walks.
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He's exceeding expectations as a middle-of-the-order force.
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Murakami isn't the only one, as the Sox rank fourth in baseball in dingers. Shortstop Colson Montgomery, just 24, has 11 of them and second baseman Miguel Vargas, 22, has nine.
Davis Martin and the Starters
Davis Martin has been excellent (5-1, 1.62 ERA through eight starts), providing quality starts and wins. Top prospect Noah Schultz has arrived and shown flashes despite a 4.91 ERA in limited innings.
Sean Burke is in his second year as a rotation fixture, allowing two runs over 19.1 innings in three straight starts this season.
The staff ERA is 4.27, 18th in baseball through May 13. They were 28th just two years ago.
Development, Balance, Will Venable
Chicago has done it with prospects and young players from the three-year rebuild, while adding depth and limiting holes in the order and in the field and proved catastrophic at times.
Last year, Montgomery was the only players on the roster with a WAR above 2.0. Five players with at least 145 plate appearances were in the negative. Those players mostly aren't here anymore.
A culture shift under manager Will Venable emphasizes competitiveness. They're scrappier in close games, with better run differential and timely hitting compared to past seasons.
Indeed, as bad as last year went in Venable's first season, it was 18 games better than the year prior.
In 2022 during their last .500 start, the White Sox finished 81-81. If they finish with that record in 2026, it would be an improvement of 40 games and crush the greatest one-season turnaround in MLB history. The Arizona Diamondbacks improved 35 games in 1999.
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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 11:05 AM.