Spring Battle Of Basement Boys: Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies

The two teams with the most losses over the past three seasons face off in spring training

Feb. 23, 2026 at 11:03pm

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The Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies, who have combined for 647 losses over the past three seasons, met in a spring training matchup in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Rockies came away with a 5-4 win on a 468-foot walk-off home run by prospect Zac Veen, providing a glimmer of hope for both struggling franchises as they look to turn things around in 2026.

Why it matters

The White Sox and Rockies have been two of the worst teams in baseball in recent years, with the Rockies losing 119 games in 2025 and the White Sox dropping 121 in 2024. This spring training matchup between the "basement boys" highlights the challenges both teams face as they try to rebuild and become competitive again.

The details

In the game, the Rockies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, with help from White Sox pitcher Shane Smith and catcher Kyle Teel. The White Sox made a few notable offseason additions, including Japanese star Munetaka Murakami and reliever Seranthony Dominguez, but both teams played uninspiring baseball for much of the game. The Rockies' top prospect Zac Veen provided the heroics with his mammoth walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.

  • The game took place on Monday, February 23, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The players

Zac Veen

A 23-year-old left-handed hitting prospect in the Rockies' organization, Veen hit a 468-foot walk-off home run to win the game for Colorado.

Shane Smith

A White Sox pitcher who struggled in the first inning, hitting two batters and allowing a single and RBI double.

Kyle Teel

The White Sox catcher who committed a throwing error that allowed an additional run to score in the first inning.

Munetaka Murakami

A Japanese star who signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox in the offseason and went 2-for-4 in the game.

Seranthony Dominguez

A reliever the White Sox signed to a two-year, $20 million deal in the offseason who pitched a scoreless inning in the game.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

This spring training matchup between the White Sox and Rockies, two of the worst teams in baseball over the past three seasons, highlights the challenges both franchises face as they try to rebuild and become competitive again. While there were some bright spots, such as the Rockies' Zac Veen's walk-off homer, the overall uninspired play from both teams shows they still have a long way to go to turn their fortunes around.