2025 MLB First-Half Recap: Chicago White Sox

The Pitching

The Good

Last season, the White Sox struck gold with Erick Fedde, who helped nab the team Miguel Vargas (who I’ll get to in a minute). This season, it’s Adrian Houser who has turned into a highly valuable arm.

Houser spent last season with the Mets and Cubs, with much of his year being spent with the former (he never pitched in the Majors with Chicago (NL)). He signed a Minor League deal with the Rangers and, after nine unspectacular starts, signed a Major League deal with the Sox. Since then, Houser’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball.

The 32-year-old posted a 1.89 ERA across his first seven starts, along with an impressive 4.3% Barrel%. That number has been key for Houser, a sinkerballer who relies on ground balls. He’s been more on top of the two-seamer, averaging roughly an inch more of downward break compared to 2022. Houser’s also leveraged his hard curveball more.

With that production, Houser could be a name to watch come the deadline.

Aside from Houser, the White Sox found length with Shane Smith, the Rule 5 Draft pick who sparingly used a changeup in his brief time with Triple-A last season. This season, it’s been an A pitch for the ex-Brewer prospect, who was the Sox’s lone All-Star in 2025.

Their bullpen has gotten swings-and-misses with Brandon Eisert, Jordan Leasure, and Cam Booser.

As for the White Sox’s offense, Andrew Benintendi hit 11 home runs during the first half, the second straight season he cracked double digits in home runs for the South Siders. Chase Meidroth, one of the players acquired for Garrett Crochet, posted a .332 OBP in the first half.

Meidroth was one of several prospects to head to Chicago this season. Catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, plus shortstop Colson Montgomery, also debuted this season.

Lastly, Miguel Vargas set season highs in home runs (10) and extra-base hits (34) in the first half. Vargas, once a top prospect in the Dodgers’ system, established himself as a regular less than a year after he was acquired.

The Bad

What a strange first half for Luis Robert Jr., who slashed .190/.275/.325 (.599 OPS) for the White Sox in the first half.

Across his first 84 games of the season, Robert Jr. set a career-best for most walks (35) in a season, highlighting exactly how teams are pitching to him: which was not to pitch to him. He did make the most of his opportunities while on base, as his 26 stolen bases across those 84 games are also a career-high.

Unfortunately for the Sox, Robert Jr.’s chase habits have also burned him.

One of the other young pieces who came to the South Side at the start of this decade was Andrew Vaughn, the team’s first-round pick in 2019. After a .531 OPS to start the season, the White Sox demoted him to Triple-A Charlotte. He was dealt in mid-June to the Brewers as part of the Aaron Civale deal.

And despite some of those young names coming up, the Sox have yet to find a true power hitter & run producer to complement Robert Jr. Hence, why the Sox finished the first half last in OPS and third to last in runs scored.

What to Expect in the Second Half

Much like 2024, the White Sox don’t have much in the way of tradeable assets. However, there is one name likely to garner a lot of interest: Luis Robert Jr.

Now, a trade for Robert Jr. would be difficult for some teams. One, Robert Jr. has two club options, meaning two more seasons of team control. Two, the White Sox reportedly don’t want a “reduced return” for Robert Jr., given the peripherals are down.

Aside from Robert Jr., Adrian Houser should be a fun name to watch.

First-half stats as of All-Star break. Cited stats, unless otherwise indicated, in paragraphs as of writing.