GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Kyle Teel is the ultimate competitor, and veteran left-hander Sean Newcomb learned that fact about his White Sox batterymate firsthand during Thursday’s Cactus League matchup against the Dodgers.
“He came out [to the mound before] the third hitter, and I expected him to be like, ‘How you feeling’ type of thing,” Newcomb said. “And he was like ‘Get in your legs! Let’s go!’ That kind of fired me up. Looking forward to working with him. He’s a real competitor back there, you can see it in his eyes.”
Newcomb allowed two runs over two innings and struck out two in his White Sox debut. Newcomb, an offseason free-agent addition, is one of nine White Sox hurlers presently being stretched out and likes the consistent routine of starting.
“I just want the ball,” Newcomb said. “Big chunks of innings and starting is ideal because you get that routine and can prepare yourself for that day, whereas in the bullpen you don’t know when you’ll be called. Having certainty and getting my routine has been good.”
COLSON’S CHANGE
Over the last year, Colson Montgomery has gone from highly touted prospect to launching 21 home runs in 71 games at the big league level and finishing fifth in the 2025 American League Rookie of the Year balloting. He also has viewed the two distinct ends of Spring Training.
“The end where you come in and you try to make the team and you feel like you’ve got all the world, the pressure on you,” Montgomery said. “And you come in and you have a lot less pressure and do what you need to do to get yourself ready to play every day.
“I just feel like this year, in spring, I have a better understanding of what I have to do at the plate and even defensively. Not just in the game, but in my work.”
That past experience also has Montgomery and other members of the White Sox core a little more at ease in Arizona.
“We all have that competitive edge and mindset in our head that it’s just like every year, there’s new guys that come in,” Montgomery said. “You know that if you don’t play well, there’s other guys that can come in and take your spot.
“You just always have to have that mentality, that competitive mindset of, ‘I’m going to do whatever it takes to help the team win.’ But you’re definitely a little bit more relaxed, especially me and some of these other guys. A little bit more relaxed this year, just because we know what we need to do to come in and help us win and get our minds and bodies right to play, maybe more than 162.”
INJURY UPDATES
Luisangel Acuña picked up a stolen base during the fourth inning of a Cactus League loss to the Reds on Wednesday. That’s the good news for the fleet-footed center fielder.
The bad news centers upon Acuña’s helmet slamming above the left eyebrow as he slid head-first, leading to him leaving the game and needing four stitches.
“That's the way that I play the game. That's my intensity and that's how I do it,” said Acuña through interpreter Billy Russo prior to Thursday’s contest with the Dodgers. “I feel good to play but they said that for precautionary reasons, I'd be out for a couple of days.”
While Acuña’s ramp-up should come shortly, there’s less known about Everson Pereira. The outfielder hurt his right oblique area swinging off the Trajekt machine and still is experiencing a little soreness.
“I'm just trying to get it stronger,” Pereira said. “That's all."
Pereira is starting to run but also is waiting for results from a team exam done on him Wednesday.
“Just as we transition to this next phase and really ramp him up, we wanted to make sure everything was looking good and he’s feeling good,” said manager Will Venable. “He’s progressing well. Just day to day, going to build up as tolerated.”
“This is a new team for me and I know I have to show what I can do,” Pereira said. “At the same time, it's a competition, right? There's a lot of young talent here and everybody is fighting for a spot. Definitely frustrating in that part.”