Saturday, August 02

CHICAGO -- White Sox losses have piled up since Chris Getz took over as general manager on Aug. 31, 2023, just one day after he turned 40.

Such is the nature of the latest rebuild, where the expected tough times hopefully lead to contention sooner than later as the infrastructure and team is being built. So, it’s certainly understandable why Getz was very upbeat when talking during a Thursday night Zoom about this current White Sox iteration, carrying an 8-4 record behind an exciting brand of baseball since the All-Star break into this six-game West Coast trip.

“Yeah, I can't wait to play tomorrow,” Getz said. “In the last year and a half as general manager here, I've never been more excited to come into the ballpark. You go into a game knowing you have a chance to win.

“There's a lot that goes into winning baseball games. We've got more pieces than we have in the past that can help us win ballgames. So, these next two months I think are gonna be exciting.”

Even before the All-Star break, the White Sox were an improved team -- although their 32-65 record might not fully back up that point. They played a better brand of baseball, a far more competitive brand than their record-breaking 121-loss ’24 campaign, and most importantly, their young nucleus gained valuable experience.

Playing time turned into results beginning July 18 in Pittsburgh, especially with the bats. Entering Friday, the 84 runs scored by the White Sox since the All-Star break ranked second only to the Orioles, and the 23 home runs for the White Sox were tied for fourth.

“We're hitting the fastball better. That was highly emphasized. I know [manager] Will [Venable] has talked about that publicly,” Getz said. “He really had been stressing it amongst both staff and players, and the players have taken to it. So, credit to Will and credit to our players. Hitting the fastball has really opened up the possibilities for us offensively, and we've been able to score more runs.

“I'd say that stands out the most. There's been some really good pitching performances. Our bullpen has become much more reliable, and Grant Taylor is a big part of that reason. We've been able to have pitchers settle into more roles that perhaps are more suitable for their skill set. Bullpen, starters and our offense are to credit. But if I had to pick one thing that has jumped out post-break, it's our offense.”

Behind that offensive jump is Luis Robert Jr., according to Getz, whose July showing marked Robert’s best on-field month since a 2023 effort ranking as possibly the most complete season from start to finish in franchise history. When Robert gets on base consistently and wreaks havoc on the basepaths, it opens opportunities for young players such as Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero and Colson Montgomery to drive in runs.

Montgomery, the No. 4 White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline, had the second-most RBIs in MLB since the All-Star break entering Friday. It’s at this point where I must admit being wrong about Robert.

My erroneous take has nothing to do with Robert’s talent, which when he’s healthy, and that part is crucial, is elite. Nor does it have to do with his work ethic, which also is top-notch as referenced by coaches, front-office members and teammates alike.

I just didn’t think Robert would still be with the White Sox by the end of Spring Training, let alone after the Trade Deadline on July 31. From a couple of 1-on-1 interviews with Robert in Arizona, I’m not sure he did either at that point.

But there was Robert in center field on Friday in Anaheim, hitting fifth for the White Sox. There also seems to be a strong chance the team picks up his $20 million option for ’26. The “will he” or “won’t he” trade saga could play out yet again, or the White Sox could make him a rebuild fulcrum.

“That was part of the calculus with maintaining most of this roster,” Getz said. “Having an environment for our young players to continue and have success at the Major League level.

“Going out every night and really playing competitive baseball and winning some ballgames against teams that are in first place and leading divisions and are going to be playoff teams. We really value having Luis Robert being part of this, we do … Elite bat speed, elite foot speed, this is a player that we feel has a lot of great days ahead of him.”

• Friday’s Wrigley Field tribute to Ryne Sandberg was emotional, compelling and befitting of Sandberg’s strength as a player and as a person. It was great to see Shawon Dunston, Rick Sutcliffe and Jody Davis together again.

• For the better part of the last month, I’ve complained about the horrible heat and humidity throughout Chicago and really wherever I travel. So, what was my first thought when I went out Thursday with the temperature in the low 70s/high 60s? It sure seems a little cold for this time of year.

• If you grew up in the Homewood-Flossmoor area, Aurelio’s was not just your favorite pizza place but more of a culinary religion. I had to smile when Pope Leo XIV, who has dined at that establishment, was delivered Aurelio’s Pizza by visitors to Vatican City.

• Happy 80th birthday to Lloyd Carr, a National champion with University of Michigan football, a good man and one of the greatest all-time collegiate coaches. Michigan football kicks off on Aug. 30.

• “I want to be back in the rotation. I want to be with my teammates, the starters. I want to feel that I’m a part of the team.” -- left-hander Martín Pérez, who has not pitched for the White Sox since April 18, but begins his injury rehab tonight with Triple-A Charlotte

• “Not surprised. Happy for Vaughny. It's really cool to see him go over there and know that he was grinding a little bit, grinding here, and then going over there and getting his mojo back there in Triple-A.” -- Venable on Andrew Vaughn, who has a 1.157 OPS and 21 RBIs over 16 games entering Friday’s action since being traded from the White Sox to the Brewers

To subscribe to White Sox Beat, visit this page and mark "White Sox Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the White Sox or that they're checked as your favorite team.

View Online

© 2025 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Please review our Privacy Policy.

You (mlb-newsletters@mlb.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages or purchased a ticket from MLB. 

Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions.

Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.