What exactly does it mean to be the "Most Valuable Player?" It seems we as baseball fans ask ourselves that question every year when the regular season comes to a close and the awards debates get going.
Is 60 home runs from a catcher like Cal Raleigh more or less valuable than the 1.144 OPS of Aaron Judge this season? How much should team success matter?
I had to ask myself a similar set of questions as I looked to name the Most Valuable Player for the Chicago White Sox in 2025, which was not an easy decision.
Shane Smith ran away with the team Cy Young award by the end of the season. Mike Vasil was a no-brainer selection for Reliever of the Year. But there's an argument to be made for 4-5 different players when it comes to who brought the most value to the White Sox in 2025.
Colson Montgomery led the White Sox in fWAR this season, which is shocking considering he didn't make his MLB debut until July 4. That being said, I've made the controversial choice to name Kyle Teel the team's MVP.
White Sox 2025 MVP - Kyle Teel
Runner-up: Colson Montgomery
How am I supposed to justify Teel being the MVP when Montgomery hit 21 home runs in the second half alone and led the team in fWAR?
For starters, I did factor in the sample size of each player. While Teel and Montgomery took nearly the same number of at-bats this season and both brought tremendous value to the White Sox, Teel simply brought value for a longer period of time because he was in the big leagues a month sooner.
I also think consistency matters. Colson Montgomery had some unreal stretches of play this season, but I don't think he was as day-to-day consistent as Kyle Teel.
From August 1-September 5, Montgomery was 6-for-57 with 23 strikeouts and six walks in the games he did not hit a home run.
He went on another stretch from September 6-September 21 where he did not hit a home run and batted .174 with a .492 OPS over 14 games. There was a lot to love, but the boom or bust effect was real, and during the weeks that Montgomery struggled, he hindered the White Sox.
I felt as if Teel's performance and impact was more steady. He always brought his best behind the plate and he consistently got on base, even when he wasn't dialed in offensively.
Montgomery's on-base percentage of .311 needs to improve moving forward. Teel finished the season at .375, which led the team by a wide margin.
Teel was also better in the big moments, and his leadership qualities bring a value to the team that are not quantifiable. With runners in scoring position, Montgomery hit .213 this season...Teel hit .404 with an OPS of 1.074.
When the White Sox needed energy, a big hit, or someone to look to as an example, it was always Kyle Teel.
None of this is a knock against Montgomery. What he did in 2025 after the rough start was nothing short of remarkable. I'm incredibly bullish on both of these players and cannot wait to see what they do over the course of a full season in 2026.
But somebody has to win the MVP award, and there can only be one. Because of his consistency, his leadership, his energy, and his clutch hitting, I give the ever-so-slight edge to Kyle Teel.