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Chicago White Sox 2026: April & May Recap
Chicago White Sox 2026: April & May Recap
A hot start, a mid-spring grind, and a club that still looks like it’s built to run the AL Central into the ground.
April: 16–8 — The Sox came out throwing punches
The 2026 White Sox didn’t tiptoe into the season — they kicked the door in. April was a statement month (16–8), powered by a lineup that pressured defenses every inning and a staff that gave the club just enough breathing room to stack series wins.
The identity showed up immediately: speed + chaos
Chicago’s running game wasn’t just a fun wrinkle — it was a weapon that changed games. Even in April, the Sox were already leaning into the idea that one single = instant scoring threat, with the club setting the tone for what’s now the best stolen-base team in baseball.
The bats carried a “pick-your-poison” feel
Edgar Quero looked like the lineup’s heartbeat: constant traffic, big extra-base damage, and run production in the middle.
Colson Montgomery didn’t just “hold his own” — he looked like a guy you build an order around. The at-bats were loud early, and the month set the runway for what May turned into.
Pitching: top-end dominance, some bumps, but enough wins
Shane Smith was the early-season cheat code. Every fifth day felt like the Sox were starting the game up 1–0.
Behind him, it was more “survive and advance,” but April’s win pile gave Chicago margin for error going forward.
Bottom line: April created the cushion. The Sox didn’t just win — they established a style.
May: 14–15 — The first real gut-check… and the Sox survived it
May was baseball reminding everyone it’s a long season. The Sox went 14–15, and the month had that “every win costs you something” vibe — tougher sequencing, colder bats on random nights, and just enough pitching volatility to turn a 6–2 week into a 3–4 week fast.
And yet? Chicago walked out of May still sitting in the driver’s seat.
The headliner: Montgomery went full main character
May is where the league started putting some respect on the name. Montgomery didn’t just play well — he owned the month’s spotlight, collecting:
AL Player of the Month (May)
AL Player of the Week (end of May)
AL Rookie of the Month (May)
That’s not “nice rookie stretch.” That’s “this guy’s dictating series.”
The offense stayed dangerous even when it wasn’t “hot”
Even with the month’s ups and downs, Chicago’s profile stayed loud:
They’re still near the top of the league in run scoring because they can manufacture offense (walks + steals + extra-base hits).
They’re still a nightmare to keep off the bases, because the lineup doesn’t have to homer to hurt you.
The warning light: contact allowed + homers
May also highlighted the thing to keep an eye on:
Too many innings where opponents made solid contact, and the long ball punished mistakes.
When the staff wasn’t missing bats at the right times, games tightened fast — and tight games are where a couple of bad pitches flip a week.
Still, surviving a mediocre month without giving up the division lead is a good sign. Great teams don’t avoid rough stretches — they don’t let them become spirals.
Two-month snapshot: Why Chicago’s still built to lead this thing
April put them ahead. May tested them.
And the Sox came out of it with:
a clear offensive identity (pressure, speed, depth),
a breakout star pushing into league-wide recognition (Montgomery),
and enough wins banked to stay in first even when the schedule (and variance) got mean.
If June brings even a mild pitching steadiness bump, this starts looking less like a “nice start” and more like a “they might actually control the Central” season.
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