White Sox Unveil 2026 Promotions at SoxFest—You Won’t Believe What’s Coming Next!

SoxFest Live burst onto the scene Friday evening at Chicago’s Ramova Theatre, marking the twilight of the baseball offseason and setting the stage as pitchers and catchers gear up for Spring Training. After a rough-and-tumble 2024 that tested every ounce of fan patience, the White Sox managed a respectable bounce-back last season, pushing forward with a remarkably youthful lineup in 2025. The energy throughout the South Side was undeniably electric—there’s a palpable wave of hope washing over the fanbase, a sense that brighter days could be inches away.

One highlight that had tongues wagging was the flashy reveal of the 2026 promotional swag—trust me, these giveaways aren’t just good, they’re downright eye-catching.

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SoxFest Live kicked off Friday night at the Ramova Theatre, as the baseball offseason wraps up and pitchers and catchers prepare to report for Spring Training. The White Sox had a decent rebound season last year while sporting a very young team in 2025 and coming off a historically horrific 2024. However, the vibes were high all night on the South Side, as fans feel more optimistic about the organization’s future.

Of course, the part of the night that drove the most buzz was the announcement of the 2026 promo items, and trust me, they are SHARP.

Miguel Vargas, Colson Montgomery, Chase Meidroth, and Kyle Teel all opened a gift bag on stage that featured their own bobbleheads, including a catcher’s duo bobblehead with Teel and his counterpart, Edgar Quero. While all of them are awesome, in my opinion, the real star of the show is the Bobby Jenks and A.J. Pierzynski bobblehead that celebrates winning the 2005 World Series. A perfect tribute to the glue of the championship-winning team and to Bobby, who was lost way too soon last year.

Bobby Jenks and AJ Pierzynski Bobblehead

Home opening weekend is full of fun giveaways, including the Bobby and A.J. bobble, an Opening Day T-shirt featuring Munetaka Murakami, a few jackets, and plenty of City Connect swag. I know I initially talked some smack about the new City Connect jerseys’ lack of creativity, but they do make some pretty epic gear. And let’s not forget the Mexican heritage items, because every year these games are beyond fun with a sellout crowd and the Los White Sox jersey is always a hit.

When chatting with several season ticket holders, the consensus is that they have more faith in the front office over the last year, and there is heightened positivity around the Rebuild 2.0 that GM Chris Getz has been forced to undertake. Many players seem to share the same sentiment, as everyone the SSS coverage team here was able to speak with said they were “excited to get back together with the guys, and get back to playing and working on being consistent.”

There were 10 South Siders in the building on Friday night. The legendary Gene Honda began the evening by introducing everyone, with his smooth, iconic voice easily hyping up the crowd as if it were a Saturday night game at the Rate. A sort of frightening starting lineup, yes, considering there were just four position players and six pitchers, but perhaps Davis Martin or Shane Smith is a secret weapon at the plate.

White Sox players and staff on the stage from left to right: Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas, Shane Smith, Davis Martin, Anthony Kay, Grant Taylor, Tanner McDougal, Sam Antonacci, followed by Will Venable, Chris Getz, John Schriffen, Len Kasper, Chuck Garfein, Connor McKnight, and Brooke Fletcher

First up was the broadcast team, with in-game reporters Brooke Fletcher and Connor McKnight, followed by members of the TV and radio crew (Chuck Garfien, Len Kasper, and John Schriffen). Getz and manager Will Venable repped the front office and coaching staff, followed by two minor league prospects who joined this year: infielder Sam Antonacci and righthander Tanner McDougal.

Last up were the major leaguers — the stars of the show. Grant Taylor, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin and Shane Smith represented the South Side pitching staff. Kay joined the team this offseason after signing out of the NPB in Japan, and is thrilled to be meeting some of the guys and looking forward to Spring Training and another chance in MLB.

Last but certainly not least were infielders Vargas, Meidroth, and Montgomery, and catcher Teel, who recently committed to playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic this March. There was, however, one player who was unable to attend … but Munetaka Murakami was there in spirit and shared a message to fans, earning a roar from the crowd upon hearing “Go White Sox!”

Fans were also able to ask questions to Getz and Venable in a segment called “Pardon the Pitch Clock,” which gave them four minutes to answer some questions from the crowd. The five categories before a final “lightning round” were: the 2026 outlook, offseason acquisitions and roster philosophy, players to watch, new initiatives and innovations, and clubhouse culture and leadership. This year was probably much easier to manage, considering the White Sox aren’t coming off of the worst season ever, but the positivity and buy-in from Getz and Venable seem to reinforce the fans’ hope for the future of the team.

Props to the White Sox for putting on a great event for the first day, and a big thank you to the players for being so welcoming and willing to talk with us and answer questions. We’ll be back with more coverage throughout the rest of the event!