Amidst the disappointing news of Andrew Benintendi’s fractured hand, the Chicago White Sox seem to be unbothered.
A 1-5 start to spring training has many Sox fans preemptively worried about the regular season turning into another summer filled with losses.
Yesterday's failed ninth-inning rally in Chicago's 3-2 loss against the Angels is frustrating to watch, especially after the Sox ended the sixth inning with the bases loaded.
Although the Sox’s 4-2 win over the Guardians on Thursday guarantees that the Sox won’t go winless, recent news doesn't instill much confidence that this year will be any different than last.
Despite fan doubts, newcomer Martín Pérez is keeping his head up.
After the Sox’s first win, per MLB.com’s White Sox beat reporter Scott Merkin, Pérez shared that he thinks the Sox could actually contend this season.
Martin Perez: "People think we are not contenders, but we are going to be contenders. We are here for a reason... We don’t care what the people say. We just have to focus on our team and go out there and perform. Do what we have to do to win the game at the end of the night."
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) February 27, 2025
Pérez’s comments followed his spring training debut in a Sox uniform. Although he had a shaky first inning that included a botched throw to first base, he bounced back in the second and retired the side. Pérez finished his two-inning outing with one hit, two strikeouts, and one hit by pitch over 30 pitches.
Sox fans have every reason to be skeptical of Pérez’s statement. He didn’t have to suffer through losing streaks and blown games like last year’s players did.
Although the Sox have plenty of things working against them, Pérez has the right mentality, and Sox fans need to appreciate his fortitude. Pérez is focused on winning, not on past losses. The results may not materialize, but Chicago needs to play with a winning mindset because someday they will be winners again.
Even after getting injured Benintendi carries Pérez’s optimism. He replied, “There’s no reason to go into the season thinking this thing is already over. We’ll put our heads together and come up with plans of what we want to be and how we want to play and win baseball games."
It's time to give the young guys and veterans an opportunity to prove that this is a new Sox team. After last year, there aren’t any worst-case scenarios left.