NEW YORK – There was really nowhere to go but up for the White Sox after losing 121 during the 2024 season to set a Modern Era record (since 1900).
Even in the earlier stages of a rebuild, where player development and growth mean as much as if not more than consistent victories, a repeat of anything near last year’s results would be unacceptable.
But take away the current record, which dropped to 58-99 en route to a likely third straight 100-loss campaign after a heartbreaking 3-2 setback to the Yankees on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, and understand the White Sox are in a much better place on numerous individual levels – and certainly better off overall as a group compared to this same time last season.
It’s an idea discussed frequently during an improved 26-34 second half. It was reinforced by veteran outfielder Andrew Benintendi, whose season came to an end Tuesday when he was placed on the 10-day injured list with left Achilles tendinitis.
“After last year, it wasn’t hard to improve a little bit. But I think there is a lot of positives here,” said Benintendi prior to the series-opening defeat. “There’s a lot of good players still in the Minor Leagues coming up. The future here is pretty bright. The pieces are here. It’s now getting the time together and playing together more.
“We’ve been hitting a lot more homers this second half. I feel like a lot of teams now, if you want to score runs, you have to be able to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Guys are maturing as hitters and taking their walks, moving runners, so kind of just doing the little things really well.”
Add another long ball to that second-half total courtesy of Colson Montgomery, whose 19th home run gave the lead to the White Sox in the sixth inning after miscommunication between Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge allowed Kyle Teel to reach via a single. It was Montgomery’s first homer since Sept. 5, covering 49 at-bats.
The White Sox didn’t have Montgomery anchoring shortstop at this point of 2024. In fact, there was a level of uncertainty about Montgomery, based on his Triple-A Charlotte struggles, until he reached the Majors this July 4. Garrett Crochet sat atop the White Sox rotation, a dominant All-Star in his first year as a starter, but it was a safe assumption Crochet would be traded before the start of ‘25.
That trade with Boston brought back Teel, Chase Meidroth and Wikelman Gonzalez – who are all contributing to the White Sox – and Braden Montgomery, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 32 overall per MLB Pipeline. Shane Smith, an All-Star during his first year as a starter, has sat atop the White Sox rotation during the 2025 campaign, and he looked the part on Tuesday by matching a career high with eight strikeouts over five innings.
Smith threw six pitches above 99.2 mph per Statcast, topping out at 99.8 mph in the first. Jordan Leasure – the same right-hander who didn’t pitch in the Majors after July 14 last year – extended his scoreless innings streak to 14 1/3. Don’t forget Grant Taylor, who worked out of a second-and third, two-out situation in the eighth by striking out Amed Rosario.
Beyond the numbers, the White Sox are building a team, a group of young players who developed together, are losing together but also are learning the game together. They finished 5-1 over the last week in 2024, sweeping an Angels team with less-than-household names across its roster and taking two in Detroit from a team that clinched a playoff berth in that series’ first game.
On Tuesday, the White Sox were one pitch away from keeping the Yankees from clinching a playoff spot and moving within a game of Toronto’s lead in the American League East. That sort of well-played effort might not have been possible in 2024.
“Oh, yeah. This is way better,” Benintendi said. “Everybody is excited to get to the field and hang out with each other, where last year, it was, ‘Let’s get the game over with so we can get home.’ Everybody is enjoying each other here. A lot of good friendships are being built.”
“You go out there and you try to win every single game, and sometimes these things are going to happen,” Colson Montgomery said. “Even us, the coaches, like everybody, it's just all learning experiences. Everybody on this team's a true competitor, and they're all trying to win, and sometimes it sucks and doesn't go your way.”