The 2025 White Sox closed with a rough tally, but a bright youth wave took shape. Colson Montgomery’s 21 homers in 70 games and a 3.3 WAR signal a franchise cornerstone, while Kyle Teel’s June debut added 2.0 WAR and a promising catcher of the present. Rule 5 rookie Shane Smith and steady arms like Davis Martin and Jonathan Cannon supplied hope for 2026. Birmingham Barons’ back-to-back Southern League titles underline the depth, with Quero, Sosa, Baldwin, Elko, Vargas, and Meidroth looming. Michael A. Taylor retires; 2026 looks brighter.

Mike Tauchman anchored Chicago’s defense with two highlight catches in a 7-3 loss to San Diego, stoking late-life Sox vibes for fantasy managers chasing value in shallow rosters. Offensively, Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas kicked in early runs, Chase Meidroth and Kyle Teel added a 2-1 swing, and Lenyn Sosa thumped a scorching 108 mph liner to spark a late push, even as Yu Darvish and the Padres bullpen slammed the door.

Padres tallied on the strength of Fernando Tatís Jr.’s RBI and a Padres bullpen that quietly shut down Chicago after the early heat. A late trio of runs against Fraser Ellard and company sealed the outcome. Chicago sits at 58-97, five wins from avoiding 100 losses, with one final home game against San Diego looming as the season wraps.