Sox On 35th Podcast - Weekly Show on the Chicago White Sox

Could the White Sox actually contend in 2026? | Episode 106

After a 1-5 start to the season, the White Sox find themselves 16-18 and just a few games out of the lead in both the AL Central. We know how bad the AL Central tends to be.... so could the White Sox be a real threat for the division after sweeping the Angels and taking a series from the Padres?

Duke Coughlin, Jordan Lazowski, and Nik Gaur discuss this question and what they would need to see to feel that the White Sox really could take advantage of a weak division. Plus, they also discuss Sean Burke's emergence, Drew Romo's potential breakout, and whether Tristian Peters will continue to eat into Luisangel Acuna's playing time.

This and much more on another packed episode!

Could the White Sox extend Munetaka Murakami? | Episode 105

After a 1-5 start to the season for the White Sox, the team finds themselves playing nearly .500 baseball over the past 20 or so games. With the improved play has come some new storylines, and Coughlin, Jordan Lazowski, and Nik Gaur are here to discuss them all with you:

- Could the White Sox extend Munetaka Murakami? Should they?

- Should the White Sox send Edgar Quero to AAA once Kyle Teel is ready?

- What can the team do about Jordan Leasure's struggles?

The crew discusses this and much more following the White Sox' series defeat at the hands of the Diamondbacks. Make sure to tune in!

Are the 2026 White Sox playing to your expectations? | Episode 104

Duke Coughlin, Jordan Lazowski, and Nik Gaur are joined by the newest Sox On 35th contributor, Carson Kass, for this episode! With the White Sox 8-14 compared to 5-17 at this point last year, what is your early-season assessment of this team? Are they playing to your expectations?

The crew also talks about Noah Schultz and Sam Antonacci's debuts, what they need to see from Will Venable as a manager moving forward, Davis Martin's improvements, and how much longer the team might be willing to keep Luisangel Acuna in the lineup every day.

This and much more on a packed episode, don't miss out!

Preparing for Noah Schultz's MLB debut | Episode 103

After a rough 1-5 start, the White Sox are an even 5-5 over their last 10 games with some more excitement along the way. Noah Schultz will be making his MLB debut on Tuesday, and Jordan Lazowski, Nik Gaur, and Brett Haffner are here to talk about it and much more!

They start by talking about the confirmed call-up of Schultz and rumored call-up of Sam Antonacci. What does "success" look like for Schultz this year? And how can Antonacci bring a missing element to a struggling White Sox offense?

At the same time, Schultz's promotion comes to fill in Shane Smith's spot in the rotation after he was sent to Triple-A after just three starts. Was this too quick of a change by the team for someone who was their Opening Day starter? How quickly could we see Smith return? And what does this all say about some of the changes made to the pitching department in previous years?

Finally, the crew talks about the offense - Will Venable and the White Sox don't seem to be concerned, but should they be? 

Make sure to tune in to a packed episode!

2026 White Sox stumble out of the gate | Episode 102

Among the possible starts the White Sox could have out of the gate in the 2026 season, a 1-5 start is close to as rock bottom as it could get. Duke Coughlin, Nik Gaur, and Brett Haffner try to make sense of what we've seen so far before Friday's home opener while explaining why it's far too early to hit the panic button or get flashbacks to 2024.

In this episode, they breakdown the start particularly by Shane Smith and the bullpen, while also exploring some of the team's defensive woes and starting lineup decisions. There is still a long way to go in the season, but the crew discusses what they need to see change and what will change based simply on, as Brett puts it, the "law of averages."

Get yourself set before Friday's home opener with this episode!

White Sox 2026 Season Preview | Episode 101

We're back for season 4 of the Sox On 35th Podcast! Our usual crew of Duke Coughlin, Jordan Lazowski, and Nik Gaur get you set before Opening Day 2026 for the White Sox on Thursday:

• What does the Reese McGuire signing mean?
• How will the team replace Mike Vasil's innings?
• Final Offseason Grade for the White Sox?
• 2026 Season Predictions
  • Win/Loss Record
  • Team MVP/Cy Young
  • More HR: Montgomery or Murakami?
  • Most IP: Schultz, Smith, or McDougal?

Don't miss your chance to get ready for the season!

White Sox TRADE Luis Robert Jr. to Mets | Episode 100

The long-anticipated Luis Robert Jr. trade has finally happened, and we're here to break down what it means for your 2026 Chicago White Sox.

In this emergency podcast, Duke Coughlin and Nik Gaur react to the White Sox trading Luis Robert to the New York Mets, closing the book on the last major piece of the previous front office era. The guys discuss why the return feels underwhelming to many fans and whether Chris Getz realistically could’ve done better - or if he should have just kept him instead.

The conversation then shifts to incoming prospects Luisangel Acuña and Truman Pauley. The two focus largely on Acuña, due to his expected prominent role with the 2026 club. Despite his defensive versatility, speed, and winter-league performance, Duke and Nik have differing opinions on just how good of a prospect Acuña is and just how much long-term value he will provide to the team. Where do you fall in this debate?

 

Finally, the duo looks ahead: what the $20M in payroll flexibility actually means, why the outfield remains a glaring need, and how the White Sox should approach the rest of the offseason. The episode closes with a reflective send-off for Luis Robert, revisiting favorite moments and acknowledging what could have been.

White Sox SHOCK MLB, sign Japanese star Munetaka Murakami | Episode 99

🚨EMERGENCY PODCAST 🚨

The White Sox stunned the baseball world on Sunday, signing Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34M deal.

In this episode, Jordan Lazowski, Nik Gaur, and Brett Haffner react to the shocking Murakami signing, explain how the White Sox pulled it off, and discuss what it means for the rebuild, the lineup, and the franchise’s future. They break down Murakami’s historic NPB résumé, why his market only resulted in a two-year deal, and the real risks and rewards of bringing one of Japan’s most hyped hitters to Chicago.

From marketing impact to on-field expectations, this is everything White Sox fans need to know about the most surprising signing of the offseason.

Topics covered in this episode:
• Why MLB fan bases were shocked by the deal
• Murakami’s NPB dominance and home run record
• Risk vs. reward of international hitters
• Murakami's strikeout/swing-and-miss concerns vs. elite power upside
• How Murakami fits with the rest of the team's young core
• Year 1 expectations for Murakami
• What this means for the rest of the White Sox offseason

Make sure to subscribe to Sox On 35th for more White Sox news, offseason breakdowns, prospect coverage, and podcasts all year long!

White Sox Win 2026 MLB Draft Lottery! Winter Meetings Reactions & Free Agent Rumors | Episode 98

The White Sox just landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft — and our crew is here to break down everything it means for the future of the franchise.

In this episode, Duke, Jordan, Nik, and Michael react to the White Sox winning the 2026 MLB Draft lottery, discuss why Roch Cholowsky is viewed as a true “slam-dunk” top pick, and compare him to past elite prospects. They also dive deep into the Rule 5 Draft, what upside plays like Jedixson Paez and Alexander Alberto bring to the organization, and how losing Peyton Pallette to Cleveland could impact the pitching pipeline.

From Winter Meetings fallout to free-agent rumors and moves involving Anthony Kay, Dustin May, Pete Fairbanks, and Rhys Hoskins, the guys cover every major storyline shaping the Sox offseason. With so many one-run losses in 2024 and big decisions ahead, what moves actually make sense for 2025, and which ones signal a real turning point for the rebuild?

 

Topics Covered:

- Reaction to the White Sox landing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft - Why Roch Cholowsky is considered a generational college bat

- Full breakdown of the Rule 5 Draft and what Paez/Alberto could become

- The loss of Peyton Pallette: how big is it?

- Winter Meetings takeaways and Chris Getz’s roster strategy

- Free-agent rumors/moves: Anthony Kay, Dustin May, Pete Fairbanks

- What kind of signings actually help accelerate the rebuild?

Don't miss out as we approach Episode 100!

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White Sox hire their next hitting and pitching coaches | Episode 97

Duke Coughlin, Jordan Lazowski, and Nik Gaur are back to discuss some big news for the White Sox: the team has hired Zach Bove and Derek Shomon as their next pitching coach and hitting coach, respectively.

The crew reacts to the hirings by discussing their credentials and what these hirings say about the authority that Ryan Fuller and Brian Bannister have within the organization. Could these hires also represent a larger culture shift occurring within the organization? And what do these hires say about Katz and Thames' shortcomings, if anything?

They also discuss the team's decision to pick up Luis Robert Jr.'s $20M option for 2026 and Chris Getz's comments on the upcoming free agency period.

Don't miss out on the latest in White Sox baseball!