{"id":384342,"date":"2026-07-23T21:35:42","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T21:35:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/384342\/"},"modified":"2026-07-23T21:35:42","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T21:35:42","slug":"first-place-white-sox-keep-the-line-moving-in-second-half-and-munetaka-murakamis-just-getting-warmed-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/384342\/","title":{"rendered":"First-place White Sox keep the line moving in second half \u2014 and Munetaka Murakami\u2019s just getting warmed up"},"content":{"rendered":"

ARLINGTON, Texas \u2014 The White Sox<\/a> passed a major test out of the All-Star break with two straight road series wins, no small feat for a team that went 19-28 while traveling during the first half of the season.<\/p>\n

They did it with some long ball<\/a> courtesy of Sam Antonacci and Colson Montgomery while taking two out of three in Toronto.<\/p>\n

They did it with some small ball<\/a> in Texas, with Chase Meidroth and Andrew Benintendi combining for six singles driving in all their runs in a 4-2 rubber-match win at Texas.<\/p>\n

They got big-time pitching performances from Davis Martin and rising ace Sean Burke<\/a>, plus a bullpen that\u2019s suddenly dealing shutdown stuff behind Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson and a revitalized Jordan Hicks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s hard not to wonder how it all could look for the stunning first-place Sox if Munetaka Murakami can regain his epically powerful first-half form.<\/p>\n

The rookie sensation went 4-for-19 with two doubles, seven walks and eight strikeouts during his first road trip since returning<\/a> from the hamstring injury that derailed the spring dinger show that still landed him spots in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game.<\/p>\n

Murakami gave one a ride Wednesday night on a deep flyout at Globe Life Field, but he returned to Chicago still in search of his 21st home run, which would be his first since May 27. He\u2019s confident it\u2019s coming, even as the league looks for new ways to attack his prodigious swing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think overall it\u2019s getting better,\u201d Murakami said via interpreter Kenzo Yagi. \u201cI\u2019ve been seeing the ball very clearly and I\u2019m getting good at-bats. There are different pitchers coming in each and every day with different varieties of pitches. It\u2019s always a learning curve on that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The White Sox\u2019 Munetaka Murakami celebrates after scoring against the Blue Jays on July 17.<\/p>\n

Cole Burston\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Manager Will Venable said he saw progress in his first baseman\u2019s approach as Murakami got back in the swing of things on the road. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere was just more intent to be ready earlier,\u201d Venable said. \u201cGot the barrel to some balls. Didn\u2019t hit any out, but there were some really good swings in there.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis presence is felt in the dugout, in the clubhouse and obviously on the field,\u201d Venable added. \u201cI think we saw in his absence that our group was still able to score a lot of runs. \u2026 The positive things we\u2019re doing offensively are certainly driven by Mune, but not all driven by Mune. So even when he\u2019s not out there hitting homers every day, we find ways to score runs, because we\u2019re doing it really throughout the lineup.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sox went 17-18 during the six weeks Murakami missed with a hamstring injury. They\u2019ve gone 7-2 since he returned, behind a balanced attack getting steady production from Miguel Vargas (four doubles on the road trip with two RBI), Montgomery (team-leading 24 homers) and a rotating cast of nightly contributors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think our offense is very multi-faceted,\u201d Meidroth said after his 4-for-4 night Wednesday. \u201cThere are many ways to win a baseball game, which makes this team and lineup really special. \u2026 It\u2019s still July. Gotta take care of business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murakami was just pleased to return to a squad defying the odds by sitting in first place with under two weeks remaining before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a team we are in a good condition,\u201d he said. \u201cTrying to win as much as possible so we can get first in the division, and hopefully in the World Series.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going into games with good preparation. We have to continue to keep this up and the wins will come along,\u201d Murakami said. \u201cThe whole team and atmosphere is concentrated on each and every single game like that. I think it shows out there every single day. \u2026 We just have to keep continuing this grinding every single day and keep that success going.\u201d<\/p>\n

On deck<\/p>\n

ASTROS AT SOX<\/p>\n

Friday: Spencer Arrighetti (7-5, 4.34 ERA) vs. Davis Martin (9-5, 3.31), 6:40 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.<\/p>\n

Saturday: Hunter Brown (1-1, 4.05) vs. Sean Burke (7-4, 3.20) 6:10 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.<\/p>\n

Sunday: Ronel Blanco (0-0, 7.71) vs. Erick Fedde (5-6, 4.16), 1:10 p.m., CHSN, 1000-AM.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The veteran DH isn\u2019t playing as big of a role as he envisioned when he joined the Sox, but he\u2019s finally enjoying the competitive baseball he signed up for. <\/p>\n

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Two years since last flashing his massive potential, the right-hander is taking his next step in rehab at High-A Winston-Salem.<\/p>\n

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The flame-throwing righty tweaked his arm slot after going through video of his past highlights, resulting in his best stuff this season. <\/p>\n

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The Sox recalled Edgar Quero after Teel\u2019s latest setback in a tough sophomore campaign, adding another position to GM Chris Getz\u2019s trade-deadline to-do list.<\/p>\n

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