The 2018 Chicago White Sox season was the club's 119th season in Chicago and 118th in the American League. It marked the second season with Rick Renteria as manager of the Sox. The Sox played their home games at Guaranteed Rate Field. After losing to the Red Sox on August 30 they clinched their sixth consecutive losing season and their 11th year without a postseason spot. They began their season on March 29 against the Kansas City Royals and finished the season on September 30 against the Minnesota Twins.
At 62–100, the White Sox finished four games ahead of the last-place Royals, had the third worst record in the league, and 29 games behind the Cleveland Indians; it was their first 100-loss season since 1970.
It was the final season for long time PBP announcer Ken Harrelson who retired before the end of the season, and the second of the last for broadcasts on long time FTA broadcaster WGN-TV, the 2018–19 offseason was when it was announced that NBC Sports Chicago, the team's cable partner, will become the de facto official station of the team effective Opening Day 2020 with more game broadcasts there. No plans are yet to be made regarding the team's future free-to-air television broadcasts, through.
Offseason
Transactions
October 2, 2017, Cody Asche and Jean Machi granted free agency. October 6, 2017, Rob Brantly granted free agency. October 7, 2017, David Holmberg granted free agency. October 9, 2017, Rymer Liriano and Chris Volstad granted free agency. November 2, 2017, Mike Pelfrey and Geovany Soto granted free agency. November 3, 2017, White Sox acquired outfielder Daniel Palka off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. November 6, 2017. Jason Bourgeois, Steve Johnson, Tyler Ladendorf, Matt Purke and Scott Snodgress granted free agency. November 16, 2017, White Sox traded international bonus slot money to the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Thyago Vieira. November 18, 2017, White Sox signed pitcher Dustin Antolin as a free agent. December 1, 2017, White Sox signed free agent catcher Welington Castillo to a two-year, $15 million contract, including a club option for 2020. Al Alburquerque, Alen Hanson, Jake Petricka and Zach Putnam granted free agency. December 22, 2017, White Sox selected pitcher José Ruiz off of waivers from the San Diego Padres. January 4, 2018, as part of a 3-team trade, White Sox traded infielder Jake Peter (minors) to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Sox received relief pitcher Luis Avilán and cash from the Los Angeles Dodgers and relief pitcher Joakim Soria and cash from the Kansas City Royals. In addition, the Los Angeles Dodgers sent infielder Erick Mejia (minors) and pitcher Trevor Oaks (minors) to the Kansas City Royals; and the Kansas City Royals sent pitcher Scott Alexander to the Los Angeles Dodgers. January 10, 2018, White Sox acquire minor league infielder José Rondón via trade from the San Diego Padres for cash. January 11, 2018, White Sox re-acquired pitcher Miguel González via free agency for a one-year deal.Outfielder Jacob May was designated for assignment. January 16, 2018, White Sox signed pitcher Gonzalez Germen to a minor league contract. January 22, 2018, White Sox signed pitchers TJ House, Rob Scahill and Chris Volstad as free agents. January 24, 2018, pitcher Donn Roach was signed as a free agent. January 25, 2018, White Sox signed pitcher Xavier Cedeño to a minor league contract. January 29, 2018, infielder Dean Anna was signed as a free agent. January 31, 2018, pitcher Jeanmar Gómez was signed as a free agent. February 8, 2018, signed infielder Jake Elmore and pitcher Bruce Rondón as free agents. February 14, 2018, pitcher Hector Santiago was signed as a free agent to a minor league contract.
Source
Spring training
Transactions
March 4, 2018, White Sox signed pitcher Robbie Ross Jr. as a free agent. March 9, 2018, White Sox released Willy García.
Spring training game log
|- style="background:#fbb" | 1 || February 23 || @ Dodgers || 2:05pm || 5–13 || Lee (1–0) || Danish (0–1) || – || 0–1 || 6,813 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 2 || February 24 || @ Mariners # || 2:10pm || 5–3 || Gómez (1–0) || Morin (0–1) || Volstad (1) || 1–1 || 5,107 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 3 || February 25 || Reds (SS) || 2:05pm || 8–5 || Scahill (1–0) || Worley (0–1) || Walsh (1) || 2–1 || 2,703 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb" | 4 || February 26 || Athletics || 2:05pm || 7–6 || Kopech (1–0) || Graveman (0–1) || Danish (1) || 3–1 || 2,826 || W3 |- style="background:#fbb" | 5 || February 27 || @ Cubs || 2:05pm || 5–6 || Lester (1–0) || Fulmer (0–1) || De La Cruz (1) || 3–2 || 10,769 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 6 || February 28 || Rangers || 2:05pm || 5–4 || Cease (1–0) || Sampson (0–1) || – || 4–2 || 2,360 || W1
|- style="background:#fbb" | 7 || March 1 || @ Reds || 2:05pm || 7–8 || Worley (1–1) || Ruiz (0–1) || – || 4–3 || 2,271 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 8 || March 2 || Dodgers # || 2:05pm || 6–7 || Copping (1–0) || Walsh (0–1) || Istler (1) || 4–4 || 7,423 || L2 |- style="background:#bfb" | 9 || March 3 || @ Royals # || 2:05pm || 9–5 || Scahill (2–0) || Flynn (1–1) || Stephens (1) || 5–4 || 5,793 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 10 || March 4 || Padres (SS) || 2:05pm || 6–7 || Lucchesi (1–0) || Fulmer (0–2) || Aro (1) || 5–5 || 3,777 || L1 |- style="background:#bbb" | 11 || March 5 || @ Athletics # || 2:05pm || 9–9 || – || – || – || 5–5 || 4,302 || T1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 12 || March 6 || Brewers || 2:05pm || 6–4 || Dunning (1–0) || Williams (0–1) || Clark (1) || 6–5 || 3,954 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 13 || March 7 || Reds || 2:05pm || 14–12 || Jones (1–0) || Stephens (0–1) || Goldberg (1) || 7–5 || 3,586 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb" | 14 || March 8 || @ Rangers || 2:05pm || 4–5 || Barnette (2–0) || Stephens (0–1) || Scott (1) || 7–6 || 3,739 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 15 || March 8 || Royals || 2:05pm || 0–12 || Duffy (1–0) || Kopech (1–1) || – || 7–7 || 3,419 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb" | 16 || March 9 || @ Padres || 2:10pm || 0–2 || Richard (1–1) || Fulmer (0–3) || Makita (1) || 7–8 || 5,331 || L3 |- style="background:#bbb" | 17 || March 10 || @ Cubs (SS) || 2:05pm || 4–4 || – || – || – || 7–8 || 15,508 || T1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 18 || March 11 || Diamondbacks || 3:05pm || 6–5 || López (1–0) || Corbin (0–1) || Clark (2) || 8–8 || 7,289 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 19 || March 12 || @ Mariners || 8:40pm || 4–2 || Cease (2–0) || Gonzales (0–1) || Clarkin (1) || 9–8 || 7,287 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb" | 20 || March 14 || @ Brewers || 3:05pm || 3–11 || Chacín (2–1) || Fulmer (0–4) || – || 9–9 || 5,497 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 21 || March 15 || @ Angels (SS) # || 8:10pm || 7–2 || Giolito (1–0) || Bridwell (0–1) || – || 10–9 || 6,083 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 22 || March 16 || Cubs || 3:05pm || 3–6 || Darvish (2–0) || López (1–1) || Hancock (2) || 10–10 || 13,044 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 23 || March 17 || Dodgers # || 3:05pm || 5–2 || González (1–0) || Ryu (1–1) || Scahill (1) || 11–10 || 13,199 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 24 || March 18 || @ Athletics # || 3:05pm || 0–14 || Luzardo (1–0) || Shields (0–1) || – || 11–11 || 6,227 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 25 || March 19 || @ Diamondbacks || 3:10pm || 15–2 || Fulmer (1–4) || Suárez (1–1) || – || 12–11 || 10,299 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 26 || March 20 || Rangers || 3:05pm || 10–0 || Giolito (2–0) || Fister (0–1) || – || 13–11 || 4,561 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb" | 27 || March 21 || Padres || 3:05pm || 3–4 || Perdomo (1–2) || López (1–2) || Maton (2) || 13–12 || 4,727 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 28 || March 22 || @ Diamondbacks || 8:40pm || 3–1 || González (2–0) ||Walker (1–1) || Ross Jr. (1) || 14–12 || 8,576 || W1 |- style="background:#bbb" | 29 || March 23 || Mariners # || 3:05pm || 5–5 || – || – || – || 14–12 || 6,173 || T1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 30 || March 24 || @ Dodgers # || 2:05pm || 7–3 || Santiago (1–0) || Wood (2–1) || – || 15–12 || 13,160 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb" | 31 || March 25 || Brewers || 2:05pm || 16–1 || Volstad (1–0) || Ramirez (0–1) || – || 16–12 || 7,437 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb" | 32 || March 26 || @ Knights || 5:05pm || 9–5 || López (2–2) || Roach (0–1) || – || 17–12 || 7,237 || W3
|- style="text-align:center;" | Legend: = Win = Loss = Cancelled/TieBold = White Sox team member, SS=Spilt Squad #=Game Was Not Televised In the Chicago Market
Regular season
Highlights
March 28, 2018: White Sox trade international bonus slot money to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Ricardo Pinto. Sold Dean Anna to the Philadelphia Phillies. April 9, 2018: A reported 947 people attended the White Sox home game against the Tampa Bay Rays, which was played in cold weather, although the paid attendance announced during the game was 10,377. April 19, 2018: White Sox sold Tyler Saladino to the Milwaukee Brewers and traded a player to be named or cash to the Oakland Athletics for Trayce Thompson. April 27, 2018: The Sox traded a player to be named to the Pittsburgh Pirates and received Todd Cunningham. May 10, 2018: Sox Release Jorge Rondón. May 12, 2018: White Sox sign Johnny Giavotella as a free agent. May 15, 2018: Sox release Todd Cunningham. May 20, 2018: White Sox sign Michael Saunders as a free agent. May 23, 2018: White Sox sign Alex Presley as a free agent. May 24, 2018: Sox catcher Welington Castillo was suspended for 80 games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy. White Sox select Dustin Garneau off waivers from the Oakland Athletics. May 28, 2018: Sox sign Jairo Labourt as a free agent. June 3, 2018: White Sox sell Brad Goldberg to the Arizona Diamondbacks. June 9. 2018: Sox release Robbie Ross Jr. June 12, 2018: White Sox release TJ House. June 13, 2018: Chris Beck was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets. June 21, 2018: Sox release Michael Saunders. June 22, 2018: Sox release Johnny Giavotella. June 29, 2018: Sox release Alex Presley. June 30, 2018: Sox release Jairo Labourt. July 5, 2018: Sox release Donn Roach. July 9, 2018: White Sox claim Ryan LaMarre off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. July 17, 2018: Bruce Rondón is granted free agency. July 20, 2018: Sox sign Mauricio Cabrera as a free agent. July 25, 2018: Sox sign Asher Wojciechowski as a free agent. July 26, 2018: White Sox trade Joakim Soria and cash to the Milwaukee Brewers for Kodi Medeiros (minors) and Wilber Perez (minors). July 28, 2018: Sox release Jacob May. July 31, 2018: Sox release Chris Volstad.
Season standings
American League Central
American League Wild Card
Record against opponents
Game log
|-style="background:#bfb | 1 || March 29 || @ Royals || 3:15pm || 14–7 || Shields (1–0) || Duffy (0–1) || — || 1–0 || 36,517 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb | 2 || March 31 || @ Royals || 6:15pm || 4–3 || Farquhar (1–0) || Maurer (0–1) || Soria (1) || 2–0 || 17,564 || W2
|-style="background:#bbb | – || April 1 || @ Royals || 1:15pm || colspan="7" | Postponed (cold) (Rescheduled for April 28) |-style="background:#fbb | 3 || April 2 || @ Blue Jays || 6:07pm || 2–4 || Oh (1–0) || Farquhar (0–1) || Osuna (2) || 2–1 || 16,629 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb | 4 || April 3 || @ Blue Jays || 6:07pm || 5–14 || Happ (1–1) || González (0–1) || — || 2–2 || 17,451 || L2 |-style="background:#bfb | 5 || April 4 || @ Blue Jays || 6:07pm || 4–3 || Jones (1–0) || Tepera (1–1) || Soria (2) || 3–2 || 17,268 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb | 6 || April 5 || Tigers || 3:10pm || 7–9 (10) || Jiménez (1–0) || Infante (0–1) || Greene (1) || 3–3 || 33,318 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb | 7 || April 7 || Tigers || 1:10pm || 1–6 || Fulmer (1–1) || Giolito (0–1) || — || 3–4 || 16,625 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb | 8 || April 8 || Tigers || 1:10pm || 0–1 || Fiers (1–0) || López (0–1) || Greene (2) || 3–5 || 11,131 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb