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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 29: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox grabs his leg after running to first base in the third inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field on May 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox are looking to take the series from the Texas Rangers in the rubber match on Wednesday.
Chicago was able to bounce back to grab a win on Tuesday by a score of 11-7, following an 11-2 loss in the opener. Wednesday gives the White Sox a chance to keep the winning ways going strong as the regular season starts to wind down.
The White Sox won their last series against the New York Mets, so they are trying for two in a row. But this game against Texas won’t be easy, with the Rangers looking to keep their playoff positioning alive too.
Munetaka Murakami Move Announced vs Rangers
Ahead of the finale with the Rangers, the White Sox have dropped the lineup for the game. Within this, slugger Munetaka Murakami will again be hitting second in the lineup, playing first base for Chicago.
Murakami hit in the same spot on Tuesday against the Rangers. Here is how the White Sox lineup will look for this game:
White Sox 8/26
M. Vargas 3B
M. Murakami 1B
R. Grichuk DH
C. Meidroth 2B
B. Montgomery RF
B. Doyle CF
J. Rogers C
T. Peters LF
L. Acuña SSS. Burke SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 26, 2026
Murakami has been one of the main reasons for the complete turnaround from the White Sox this season. In his first year in the major leagues, the slugger has proven his worth and his power to the league.
Coming into the majors last offseason, there was some concern around Murakami and his ability to hit with the elevated velocity that the big leagues have. But Murakami has been able to navigate this well, giving Chicago a reliable bat throughout the year.
Overall, Murakami has hit .221 with 29 home runs and 58 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .863. While his batting average has been down in August (.149), Murakami still offers this team a strong hitter each time out.
Expectations are high around Murakami after his strong start to the year. White Sox manager Will Venable opened up on his slugger’s recent play.
“It’s about making good swing decisions and getting good swings off in the zone,” Venable said. “Sometimes you swing-and-miss. Sometimes you roll them over. In the case of Mune, he has taken some really good swings and is making some good swing decisions. He’s still drawing walks. We haven’t seen him necessarily click on balls going out of the park like we are used to, had a couple of balls in that series that just didn’t go out.
Can the White Sox Make the Playoffs?
Entering this finale with the Rangers, Chicago still has a lead in the American League Central Division, sitting with a record of 69-63. They are currently 2.5 games up on the Cleveland Guardians, with the Minnesota Twins not too far back either.
Over the final few weeks of the season, Chicago will need to make sure they can finish strong. While the 2026 season has been a successful one for the White Sox after years at the bottom, if they can’t clinch a postseason spot, this turnaround will be for nothing.
Chicago has a good chance to get into the playoffs, but they’ll need everyone on the roster coming together to make it happen.
Matt Levine Matt Levine is a veteran sports journalist covering MLB, NFL, College Football, NBA, NHL, and more for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2026. More about Matt Levine