Rick Renteria was the manager, Luis Robert Jr. hadn’t yet played a major-league game and Yasmani Grandal and Dallas Keuchel were among the big free-agent additions the last time the Chicago White Sox held SoxFest.
Let’s just say a lot has changed since then.
The rebranded “SoxFest Live” takes place from 5-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Ramova Theatre. It’s the team’s first fan festival since ahead of the 2020 season.
The 2021 and ’22 versions had cancellations tied to COVID-19, while the team said “several factors” led to no event being held in 2023. The Sox held a gathering for season ticket holders in 2024 and also announced that SoxFest would be back in 2025.
The Sox have had some highs — playoff appearances in 2020 and 2021 — and epic lows — a modern-day MLB single-season record 121 defeats in 2024 — in between events.
The lineup for SoxFest Live includes a “State of the Sox” panel on both evenings, a look back at the 2005 World Series championship featuring pitchers Mark Buehrle, José Contreras and Freddy García on Friday and a “Sox On Deck” discussion with several of the team’s prospects Saturday.
Pitchers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz, shortstop Colson Montgomery and catchers Edgar Quero and Kyle Teel are among the members of that youth movement scheduled to attend this weekend.
Pitchers Sean Burke, Jonathan Cannon and Drew Thorpe, catcher Korey Lee and infielders Bryan Ramos, Miguel Vargas and Andrew Vaughn are among the current big-leaguers who are slotted in for the event.
Ahead of the festivities, here’s a closer look at the ballclub.
South Side newcomers
All one has to do is look at the managerial position to see how much turnover has occurred since the last SoxFest.
The Sox reached the postseason in 2020 as an American League wild card under Renteria and in 2021 as the AL Central champions under Tony La Russa. Health issues cut short La Russa’s tenure in 2022, and Miguel Cairo finished out the 81-81 season.
The Sox then turned to Pedro Grifol, who went 89-190 in a little more than one season at the helm — including a 28-89 record in 2024 before being fired in August. Grady Sizemore took over the rest of the ’24 season.
New skipper Will Venable looks to bring stability to the role.
“I don’t think there’s one managerial job that is easy,” Venable said in November. “All these jobs come with their unique challenges, and I’m excited about the challenges that are presented here with this group.”
The former major-league outfielder has held coaching positions with the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and most recently Texas Rangers.
Former Rangers pitcher Martín Pérez, who spent 2024 with Pittsburgh and San Diego, signed a one-year deal with the Sox. Other pitching additions include right-hander Bryse Wilson, who signed a one-year deal, and reliever Cam Booser, who was acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox.
Austin Slater and Mike Tauchman give the White Sox outfield depth, and infielder Josh Rojas brings versatility. Each has signed a one-year contract. The Sox also traded for catcher Matt Thaiss.
Offseason happenings
The White Sox made a major move at the winter meetings in December, trading All-Star starter Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox for four prospects in Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-handed pitcher Wikelman Gonzalez.
“To be able to get a haul like we did and diversify a deal with some real talent in there, it became very obvious that this was a good deal for the Chicago White Sox,” general manager Chris Getz said at the time.
There’s been trade speculation throughout the offseason surrounding Robert, who is looking to return to his 2023 All-Star form after a 2024 season hampered by a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain that sidelined him for nearly two months.
And there could be big-league opportunities ahead for some of the prospects like Montgomery, who was added to the team’s 40-man roster in November.
“He had a very nice Fall League, finished strong in (Triple-A) Charlotte in August and September and carried that into the (Fall League),” Getz said at the winter meetings. “We feel pretty good about the track that he’s on.
“We expect him to compete for a spot in spring training.”