White Sox Lineup for Spring Training Opener vs. Cubs – What Stands Out Most?
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The road to a better tomorrow starts now for the Chicago White Sox.
After the organization's most encouraging offseason in years, the Sox are set to officially tee off Cactus League play on Friday afternoon. Fittingly, they will start by facing off against their crosstown rival. To be sure, the stakes will not be nearly as high as they are in the summer months, but it's a strong initial challenge for this revamped Sox team. The Cubs proved to be among baseball's best last season, and the expectations have only risen heading into the 2026 campaign.
While Sox fans will have to wait until this weekend to see a handful of familiar faces, a pair of winter signings will get their first taste of the rivalry on Friday. Let's take a closer look at what stands out most about the Sox' first lineup of the year!
White Sox Lineup vs. Cubs
1. Curtis Mead, 3B
2. Kyle Teel, C
3. Austin Hays, LF
4. Munetaka Murakami, 1B
5. Derek Hill, CF
6. Sam Antonacci, 2B
7. Korey Lee, DH
8. Tristan Peters, RF
9. Tanner Murray, SS
UPDATE: Everson Pereira was scratched after suffering tightness on his right side, per Scott Merkin.
The Murakami Debut
White Sox fans should probably get used to Munetaka Murakami batting clean up!
A truly shocking offseason signing for the White Sox, Murakami has been the talk of camp thus far. He comes over from the Nippon Professional Baseball league, where he became a true superstar thanks to his elite power. He is best known for breaking the single-season home run record in 2022 with 56 bombs. Murakami is also fresh off hitting 24 dingers with 51 RBIs in his 69 games played in 2025.
To be sure, there is bound to be an adjustment period for the slugger. Strikeouts are likely to stack up early on, but the upside is undeniably exciting, particularly for a franchise hoping to take a big step forward.
Speaking of which, manager Will Venable will want to get him in the lineup as much as possible over the next handful of days. The World Baseball Classic is right around the corner, and Murakami is going to be a key part of Japan's squad – aka the reigning champions. The overseas standout told reporters ahead of Friday's game that he expected to play five Spring Training games before leaving for WBC preparation.
Catcher Competition Begins
The White Sox will have two catchers in the lineup tonight, but it's not the two most would have expected.
Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero each showed encouraging flashes during their rookie campaign, specifically at the plate. It's led to major questions about how Will Venable will choose to divvy up the playing time this season. A natural platoon could take shape, especially with the two being at their best on opposite sides of the batter's box, but development is also key. Being in the lineup every day is the best way to grow your game, so it will be interesting to see whether the Sox prefer to lean toward one backstop.
Nevertheless, Teel and Korey Lee are the ones to appear in today's opening lineup. And the latter shouldn't be overlooked. Out of minor league options, Lee could make a strong case for the Sox to make an uncharacteristic choice and carry three catchers on the roster again. He would be the most experienced of the three options, as well as give Venable a little more flexibility to play Teel and Quero together.
Of course, the other option could be to strike a trade in the coming weeks. While it doesn't necessarily feel like Teel or Quero would be made available, could a strong spring training from Lee turn some heads around the league?
Prospect Watch
White Sox fans are going to get a closer look at many interesting prospects over the next few weeks, and Sam Antonacci should be on their radar. The 23-year-old infielder climbed the ranks fast during the 2025 season. Starting in the complex league, he ended in Double-A with a very solid slash line of .291/.433/.409.
Antonacci has brought a disciplined plate approach to each level, recording a 13.1 percent walk rate over the 2025 campaign as a whole. To be sure, a big reason for that high mark is the sheer number of times he takes a ball to the side. Few players get hit in the batter's box as much as Antonacci.
The good news for Antonacci, however, is that he is more than capable of making the most of those trips to first base. The former Coastal Carolina standout offers plenty of speed and stole 48 bags total in 2025.
The White Sox have a long list of fascinating youngsters, but do not be surprised if Antonacci starts to climb up that list. His quick ascension has been impressive, and a strong Spring Training will bolster his case for a Major League appearance this season.
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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