A series win for the Chicago White Sox in Sacramento against the Athletics didn’t come without some stress.
After a blowout win on Friday night, the White Sox blew a five-run lead and lost in extra innings on Saturday afternoon. They nearly did the same thing on Sunday, bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but managed to close the door on a 7-4 win. That pushed their record to 8-14 and secured their second series victory of the 2026 season.
All in all, things still aren’t pretty, but one positive takeaway from Sacramento was the way the bats came alive. Just a few days ago, the White Sox were near the bottom of baseball in every major offensive category. But a surge over the last few days, highlighted by 22 runs in the three-game set, has them trending in the right direction.
And it was some of their most important hitters leading the way.
First baseman Munetaka Murakami went 5-for-12 in the series with three home runs — one in each game — along with seven RBIs, four runs scored, and three walks. He put together multiple highlight-reel swings and has now raised his season OPS to .918. The league is starting to take notice.
The White Sox may have a legitimate superstar on their hands.
MURAKAMI AGAIN! 💣#WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/2vRVNrX4mA
— White Sox Roundtable (@WhiteSoxRTB) April 19, 2026
Colson Montgomery is beginning to look like the run producer he was in 2025. He went 4-for-11 with two home runs, four RBIs, two runs scored, and two walks. Montgomery now has five home runs on the year to go along with a .771 OPS.
Miguel Vargas finished 3-for-12, which doesn’t jump off the page, but he also drew four walks and added his third home run of the season on Sunday. Vargas has dealt with some tough batted-ball luck recently, but he continues to make solid contact more often than not.
Even second baseman Chase Meidroth made an impact. Meidroth went 5-for-13 with four runs scored, serving as a table-setter for Chicago’s big bats. His average is now up to .250, and he’s currently riding a five-game hitting streak.
It’s no secret the White Sox won’t be chasing a playoff spot this season. They’ll likely finish near the bottom of the standings for a fourth consecutive year. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be signs of progress along the way — and there were plenty of those this weekend in Sacramento.
It starts with the offensive core taking a step forward. That means Montgomery, Meidroth, and Vargas continuing to produce. It means Munetaka Murakami establishing himself as a true MLB star.
It also means getting encouraging outings from arms like Noah Schultz, the 22-year-old lefty who earned his first MLB win on Sunday and looked the part at the big league level. That’s the type of development that can position this team for 2027.
If the White Sox can keep hitting, they’ll start winning more games and, at the very least, become far more competitive as the weather heats up this summer. They’ll also be a lot more watchable if the runs keep coming.
Andrew Benintendi and Derek Hill both hit their first home run of the season in the series, and Everson Pereira continues to produce.
Now it’s about carrying that offensive momentum forward as the White Sox head to Arizona to close out their West Coast road trip.