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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 26: Munetaka Murakami #5 of the Chicago White Sox rounds the bases for a two-run home run in the first inning of the game between the Houston Astros and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on July 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Griffin Quinn/Getty Images)

The Chicago White Sox ran into the Boston Red Sox’s buzz saw over the last three days, resulting in a sweep for Boston.

Thursday night’s game went 13 innings before the Red Sox walked it off with a 12-11 victory. Chicago had several opportunities to close out the game, but Boston continued to fight back and secure the win.

Now, the White Sox face a quick turnaround as they return home for a series opener Friday night against the Cleveland Guardians.

White Sox Announce Murakami Change

After starting at first base and recording six at-bats Thursday night, White Sox manager Will Venable is giving star rookie Munetaka Murakami the night off defensively.

Murakami will serve as the designated hitter Friday as Chicago faces Guardians pitcher Parker Messick.

The rookie struggled against Boston, going 1-for-13 with seven strikeouts during the three-game series. He started at first base in all three matchups.

White Sox 8/7

C. Meidroth 2B
M. Murakami DH
M. Vargas 1B
R. Grichuk LF
C. Montgomery 3B
B. Doyle CF
B. Montgomery RF
E. Quero C
L. Acuña SS

N. Schultz SP

— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 7, 2026

Murakami’s 2026 Season

Murakami has brought plenty of excitement to White Sox baseball this season after coming over from Japan at age 26.

He earned his first All-Star selection this season, and despite missing a brief stretch with an injury, he’s batting .236 through 79 games with 67 hits, 24 home runs, and 51 RBIs. He’s also slugging .525 with a .895 OPS.

White Sox Right Now

Chicago will look to bounce back after getting swept, but the team remains in a solid position with more than 45 games left in the regular season.

The White Sox are 59-55 overall and lead the AL Central by 3.0 games over both the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians. That makes this weekend’s series a crucial one in the division race and the AL playoff picture.