Every year, it seems Chicago White Sox fans tell themselves the same thing. Surely, this is rock bottom! That seemed especially true after the Sox broke the Major League Baseball all-time loss record in 2024 with a 41-121 record.
It never seems like it can get worse, and yet somehow, it always does. Here we are again, at the end of April, with the White Sox on pace to finish 37-125 in 2025.
Chicago’s 7-23 record heading into May is nothing to celebrate or write home about. But I think anybody who has been closely following and watching this team would say with certainty that this group plays a much better brand of baseball than last year’s squad.
There are still some silver linings and bright spots from the start of this season that are worth celebrating. Here are three things to like about the 2025 Chicago White Sox thus far.
1. Shane Smith and Davis Martin look like long-term pieces
The White Sox seem to have a pipeline of young pitching prospects coming in the near future. Hagen Smith, Noah Schultz, and Grant Taylor are legit, which makes it even more encouraging that the White Sox appear to have two long-term rotation pieces in Davis Martin and Shane Smith.
Smith has a 2.23 ERA through his first six major league starts with outstanding metrics. He’s a Top 30 starting pitcher in ERA, WHIP, and Batting Average Against.
Martin has settled in nicely in 2025, surrendering one run or less in four of his six outings. It has helped confirm what many Sox fans have long suspected - Davis Martin is a really valuable and reliable starting pitcher.
I’d like to remind everyone that Martin had a 3.65 ERA through 13 outings in 2022. It was during his final start of the season that Martin a.) gave up nine earned runs and inflated his season ERA to 4.83 and b.) suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.
You take that one start out of the equation and Martin’s career ERA would be 3.79.
2. Improved team walk rate
Arguably the hardest part about watching the 2024 White Sox was the lack of plate discipline demonstrated by almost every hitter in the lineup. Chicago was dead last in walks last season and had a team OBP of .278, which was significantly worse than the second worst team (MIA - .300).
The 2025 White Sox are unquestionably a more patient team. 101 walks at the end of April is good for 16th in baseball.
Luis Robert Jr. is the team leader with 17 walks and he had just 28 walks in 4x the at-bats last season. Matt Thaiss and his .391 OBP have also been a pleasant addition to the team.
It may not be resulting in a ton of runs or wins for the Sox right now, but a better process at the plate and more patient at bats are encouraging signs for the future. Batted ball luck should swing back the other way before long.
3. Edgar Quero
How can you not love what Edgar Quero has brought to the White Sox since being called up from Triple-A Charlotte?
Quero is setting the bar high for White Sox prospects coming up the pipeline. He marks the beginning of Chicago fielding the next generation of young talent that they hope will be on the next Sox playoff team. The excitement was palpable for his arrival, and he has lived up to the hype.
In 13 career games played, Quero is hitting .306/.432/.361. That’s good for an OPS of .793. He’s already third on the team in fWAR and is only 22 years old. Quero is the real deal. Point blank.
In a year that won’t be packed with wins, White Sox fans should take solace in the success of the organization's best young players. We got a taste of that from Quero in April.