Chicago White Sox projected 2025 Opening Day lineup and roster

The Chicago White Sox have been preparing for Opening Day since pitchers and catchers reported earlier this year.

Now, Opening Day is here, and so is Will Venable's debut as the White Sox manager.

Here's how we project the Opening Day lineup for the 2025 Chicago White Sox.

White Sox projected 2025 starting lineup

Projected batting order

  1. Austin Slater, RF*
  2. Luis Robert Jr., CF
  3. Andrew Benintendi, DH*
  4. Andrew Vaughn, 1B
  5. Miguel Vargas, 3B
  6. Matt Thaiss, C
  7. Michael A. Taylor, LF
  8. Lenyn Sosa, 2B
  9. Jacob Amaya, SS

Vaughn, Robert, Benintendi and Sosa were regular contributors to the Sox's offense last year. Vargas was acquired when the Sox traded Michael Kopech to the Dodgers and will get a full first season with the team. Slater is a career .252 hitter who will help the team nearly immediately.

*Both Benintendi and Slater returned to Cactus League action last week and are expected to be close to being ready for Opening Day on Thursday. Benitendi suffered a non-displaced right-hand fracture and Slater suffered an oblique strain.

Pitching rotation

  1. Sean Burke, RHP
  2. Davis Martin, RHP
  3. Martín Pérez, LHP
  4. Shane Smith, RHP
  5. Jonathan Cannon, RHP

Burke earned the nod as the Sox's Opening Day starter as part of a rotation hampered by injuries. Drew Thorpe was called up to the major leagues last season and was expected to be a part of the rotation in the future, but he suffered offseason setbacks from a September surgery that he had to shave down a bone spur in his right elbow. Thorpe, and fellow pitcher Ky Bush, will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Cannon is a young pitcher who earned starts at the major league-level last year and is a name to watch for the future of the team moving forward.

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