Chicago White Sox Struggle Amidst Rebuilding Efforts

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Chicago White Sox faced a difficult night on Friday, suffering a narrow 9-7 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Despite the defeat, there were moments of promise, including a game-tying home run from shortstop Colson Montgomery and a determined approach at the plate that led to eight walks throughout the game.

Manager Will Venable acknowledged the mixed results after the game. “There’s been some good stuff; there’s been stuff where we haven’t progressed as much as we’d like,” Venable said. “But for us, our group and the spirit of continuing to fight for those things… has been great.”

The White Sox, currently undergoing a slow-moving overhaul under general manager Chris Getz, find themselves on pace for another 100-loss season. This rebuilding effort was expected to take time, especially with the installation of Venable, the second consecutive manager tasked with tackling the team’s on-field mistakes.

The team’s struggles continued as catcher Kyle Teel and third baseman Miguel Vargas both made outs at the plate, halting a potential rally late in the game. Vargas took the blame for his costly mistake. “It was on me. I thought I had a good shot, and then I didn’t,” he said, acknowledging that he should have played it safer with Luis Robert Jr. batting behind him.

Venable also shared his thoughts on the play, emphasizing the need for better communication and decision-making: “If we were able to take that back, we would, obviously… It’s a big spot.”

Despite some offensive improvements, where the Sox posted a .778 team OPS in the second half compared to a .639 mark in the first, their overall performance has been disappointing. Since their post-All-Star break surge, they have only won four of 18 games.

Rookies like Montgomery, Teel, Edgar Quero, and Chase Meidroth have provided some bright spots this season, but the pitching remains a serious concern. Young players Jonathan Cannon and Sean Burke were demoted, and top prospects Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith have struggled.

Defensively, the Sox have not improved much. They began the weekend ranked 25th in the majors with minus-22 defensive runs saved. Venable knows that turning this team around will require sustained effort and time.

As the White Sox continue navigating through this rebuilding phase, the challenges remain, but the organization is determined to stay the course.