4 Report Cards for Chicago White Sox Newbies After the First Two Series
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That frustration you're feeling right now must mean that White Sox baseball is back!
After an exciting offseason and better-than-expected spring training, there was a fair share of optimism around what this young team could accomplish in 2026. Of course, it's far too early to say that positivity was unwarranted, but a 1-5 start has many fans already reaching for the ibuprofen! The team already has the worst run differential in baseball, as they have looked borderline lost both on the mound and at the plate.
Bouncing back isn't going to be easy, especially with the Blue Jays coming to town next. However, this is still a roster with plenty of interesting new faces who could help turn things around. Let's take a look at how four of them have performed over the first two series, starting with their biggest offseason addition.
Munetaka Murakami – B+
The hype around the White Sox? Not real. The hype around Munetaka Murakami? Very real!
Folks were shocked when the Chicago White Sox managed to sign the Japanese standout this offseason. GM Chris Getz went with a more aggressive short-term deal to lock in the slugger, giving the franchise a potential star to pair with their fellow high-upside youngsters. While there is still a long way to go before Murakami proves to be a true difference-maker, the leap to stardom might already be within reach.
Murakami immediately joined history by becoming one of only four players to hit a home run in each of his first three MLB games. He has also managed to record a hit in all five of the team's outings thus far, and he's even walked four different times.
Yes, power is always going to be Murakami's specialty, but he has already started to put the boom-or-bust concerns to bed. Especially when compared to the rest of this lackluster lineup so far, Murakami's plate presence jumps off the screen.
Anthony Kay – B-
Anthony Kay was one of the White Sox' most consistent arms in spring training, and he continued to fill that role through their first rotational turn. Kay went 4.2 innings in his first taste of big league action since 2023. He held the Milwaukee Brewers to just a pair of runs on three hits. All things considered, he set his team up for their first victory of the season ... only for his bullpen to let him down in brutal fashion.
Kay was able to reach as high as 98 mph with his four-seamer and mixed in a pretty wide range of pitches to strike out five batters. The versatility was promising, as was the boost in velocity. With that said, he undoubtedly went through stretches where he struggled to find the zone. He's simply going to have to throw more strikes moving forward, as he isn't deceptive enough to consistently get guys to chase.
Still, considering how awful this first week-plus was for the White Sox pitchers, Kay's first go at things looks pretty darn good.
Everson Pereira – C
Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in November, Everson Pereira is a former Top 100 prospect who is now on his third team. Despite all the intrigue regarding his raw power, Pereira has not produced at the big league level. To be sure, the sample sizes with the Yankees and Rays were relatively small, but the strikeout numbers added up fast. The White Sox are hoping to change that.
His spring training wasn't necessarily the best, but it was also limited due to injury trouble. Nevertheless, the team clearly felt comfortable enough with his performance to give him the Opening Day roster spot, and he has now gone on to start in right field in five of the team's six outings.
While he came up empty at the plate in his first two performances, his second two were considerably better. Pereira notched two hits in the team's series finale against the Brewers, which included his first home run as a member of the team. He followed that up with two hits in a victory over the Marlins, one of which was for extra bases. Additionally, in an outfield that has looked downright lost at times defensively, Pereira has avoided any major mistakes.
The question now is whether or not he can keep this up, especially after having to leave the Sox' last outing against the Marlins due to left ankle soreness. The good news is that he is only considered day-to-day, but you hate to see his momentum disrupted like that.
Luisangel Acuña – D+
Admittedly, this feels a bit harsh. There is still a lot of time for Luisangel Acuña to find his rhythm, and the fact that the White Sox are seemingly expecting so much of him may not be helping. But the simple truth is that he has struggled to live up to the pre-season hype through the first two series.
To his credit, he does have three hits and has come around the bases three times in his first five contests. He also had one of the most fun sequences of the season thus far when he stole two bags against Miami before scoring on a tight sac fly. There is absolutely no denying the sheer speed he brings to the table.
The problem for Acuña is that he needs to get on base enough to use that speed. And we haven't necessarily been given reason to believe he can do that consistently just yet. Likewise, we have yet to see this athleticism really pay off on the defensive end. The White Sox made clear that they view him as a utility man and had seemingly hoped to make him a primary option at center field. He's so far split his time between the infield and outfield, however, and has looked far from comfortable in the latter.
In the Sox' second meeting with the Marlins, Acuña almost single-handedly took his squad out of the game. Not only did he and Tristan Peters miscommunicate on a fly ball, but he proceeded to commit back-to-back throwing errors that allowed the Marlins to score and gain extra bases. His arm in center hasn't looked strong enough or accurate enough. If he can't manage to clean things up out there, it really limits some of the versatility manager Will Venable thought that he had coming into the year.
Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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