Saturday, October 24

CHICAGO – Two weeks have passed since the exciting 2026 White Sox season closed out with three straight Division Series losses to the Guardians. But the focus already has moved on to ’27. 

As the Brewers and Rays battle for the World Series title, here’s a look at five topics facing the ’26 baseball season’s best story from Chicago.  

1. FOR STARTERS 

The White Sox went through the playoffs with Sean Burke as their only starting pitcher, although moving to basically one starter was more about the White Sox playing to their strengths with a dominant bullpen. 

Burke, 26, re-established himself as a top-of-the-rotation hurler via a 3.34 ERA produced during the regular season, not to mention 185 strikeouts over 172 1/3 innings. Davis Martin and Anthony Kay represent capable and talented hurlers who can return to the rotation in ’27. In fact, Martin was one of the game’s best starters during the first two months of the season, with a 2.00 ERA on May 28, but was hampered by right calf discomfort down the stretch. 

“It did affect him,” said White Sox general manager Chris Getz of Martin. “I appreciate just his pursuit to go out there and try to give us productive innings, but it was very clear that he was hindered.”

Luis Castillo was the team’s big Trade Deadline move after an Aug. 1 acquisition from Seattle, but he posted an 8.42 ERA over nine games (six starts) for the White Sox before being shut down with a right shoulder impingement. Castillo’s salary is $22.75 million for ’27, so the White Sox need him to bounce back.

Young but highly touted pitchers such as southpaws Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith and right-handers Drew Thorpe, Tanner McDougal, David Sandlin and Shane Smith also will be in the mix, although clearly some will end up in the bullpen. Grant Taylor will be the X factor, as to whether he stays a dominant multi-inning closer or moves to starter, but there are more starting options than most people would imagine.

With all that information processed, the White Sox will add here from the outside. I wouldn’t expect Tarik Skubal to be on their free-agent radar, but money will be spent in this area.

2. ROCH, CALEB, BILLY?

Both Roch Cholowsky, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2026 Draft and No. 1 White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and Billy Carlson (No. 3), the team’s 10th pick overall in the ’25 Draft, probably won’t push the Major Leagues at shortstop next season. They are on the radar, and the White Sox aren’t afraid to give young players that big league chance. 

Caleb Bonemer is a different story. The No. 2 White Sox prospect, and No. 27 overall, moved from his infield locale to the outfield during the end of his ’26 campaign with Double-A Birmingham and has worked exclusively in the outfield for Glendale during the Arizona Fall League. The 21-year-old has handled every professional challenge thrown his way, along with 37 home runs overall this past season, and could accelerate his Major League promotion with the outfield move. 

“Obviously looking at just the big league roster, the success they’ve had, they have a lot of great infielders and a lot of great outfielders,” said Bonemer during a Zoom last week. “Being able to play as many positions as possible can only accelerate the process and help me out. 

“Wherever they want to put me next year, Opening Day, that’s up to them. I just try to stick to my routine, play every game, and wherever they decide to put me is where they decide.” 

Don’t overlook William Bergolla Jr., the No. 9 White Sox prospect who probably would have made his big league debut in ’26 if not for injury issues. People are high on his talent and polish across the organization.

3. MOVING FROM THE CORE 

While we are talking about the infield …  

There’s a plethora of White Sox talent in this area, which is a great problem to have, as I wrote about this week. Would that plethora lead Getz to move someone from the mix to strengthen other areas? 

It seems unlikely, with many of these key contributors in ’26 going through the ups and downs of their first big league seasons. I’ll use Colson Montgomery as an example once again. 

Montgomery deserved to be an All-Star through the first half, showed off game-changing power with 31 home runs and played solid defense at shortstop and third base. He also struggled after the All-Star break and set the single-season MLB record for strikeouts, but the White Sox understand Montgomery is a key piece to their core and just learning about his game.

4. MURAKAMI EXTENSION? 

I’ll take no arguments on the following statement: Munetaka Murakami changed the White Sox franchise in a number of positive ways. Here’s another statement pretty close to without argument: The White Sox don’t make the playoffs without Murakami. 

He thoroughly enjoyed his time with the White Sox, and they enjoyed every minute of having him. There have been extension talks concerning Murakami, who came to the White Sox on a two-year, $34 million deal, but Getz understandably has kept private the level of those conversations. It will be interesting to see Murakami’s growth after one full season in the Majors, featuring a tireless work ethic paired with his talent.  

5. WHAT’S THAT NEXT STEP? 

So, where do the White Sox go from here, as has been asked many times since the end of the season? Their playoff appearance was a surprise to those outside the clubhouse, but they also could have done more with said surprise, so the bar already has been set high. 

No White Sox satisfaction will be derived from jumping up into the playoffs for one season. The players wanted more in ’26 and know their capabilities as a group.

• Will Venable truly deserved Sporting News recognition as American League Manager of the Year. He has to be strongly in the mix, if not the clubhouse favorite, for the same BBWAA honor when it’s announced on Nov. 10. 

• Even a good-hearted curmudgeon like me teared up when seeing Lloyd Carr, the Hall of Famer and Michigan football national championship coach, get excited for his grandson, Tommy, to score for the Wolverines last week. 

• Here’s a question for you: Who wins a championship first — Caleb Bonemer, the Bears' Caleb Williams or the Bulls’ Caleb Wilson? All three should be Chicago sports standouts, with Williams already there.

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