This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin's White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
HOUSTON -- An interesting feeling ran throughout Rate Field for most of Chicago’s seven-game homestand against American League Central opponents from Detroit and Kansas City last week.
The White Sox and their fans were having fun.
On Sunday alone, Southpaw’s 21st birthday was celebrated, Pepe the Penguin from Brookfield Zoo stood on the mound next to one of the ceremonial first pitches, and on the in-game side, Tyler Alexander, a left-handed reliever who was signed by the White Sox at noon, pitched three innings after taking a 90-minute Uber from Milwaukee at noon.
Let’s also not forget the White Sox played good baseball for all but Monday’s opener vs. Detroit. Even in Sunday’s game, when the White Sox were no-hit for seven innings after Miguel Vargas’ first-inning homer and trailed 7-2 going into the ninth, they rallied for three runs in their final at-bats and had the winning run on first base when Tim Elko struck out. The White Sox were going for a three-game sweep of the Royals, after beating them once all last year.
This series victory started with a 7-2 win before an announced sellout crowd of 36,916 fans celebrating Mexican Heritage Night on Friday.
"It was incredible,” White Sox starter Davis Martin said. “The thing we put on the field tonight, I'm glad 36,000 people got to see it because that's who we are.
“That's what we're capable of," added Martin. "There was a lot of energy. Fans were incredible. Sixth inning, I don't know what song they played but everybody started dancing and it kind of fired me up on the mound, too. It was awesome."
Life has been fairly “awesome” overall at home of late for the White Sox, who stand at 16-18 after winning 12 of their last 20 at the Rate. They are finding success with an infusion of young players and top prospects, which is an integral part of the plan at this stage of the rebuild.
Martin and fellow starters Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon, and Shane Smith all broke camp with the team out of Spring Training, as did third baseman Vargas and reliever Mike Vasil. Catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth and first baseman Elko have been brought up from the Minors, with infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin presently slugging his way back to the Majors for Triple-A Charlotte.
Add right-handed pitcher Grant Taylor to this list. The team’s second-round pick in the 2023 Draft, who joins the team in Houston tonight after a promotion from Double-A Birmingham, has struck out 18 against one walk in 9 1/3 innings of relief, where he figures to be used by the White Sox.
"He's above 100 mph, he's commanding the zone, the offspeed stuff is really strong. It's very clear that hitters are uncomfortable in the box,” said general manager Chris Getz of Taylor. “They try to get him early. So, it's either weak contact or perhaps they'll get him on a hit once in a while.
"Once they get to two strikes it gets over fairly quickly. He's still adjusting to the shorter stints. Obviously, his stuff has risen from when he was starting. It's been nothing short of explosive.”
More Minor League callups should follow, with Baldwin, reliever Wikelman González and shortstop Colson Montgomery leading that group. Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith, the top two left-handed pitching prospects in the game per MLB Pipeline, are currently working at Birmingham and might not join this year, but they aren’t too far behind.
Taylor’s presence in the bullpen for ’25 doesn’t necessarily mean his 100 mph fastball and mound moxie only will be used in relief moving forward. See Garrett Crochet, Chris Sale and even Mark Buehrle as past examples of starting dominance taking root initially in the later innings.
Ultimately, these moves and this organization building are aimed at maximizing victories for the White Sox. They remain well off that target with a 22-44 record and a 6-26 ledger on the road, where the next six games will take place. But they are developing together, winning at home together, and most importantly having fun learning how to win together.