From worst to contender. The White Sox are for real.

Hey, it's Zack.

Before I get into the White Sox story I want to highlight the players who owned the month of May. Two hitters. Two pitchers. And every one of them has a story worth telling.

MAY PERFORMERS

Nick Kurtz | Oakland Athletics | 1B

Nick Kurtz had one of the best months any hitter has had in baseball in 2026. Through May he hit .333 with five home runs and 26 RBI in 28 games posting a 1.025 OPS. The AL Player of the Month for May. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year. He started the season cold and people questioned whether a sophomore slump was coming. May answered that question.

JJ Bleday | Cincinnati Reds | OF

JJ Bleday was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft by the Miami Marlins. Seven years later he is finally looking like that pick. The Marlins traded him to the Athletics. The Athletics designated him for assignment at the end of 2025 after a disappointing season. The Reds signed him. He started 2026 in Triple A Louisville. Was called up April 25. In May he hit .301 with eight home runs, 25 RBI and a 1.018 OPS in 27 games. NL Player of the Month.

Spencer Arrighetti | Houston Astros | SP

Spencer Arrighetti was not even in the Houston opening day rotation. He was called up in early April after injuries hit the staff. What he has done since is remarkable. In May he went 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA in 29 innings across five starts. The AL Pitcher of the Month. He held hitters to a .165 batting average.

Cristopher Sanchez | Philadelphia Phillies | SP

Cristopher Sanchez did not allow a single earned run in May. Not one. Across five starts he went 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 39 innings with 45 strikeouts. The NL Pitcher of the Month. His 0.72 WHIP ranked second in the majors. His season ERA of 1.47 currently leads all of baseball. Sanchez is quietly putting together one of the best seasons by any pitcher in baseball.

Now let's dive into the White Sox.

THE ENTRANCE

Two years ago the Chicago White Sox lost 121 games. The most losses in the history of Major League Baseball in a 162 game season. It was not just bad. It was historically bad. A franchise record. A baseball record. A low point that seemed like it would take years to recover from.

One year ago they lost 102 games. Still awful. Still one of the worst teams in baseball. But something was quietly changing on the South Side.

This year the White Sox already have 33 wins. In 2025 the White Sox did not win their 32nd game until Game 95. In 2024 it took until Game 141. In 2026 they reached 32 wins in 59 games. That is a pretty impressive turnaround.

So how did this happen?