White Sox Opening Day 2024: A new season kicks off on the South Side

The weather may not scream “baseball!” yet but that didn’t stop Opening Day as the White Sox hosted the Tigers to kick off the 2024 season at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Garrett Crochet struck out eight and walked no one in first career start — but ultimately the White Sox lost to the Tigers, 1-0.

Rosters for Opening Day were finalized Wednesday when the Sox announced a 26-man roster with only four starting pitchers on it. The team won’t need a fifth starter until next Wednesday against the Braves, but Nick Nastrini is expected to get the call up from Triple-A Charlotte next week.

White Sox lose opener 1-0 to Tigers

Pitching six innings – more than most everyone anticipated in the left-hander’s first career start – Garrett Crochet was exceptional with seven strikeouts, no walks and one run allowed to the Tigers on Opening Day Thursday.

If only the White Sox had it in them to muster more than three against Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal, who held them scoreless for six innings in a 1-0 loss, taking the air out of a less than capacity Opening Day crowd of 33,420 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Read the full game story.

Not quite a full house

The White Sox can still go 161-1 after losing 1-0 to the Tigers. The stadium wasn’t sold out with the announced attendance at 33,420. Guaranteed Rate has a 40,615 seating capacity.

OK with a move

Jon Walker, 59, has been going to Sox games with his best friend for two decades after their wives gifted them season tickets.

“It’s just a joy being here,” Walker, who makes the trip to games from suburban Crete, said. “Being a Sox fan and being at the park.”

Walker, who has been to “hundreds of games” and plans on going to 20 more this season, says he likes where the team is located but “wouldn’t have a problem if the Sox did something bigger and better” with a new stadium.

Walker says he’d vote for the stadium to be publicly funded because he’s a Sox fan who’d utilize it.

“For North Siders, they might oppose it,” Walker said.

Jason Caprigno, 53, says he isn’t “totally against” the Sox making the move, though he thinks Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf should pay for it.

Welcome back, Jason

The White Sox honored former team broadcaster Jason Benetti before the game. Benetti became the voice of the Tigers after leaving the Sox last year after a dispute with the club.

Negotiations between the Sox and Benetti were filled with acrimony partly because of Benetti’s national obligations with Fox. The relationship had soured, and the Tigers swooped in with a significant offer that prompted Benetti to ask out of his contract.

We’re underway

A fastball outside from White Sox starter Garrett Crochet to Tigers lead-off man Andy Ibanez is the first pitch of the season. Crochet struck out Ibanez and the Tigers went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning.

Putting on a happy face

White Sox rookie Jordan Leasure said his teammates kept walking up to him at the ballpark to say, “stop smiling.”

“It’s hard not to,” Leasure said.

Indeed it is when you make a major league team for the first time and are getting ready for Opening Day. That was Leasure’s world Thursday after he won a spot in the White Sox bullpen in spring training

“It was really cool. Walking into the clubhouse, trying to find my way in here, and then going out to the stadium and seeing it for the first time.

“And the stadium is beautiful, it’s massive. Today I’m able to like know where I’m going, feel better about it.”

‘Ready to get hurt again’

The smokey aroma of hot dogs filled the air around one of the parking lots at Guaranteed Rate field as beanbags thudded onto wooden boards and kids played catch with a tennis ball.

“I’m ready to get hurt again,” one fan said as he walked toward one of the parking lots near the stadium.

Ruth Guerra was at Guaranteed Rate Field celebrating her 50th birthday a month early as her family continued their tradition of coming to Sox Opening Day games — a tradition they’ve mostly kept up for nearly 25 years.

“[If] there’s that one thing you have with your people, do it, don’t let it fade out,” Guerra said. “There was a lot of time we had to stay away from each other and now that we get to be with each other, it’s amazing.”

Some guests have arrived

Tigers fans are in town and ready to make their presence known.

But Sox fans are not about to be outdone by the Michiganders.

Listen up

Wondering what this season’s walk-up music will be? The Sox just released a Spotify playlist featuring artists from Myke Towers and Ookay to Wham and the Beastie Boys.

Weather forecast

The weather won’t be warm but at least it won’t be rainy again. This afternoon at the park will be mostly sunny with a high around 53. No rain delays this time!

Ground rules

We’ve compiled some things you need to know as you head to the park, everything from what fans can bring into the stadium to what new foods will be for sale at the concession stands.

Starting lineups

White Sox

Starting pitcher: LHP Garrett Crochet

LF Andrew Benintendi
3B Yoan Moncada
CF Luis Robert Jr.
DH Eloy Jimenez
1B Andrew Vaughn
SS Paul DeJong
RF Kevin Pillar
C Martin Maldonado
2B Nicky Lopez

Tigers

Starting pitcher: LHP Tarik Skubal

3B Andy Ibáñez
1B Spencer Torkelson
LF Riley Greene
DH Mark Canha
RF Matt Vierling
2B Colt Keith
C Jake Rogers
SS Javier Báez
CF Parker Meadows