Chris Getz Rebuilding Chicago White Sox To Be Strong Up The Middle
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CHICAGO –– It's a common ideology in baseball to build a team up the middle, focusing on premium positions like center field, middle infield and catcher.
That's how Chris Getz is trying to rebuild the Chicago White Sox. He isn't unique in taking that approach, but executing it is another question as he overhauls an organization that lost 101 games in 2023 and an MLB record 121 in 2024.
Since being promoted to White Sox general manager on Aug. 31, 2023, his vision is starting to come together nearly two years later.
"I’ve said this from the beginning. I really wanted to create a team that’s strong up the middle," Getz said. "We’ve got two young catchers [Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero] that I would say you look at that tandem, youth and their ability and that’s something really special."
"You have Colson [Montgomery], Chase [Meidroth], other players in the wings up the middle that are going to help strengthen that group and then Luis Robert in center field. When you are strong up the middle you are in a good position to win baseball games. We’ll continue to add around those players. We have plenty of guys who are playing well and continue to add to this group."
The record still isn't one to necessarily be proud of at 42-74, second-worst in MLB and 24.5 games behind the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. But there have been points of progress, and this season was never solely about the major league team's record –– rather the development of young players and acquisition of more talent throughout the major and minor leagues. The record could also easily be a tick better if a few small factors played out differently in close contests, as the White Sox have a 14-36 record in one-run games.
The 2025 team has made a 14-win improvement over the 2024 group's record after 116 games and already surpassed the season-long win total on Aug. 2. The White Sox have improved their run differential from minus-247 at this point last season to minus-75 heading into Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians.
It's made for a much more enjoyable season for Getz.
"In the last year and a half as general manager here, I've never been more excited to come into the ballpark," Getz said. "You go into a game knowing you have a chance to win. There's a lot that goes into winning baseball games. We've got more pieces than we have in the past that can help us win ball games. So these next two months I think are gonna be exciting. These young players that are performing well, I mean, performing at the major league level is very challenging."
Strength up the middle is a significant reason for those strides, especially of late. Shortstop Colson Montgomery joined Jose Abreu and Zeke Bonura as the only players in White Sox history to record eight-plus home runs and 24-plus RBI in his first 29 career games. Since the All-Star break, he's third in MLB in home runs and RBI and 16th in slugging percentage.
"What he's done at the plate speaks for itself, all the damage he's done and the homers he's hit," manager Will Venable said. "For me, the most impressive thing has been his defense, just how comfortable he looks at shortstop, how well he's played, and then asking him to play third base and what he's done over there, as well. He's someone that's impressed me a lot."
When Montgomery plays shortstop, the White Sox have a few young players at second base who have been productive. Lenyn Sosa, still just 25 but in his fourth season, is slashing .313/.375/.531 with four home runs and 12 RBI since the All-Star break.
Getz said Sosa has made some meaningful adjustments that have allowed him to drive the ball and be more consistent at the plate. It's also helped that he's added strength and become more confident. Chase Meidroth has played both middle infield positions since making his major league debut in April. And at the plate, he's shown good discipline and contact ability.
The White Sox have rotated between rookie catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel since promoting Teel in early June. While Venable was hesitant at times to put both in the lineup, he's done so more frequently as both players have been productive at the plate.
Getz said the team has had conversations about carrying at third catcher and that they'll probably do so at some point, though he's unsure if that's a long-term solution considering it diminishes the team's positional versatility. But overall, he's been pleased with Quero and Teel's rookie seasons.
"One thing that I don't think gets enough value or enough credit is how challenging the role is and how taxing it can be on a player physically," Getz said. "And you're looking at two players that are in the big leagues for the first time, so to be able to balance the workload and keep these guys fresh, but also work on certain pieces of their game and their skill development to improve their ability to be a longstanding fit at the major league level."
"So I've always valued the position greatly, it's just got such an impact on the game for a lot of different reasons. I think we've all enjoyed having two quality catchers. Oftentimes you've got one catcher, and then when he has a day off you feel like you may have a hole in the line or a catcher that might not be as quality in regards to calling games or receiving. To have two solid guys is definitely a benefit to the White Sox, and we enjoy having those two guys."
Another leg of building a team up the middle is center field, a position that had plenty of uncertainty for much of this season. Luis Robert Jr. drew interest at the trade deadline, but after his slow start, Getz didn't receive an offer he felt worthy of accepting for the 2023 All-Star who has heated up of late.
Getz will have another decision to make with Robert, who has a $20 million club option for 2026, one that seems likely at this point.
"We anticipate [Robert] being here, we do,” Getz said. “If we felt otherwise, maybe we go a different course.
Robert's recent performance has reflected well on Getz, as he's slashing .355/.425/.539 since coming off the injured list on July 8.
"I’m glad we didn’t cut bait considering how productive he’s been since the All-Star break," Getz said. "I think he’s hitting about .400 and one of the top players in the league. Not only offensively but defensively. He got the 30 stolen bases and I knew for his career, he has 100 home runs and stolen bases. That just speaks to the talent that he still has."
"We feel like he’s part of this team. We are excited about having Luis Robert in the White Sox organization. It’s exciting to watch him go out there and play. He really can impact the game in so many different ways. When he’s playing well, the team is seemingly playing well and we are getting wins. He’s a guy we like having in this organization and we are planning on having him part of the future."
While building up the middle establishes a strong foundation, it doesn't account for the entire 26-man major league roster. Continuing the progress they've made this season will require internal development and external additions in various facets for years to come.
"We're not there yet. We've got a lot of work ahead of us," Getz said. "Most importantly, we're playing well right now, and we're gonna look for ways to add to this club and find ways to beat our opponent. But the work doesn't stop, it doesn't. We're gonna look for chances to add to this club in different ways, you know, get creative at times in terms of strategy. So I don't – yeah, we're certainly not there yet, but we feel like we're heading in the right direction."
Related stories on the Chicago White Sox
- CROSSTOWN TRADE FIZZLES OUT: The White Sox and Cubs discussed a trade involving a starting pitcher, but it didn't come to fruition. CLICK HERE
- SOX KEEP LUIS ROBERT JR.: Despite being mentioned in trade rumors leading up to Thursday's deadline, the former All-Star center fielder will stay in Chicago. CLICK HERE
- SOX-YANKEES TRADE: Gage Ziehl is ranked No. 14 among White Sox prospects, per MLB Pipeline, after being traded from the Yankees. CLICK HERE
Jack Ankony is the beat writer for “Chicago White Sox on SI.” He has been with the Sports Illustrated network since 2022. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism in 2022. Follow Jack on Twitter @ankony_jack
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