White Sox's Munetaka Murakami: Discussing contract extension
Rotowire
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Tuesday that the club began discussing a contract extension with Murakami's representation in late summer and those talks are ongoing, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
Murakami is set to earn $17.5 million in 2027 after inking a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox last offseason. However, it sounds like both sides have interest in an extension that would keep the Japanese slugger in Chicago longer. The 26-year-old slashed .207/.347/.478 with 35 home runs over 127 regular-season contests for the White Sox in 2026, but he also had a 35.4 percent strikeout rate and hit only .156/.299/.375 in the final two months of the regular season.
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White Sox's Hagen Smith: Team undecided on role
Rotowire
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Wednesday that he believes Smith will be a starting pitcher in the majors "at some point," but a decision on the lefty's role for 2027 hasn't been made, James Fegan of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Smith began the 2026 season in the rotation at Triple-A Charlotte, but he was moved to the bullpen in July and it was in a relief role where he impacted the major-league club, posting a 1.29 ERA and 47:24 K:BB across 35 regular-season innings. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, Smith has shown flashes of dominance but overall has been erratic boasting a 33.4 percent strikeout rate but also a 16.2 percent walk rate in the minors.
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White Sox's Grant Taylor: Role for 2027 undetermined
Rotowire
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Tuesday that the team has yet to make a decision on whether to deploy Taylor as a starting pitcher or reliever next season, James Fegan of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Getz noted that he believes Taylor will be a starting pitcher in the majors "at some point," but whether that will happen in 2027 is undetermined. Taylor logged a 2.25 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 106:30 K:BB over 84 regular-season innings for the White Sox in 2026 as a reliever and occasional opener. The 24-year-old notched 10 saves during the regular season and another two in the playoffs, and he will likely open 2027 as the team's closer if the White Sox elect to keep him in the bullpen. However, Taylor has loads of upside as a starting pitcher, and if the White Sox intend to make the role shift eventually, next season might be the time to do it.
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White Sox's Davis Martin: Impacted by calf injury
Rotowire
White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Wednesday of Martin that it's "very clear that he was hindered and wasn't himself" due to a right calf injury, James Fegan of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Per Scott Merkin of MLB.com, Martin revealed late in the regular season that he battled calf discomfort "on and off" since April. It's difficult to determine how much the nagging calf issue affected Martin's performance, but he was a different pitcher the first two months of the season (2.00 ERA, 71:14 K:BB over 67.2 innings) than he was in the final four months (5.63 ERA, 51:32 K:BB in 78.1 frames). Martin was on the roster for both of Chicago's playoff series, but he made just one relief appearance, allowing two runs over one inning of work. The calf injury for Martin should heal with extended rest over the offseason.
Burke was charged with the loss in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Guardians on Saturday, giving up two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks over five innings.
The White Sox couldn't have asked for much more from Burke, who surrendered the only runs of the game on a two-run homer by Jose Ramirez during the fourth inning. The right-hander can hardly be faulted for the long ball given that the pitch was a mere 0.74 feet off the ground, which is the lowest pitch hit for a home run in the playoffs since tracking was implemented in 2008. Burke received his first taste of the postseason this year and equipped himself well in three games with a 3.77 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 18:1 K:BB across 14.1 innings.
Montgomery isn't in the lineup for Game 5 of the ALDS against the Guardians on Saturday.
Montgomery will begin Saturday's win-or-go-home contest on the bench after going 3-for-23 across the White Sox's first six postseason games. Tristan Peters will shift to right field while Montgomery sits, opening up center field for Brenton Doyle.
White Sox manager Will Venable said Friday that Burke will start Saturday in Game 5 of the ALDS versus the Guardians, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Burke got the win in bulk relief in Game 2 of the series, yielding just one run over 5.1 innings while fanning six batters. The White Sox have elected to have the right-hander make a traditional start in Saturday's winner-take-all affair. He is expected to be opposed by Gavin Williams.
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