For a team predicted to bust before the first pitch on Opening Day was thrown, the Chicago White Sox managed to usurp expectations and delay disappointment until October 10, when they lost the ALDS after blowing a 2-0 series lead to the Guardians. Optimists may say that criticism can only go so far when a team improves by 24 games, but for those who are brutally honest with this team’s front office, prospect pipeline and team performance, we know that this team is far from dominating the AL Central
— much less the AL.
Getting down to brass tacks, the biggest drivers of the swift postseason collapse need to be seriously and objectively examined for the health and longevity of the team.
Munetaka Murakami’s stock drop
Murakami’s overall performance this year was underwhelming. Although his .847 OPS is what the majority of his paycheck went towards, his .207 batting average and 196 strikeouts, which translated to a 35.4% strikeout rate, detracted from his value. With a poor second half, Murakami’s end to his rookie campaign left a bitter taste, even for Sox fans. And a playoff output of five hits in 31 plate appearances, with 16 strikeouts and only one extra-base hit coming from his lone homer run in Game 1 of the ALDS, was painful.
Back in May, I would’ve found a way to subsidize Murakami’s salary to keep him in black and white. Now, the play and the pay aren’t adding up. His strikeouts became too routine, while his home-run swing progressively slowed. Although it’s was only his first taste of the majors, Murakami wouldn’t be able to command eight figures if he were signing a one-year deal today. While he’s delivered sensational moments and viral clips, his presence on the team in 2028 isn’t guaranteed, even if money wasn’t an object.
Colson Montgomery: Sink or swim
In his first full year in the majors, Montgomery’s volatility at the plate is hard to dismiss as a mere sophomore slump. He batted below the Mendoza Line, hit just .179 against righties, and struck out in 35% of his at-bats. In the postseason, these benchmarks hardly improved: Montgomery’s batting average benefited from a small plate appearance sample size, improving to a more tolerable .238, but his ability to hit against righties fell to .154 and his strikeout rate jumped to more than 40%.
Young lefties who consistently struggle against righties are typically boom-or-bust players. Boom players like Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker compensate for their shortcomings with Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards. Bust players like Jarred Kelenic, on the other hand, always have their suitcase packed for their next minor league stint. The Sox still have a couple years before Montgomery is eligible for arbitration, but GM Chris Getz should think long and hard about whether his starting shortstop is worth keeping around with Roch Cholowsky hot on his heels.
Will Venable’s effectiveness as a manager
Getz went on record with a loose commitment to bolstering the starting rotation in his end-of-season press conference, but his manager doesn’t get off scot-free. After flirting with a dynamic and a role-less pitching strategy during the regular season and increasingly down the stretch, Venable decided to get cutesy and underutilize the rotation while overtaxing the bullpen. Relievers contributed 44 ⅓ IP, while starters (primarily Sean Burke) supplied 17 ⅔ IP, representing the biggest contrast of any team that played in a division series. While it’s easy to say his magic worked against the Astros and Guardians through four games of the postseason, Venable’s magic touch ultimately proved to be more show than substance.
Like Montgomery, Venable is still learning and growing after finishing his second year in his first managing job. However, there will be a low tolerance to Venable’s antics in years to come if the Sox don’t take the division and run. Look at how Joe Espada’s tenure with Astros took a turn within one year. Chicago isn’t never far from a talent drain with its shoestring budget and unpredictable front office, so Venable should try to focus on winning than outsmarting teams if he wants to keep his job.
