CHICAGO -- Making a Major League debut holds a certain sense of great accomplishment and reward simply on its own.
But to have success on that specific day presents an extra-special memory. Here’s a look at 10 of the greatest debut games in White Sox history, with two bonus near-debuts.
1. Wilson begins flirtations with .400 (Sept. 5, 1998)
Craig Wilson surpassed the elusive .400 mark by a good margin during his rookie season, as the infielder finished with a .468 average and a 1.256 OPS. That accomplishment was reached in an abbreviated 53 plate appearances, covering 13 games, but impressive, nonetheless.
And it all opened with his debut at home against the Yankees, when Wilson went 3-for-4 and recorded the most total bases (eight) for any White Sox player in his debut, per Baseball-Reference. Wilson homered in the 9-5 victory, doubled twice and scored three runs.
2. A quartet of hits for Shires (Aug. 20, 1928)
Only one player had four hits in his Major League debut with the White Sox, and it was Art Shires. The left-handed-hitting first baseman knocked out three singles and a triple during a 6-4 victory, driving in one and scoring two. The afternoon wasn’t perfect for Shires, who had 671 plate appearances covering three seasons with Chicago, as he was caught stealing.
3. Shoveling in extra work (Sept. 6, 1920)
Shovel Hodge threw a complete game in his first career trip to the mound, allowing four unearned runs in the eighth inning due to two errors from Swede Risberg. Complete games certainly were more the norm than the exception back when Hodge debuted, but he gave some extra in this second game of a doubleheader by pitching all 10 innings. Detroit finished with two hits, although Hodge walked seven against two strikeouts, before Chicago walked off a 5-4 victory over the Tigers.
4. Great Scott! (April 25, 1909)
Jim Scott, born in Deadwood, S.D., finished 12-12 with a 2.30 ERA in his first big league season with the White Sox. He set the tone early by shutting out the St. Louis Browns, 1-0, in his first career appearance. Scott fanned six, walked two and allowed three hits, posting a Game Score of 85, which is tops among all White Sox debuts, per Baseball-Reference. Scott also drove in the only run of the contest.
5. Chasing the on-base experience (April 11, 2025)
The 2025 debut of Chase Meidroth, part of the four-player return from Boston for Garrett Crochet, was eagerly anticipated among White Sox circles. The infielder did not disappoint in an 11-1 home victory over that Boston squad, reaching base four times. Meidroth singled, walked three times and scored twice.
Two months later, catcher Kyle Teel walked twice, singled and scored a run in his victorious debut against the Royals. He was part of the same trade as Meidroth.
6. Worth the wait for Remillard (June 17, 2023)
Zach Remillard spent part of seven seasons in the Minors for the White Sox before getting his big break in Seattle. Entering in the bottom of the fourth as a replacement for Tim Anderson, the second baseman walked and knocked out three hits to become one of just seven White Sox players with at least three hits in his big league debut, per Baseball-Reference. One of those hits was a bunt single, and Remillard also singled with two outs in the 11th to score Elvis Andrus with the game-winning run in a 4-3 victory.
7. A Bronx cheer (Sept. 15, 2002)
Catcher Miguel Olivo’s debut had a little extra emphasis, as it took place at historic Yankee Stadium. Olivo punctuated that debut by launching a three-run home run off Andy Pettitte in his first big league at-bat to cap a four-run third inning in an 8-4 loss. Olivo eventually was part of the trade with Seattle that brought Freddy Garcia to Chicago.
8. One and well done (Sept. 30, 1928)
Bob Weiland made exactly one start during the ’28 season, but he certainly made that debut count. The southpaw threw a seven-hit shutout against the Philadelphia A’s, striking out nine and walking five. He also had a hit in the 1-0 victory. Weiland, a Chicagoan, went to Lane Tech High School.
9. A rare start, and a strong one (Sept. 2, 1991)
Of the 1,010 career appearances made by Roberto Hernández, only three came as a starter for the respected closer, who had 326 saves. His debut against the Royals at home happened to be one of those starts. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out four and walked two, allowing one run over seven innings in a 5-1 victory.
10. Blackjack! (Sept. 15, 1987)
Jack McDowell won the American League Cy Young Award in 1993, won at least 20 games in two different seasons and was the White Sox top pick in the 1987 Draft. It was later that same year when McDowell made his debut, setting the stage for such pitchers as Chris Sale and Crochet to follow the exact “Draft to the Majors” path years later. But unlike Sale and Crochet, McDowell’s first game came as a starter. He yielded four hits and struck out three over seven scoreless in a 6-2 home victory over the Twins.
NEAR DEBUTS
Driving with Mercedes (April 2, 2021)
Yermín Mercedes had one at-bat in August 2020, but it was this contest in Anaheim that really counted as his true beginning. Manager Tony La Russa inserted Mercedes into the starting lineup as an Opening Day surprise, and Mercedes finished 5-for-5 with four RBIs.
But Mercedes was far from done. The next night, Mercedes started 3-for-3, knocking out eight straight hits before flying out in the eighth. He homered in that game, and through the first six full games of his big league career, went an amazing 15-for-28 with three doubles, two homers and seven RBIs. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it through the season; his last game for the White Sox was on June 30.
Alvarez makes no-hit history (April 11, 1991)
Much like Mercedes, Wilson Alvarez had an inauspicious debut (in 1989 with Texas) by allowing three runs on three hits -- two of which were home runs -- and two walks. But can it really count as a debut if no opposing hitters were retired?
In his first start with the White Sox, after coming over from the Rangers as part of the Sammy Sosa/Harold Baines deal, the southpaw hurled a no-hitter against the Orioles at Memorial Stadium. He struck out seven and walked five among his 128 pitches. Alvarez walked two in the ninth but struck out Randy Milligan to end the theatrics and become the first Venezuelan to throw a no-hitter.