Sam Antonacci has become the White Sox player most likely to stir the dugout before he stirs the box score. In Houston, with the club carrying a little postseason tightness into its Wild Card opener, the 23-year-old deliberately stumbled on the dugout stairs during introductions. Once he drew the game’s first walk, he slapped at his helmet, his familiar way of turning nerves into noise.
Chicago now carries that energy into an American League Division Series against the Guardians, its division rival, beginning Saturday at Progressive Field. First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, noon in Chicago, with TBS, truTV, UniMas and HBO Max carrying the game.
Antonacci sets the early tone
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Before Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against Houston, Antonacci sensed that the White Sox clubhouse needed a release. His staged misstep was meant to remind teammates that the stakes were big, but not bigger than life.
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He then opened the game with a walk in Chicago’s 6-3 victory, adding his helmet-smacking celebration to get the dugout moving.
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In Game 2, Antonacci doubled off Hunter Brown to begin the game. That hit helped launch a four-run first inning, and the White Sox finished off a 7-3 win to take the series.
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The sweep gave Chicago its first postseason series victory since the 2005 World Series championship.
“I did it to loosen everybody up,” Antonacci said of the dugout stumble. He said there was some tension, though nothing extreme, and wanted the club to remember that the next morning would arrive the same way regardless of one game’s result. The helmet routine, he added, has simply become one of his unconventional ways of lifting the group.
Antonacci went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk while starting in left field in the opener against the Astros. He followed with a 1-for-4 performance, including the leadoff double and a run scored, in the clincher.
A newcomer at the center of Chicago’s turnaround
Antonacci was not around for the White Sox teams that lost 121 games in 2024 and 102 more in 2025. Chicago selected the Coastal Carolina product in the fifth round of the 2024 Draft, and he made his Major League debut on April 15 of this season.
From there, he quickly settled into a prominent role. Antonacci played 140 regular-season games and posted a .277/.370/.396 line with eight home runs, 25 doubles, four triples, 81 runs scored, 48 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He has handled the leadoff spot for most of the season since early May while splitting his defensive work between second base and left field.
Manager Will Venable sees Antonacci as a reflection of the club’s personality.
“Sam has been incredible,” Venable said. “When you talk about our identity — toughness, competitiveness, energy and refusing to back down — he represents that every day. He goes out and sets the tone for us.”
A tougher matchup may change his role
Antonacci may not be in the lineup for Saturday’s series opener, with Cleveland left-hander Parker Messick expected to start. He could be used off the bench instead. Antonacci went 0-for-3 against Messick during the regular season, and his splits underline the matchup concern: he recorded an .807 OPS against right-handed pitching but a .604 mark against left-handers.
The Guardians offer no easy landing spot after that. Antonacci was 1-for-11 against Gavin Williams, the expected Game 2 starter, during the regular season.
Still, Antonacci does not view reaching the Division Series as the finish line. He said some people may be satisfied simply seeing the White Sox arrive at this stage, but the players are focused on continuing the run.
“We are not looking at this as mission accomplished,” Antonacci said. “We have a chance to keep winning, and whether we move on comes down to what we do.”
A South Side moment with an Illinois connection
The Springfield, Illinois, native grew up rooting for the Cardinals, but he understands what this October means on the South Side. Many of his friends support the White Sox, including former teammates from Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois, where Antonacci spent two years before transferring to Coastal Carolina.
He was only two years old when Chicago last won the World Series. This postseason, he said, has brought him the most enjoyment he has experienced in baseball since his college days.
Antonacci said he does not overlook the chance to wear the White Sox uniform or to represent his family through the name on his back. Getting postseason baseball back to Chicago was the immediate assignment in Houston. With that accomplished, the next one is clear: beat Cleveland and keep playing.
