White Sox Notes: Brewers Opening Day Starter, Kelenic Gone? Antonacci in the Outfield?

The Chicago White Sox are only five days out from Opening Day! Let's go over some of the key storylines from this weekend, which include some important updates to the outfield depth chart.

Brewers Name Opening Day Starter

Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers — Oct 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) reacts after striking out Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) for the last out of the third inning of game three of the NLCS during the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Chicago White Sox have learned who will be on the opposing mound next week. Set to begin their season in Milwaukee on March 26, manager Will Venable officially named Shane Smith as the team's Opening Day starter earlier this month. The righty made an All-Star appearance after a strong rookie season with the team, which also came in the wake of being selected in the Rule 5 Draft. Smith has struggled in Arizona for much of the spring, but the 25-year-old undoubtedly earned the honor with his strong 2025 season.

With that said, there is no question Smith could be out-matched in his first start of the season. The Brewers have chosen to go with Jacob Misiorowski for the big game. It will also be Misiorowski's first taste of Opening Day action following his 15 appearances and 14 starts last season.

One of the hardest and fastest throwers in baseball, Misiorowski took the MLB by storm and also earned a shocking All-Star nod just a handful of games into his career. As the season went on, however, his age started to show. The 23-year-old really struggled with his command and was eventually moved to the bullpen for the postseason. Nevertheless, the Brewers have remained committed to making him a high-end starter, and they will waste no time giving him another chance to prove his worth this season.

Outfield Depth Chart

Derek Hill of the Chicago White Sox — Mar 14, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Derek Hill against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

James Fagen of Sox Machine reported on Friday that Jarred Kelenic will not make the Opening Day roster. Outfield depth represented one of the primary areas of competition for the team coming into camp. Not only were they looking for a starting center fielder, but they also needed backup options behind both Andrew Benintendi and Austin Hays in the corner.

Kelenic served as one of the White Sox' more experienced options, coming over after two seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Many know his name from his time with the Seattle Mariners, where he was among the most highly-touted prospects in the game. Kelenic was never quite able to climb the ranks as expected, however, and continued to struggle with Atlanta. The Sox were hoping to finally tap into something the other squads couldn't, but Kelenic failed to edge out the competition in camp.

To be clear, Kelenic did hit a couple of impressive bombs during Cactus League play, but his .179/.273/.359 slash line left a lot to be desired. So, the question now is who will secure the final roster spots? Everson Pereira seems likely to get the call, as the team has kept him in the mix despite missing a bulk of spring training with injury. Derek Hill has also impressed with his defensive play and provides more experience than any position player at camp. As the Sox look to take the next competitive step, they could certainly value that veteran leadership.

Tristan Peters is also an option and could move toward the top of the list simply because he's a lefty. If the Sox did go with Pereira and Hill, Benintendi would represent the only traditional lefty-batting outfield.

Sam Antonacci in Left?

Sam Antonacci of the White Sox — Mar 19, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox second baseman Sam Antonacci against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If White Sox fans didn't know Sam Antonacci before, they sure do now. The young infielder has made highlight play after highlight play this spring. He has batted .333/.500/.722 with two home runs in Arizona, and he carried the momentum over to the World Baseball Classic. Antonacci was a big reason why Italy went on a run to the semifinals, hitting a little league home run, stealing home, and pulling off a couple of trick plays defensively. The dude put on a show.

With that being the case, it truly felt like he may have a chance at stealing an Opening Day spot. However, GM Chris Getz eventually ruled that out and said he would have to wait a little longer before getting his big league call-up. There is also something to be said about the fact that he is traditionally a middle infielder, which is a position the Sox currently have locked up. The presence of both Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth could make it difficult for Antonacci to find playing time.

Perhaps that's why Venable chose to spice things up on Friday, though. For the first time this spring, Antonacci got a taste of the outfield. He suited up in left field and batted first in the lineup. Might this be the first example of the Sox looking for alternate ways to get Antonacci involved? After all, he is a lefty bat, which could help add some of that versatility to the outfield depth chart we touched on above.