GLENDALE, Ariz. — Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable said there’s plenty of work to be done in camp and he’s “not itching to get out of here” like most everyone else after six weeks of spring training.
Nevertheless, the Sox open up the season against the Los Angeles Angels on March 27 at the Rate, where Derrick Rose will throw the ceremonial first pitch, a new birthday cake-flavored milkshake will debut and Sean Burke will get the start.
Here’s what we’ve learned from Sox camp.
Shane Smith is in the rotation … probably. The Rule 5 pick out of the Milwaukee Brewers organization made the team, which the Sox announced on X with a video of him getting the news and calling home. “A lot of tears from my mom and tears from my dad, which is new,” Smith said.
He has started all spring, but Venable wouldn’t commit to him in that role. “Not ready to announce our rotation yet, but he’ll be an option, yes,” he said.
Smith had two major surgeries at Wake Forest, signed as a free agent in 2021 and missed all of ’22. He said “to be in this situation three years later is really crazy to me” but always believed he would make the team.
“I think if you are going into something thinking you can’t do it, you are already lost,” he said. “Expecting it wouldn’t be the right way, but if I do what I can, I’ve got a good shot.”
Luis Robert Jr. is back to being Luis Robert Jr. The Sox’s best player by a longshot is coming off a poor, injury-plagued season that had some wondering whether he would return to his old self. Robert was even booed at home last year in a game against the New York Yankees.
No one was immune from venting by angry Sox fans in 2024. But Robert seems relaxed and rejuvenated. He had a .950 OPS entering Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels and made two great defensive plays Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.
At the very least his trade value should increase. Still, some teams might want to see if he can retain interest in the regular season if the Sox continue their losing ways. Stay tuned.
Don’t expect to see Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith this summer. The Sox’s top two pitching prospects will start the season at Double-A Birmingham. “I won’t eliminate anything,” director of pitching Brian Bannister said, leaving that up to the front office. “They can force the issue.”
But the Sox aren’t in a hurry to rush either one, as the Pittsburgh Pirates did with ace Paul Skenes, who threw 34 total innings in 12 minor-league starts. Skenes quickly proved he was ready for the majors. Smith had only three starts totaling 7 2/3 innings last year at High-A Winston-Salem, while Schultz combined for 33 starts over two seasons with 115 1/3 innings.
The Sox have no true leadoff man. It’s no surprise the Sox had the lowest batting average at the leadoff spot last year at .217, since they were worst in most offensive categories. Their .293 OBP was third-worst, and Nicky Lopez is gone, so there is no obvious choice on the roster.
Rookie Chase Meidroth leads the team with 18 at-bats in the top spot but is hitting .133 (4-for-30). He’s followed by Mike Tauchman (12) and Brooks Baldwin (10).
Venable isn’t worried about not having a bona fide leadoff hitter.
“Maybe in a perfect world, you have a guy who’s going to lead off every day,” he said. “I’m not sure if that’s where we’re at. For us, mixing and matching with this lineup is something we’ll see and part of that will be with leadoff guys, too.”
Oscar Colás is still not the answer. Colás, the perennial outfield candidate, was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday, leaving the Sox with six outfielders, including minor-league invite Travis Jankowski.
Andrew Benintendi, who returned from a broken right hand Wednesday, insisted he could be ready for the start of the season despite the injury keeping him sidelined since Feb. 27.
“I think you come out 10-for-10 and you are good with 10 at-bats,” he said. “You go 0-for-10 and you think you need 50, 100. Kind of depends.” Benintendi is 0-for-9.
Drew Thorpe is injured. The big acquisition from the Dylan Cease trade was rehabbing a right elbow injury in camp when he left a minor-league outing Thursday. Venable said he felt discomfort and was sent for an MRI. Thorpe was not expected to be part of the team, but the setback was unfortunate. Venable said he hopes it’s just a “hiccup.”
Mike Clevinger looks like a closer. The Sox moved Michael Kopech to the closer’s role last spring, but manager Pedro Gomez didn’t know how best to use him on a losing team. Kopech was eventually dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the trade that brought in Miguel Vargas and posted a 1.13 ERA in 24 games. Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior unlocked something in him that the Sox could not.
Clevinger signed a minor-league deal to return for a third season, transitioning to a closer. The early returns look good, but Clevinger insisted he’s not focusing on closing yet. “I just really want to make the team and go to Chicago,” he said.
Clevinger said being a reliever is less “cerebral,” meaning instead of always thinking about how to set up hitters, it’s “easier to get back in the flow state (because) all I have to worry is getting three outs right here.”
Venable contributed to the Sox’s record-setting 2024 season. If not for Jankowski’s sensational, game-saving catch over the bullpen wall that robbed Andrew Vaughn of a walk-off home run against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 28, the Sox would’ve only tied the major-league record at 120 losses.
“Will was the one that put me in (as a defensive replacement),” Jankowski said. “He was the bench coach. He suggested it to (manager Bruce Bochy). So blame Will. Make him be the bad guy.”
Venable confirmed it was his call. “We’ve moved on,” he said with a grin.
