Miguel Vargas' grand slam helps White Sox shake off season-opening 'jitters' for first win

A six-RBI night for Vargas helped the Sox shake off an opening weekend that couldn't have gone worse.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:21am

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An extreme close-up of Miguel Vargas' powerful swing, captured in a vibrant expressionist painting style with rapid brushstrokes and neon colors, the baseball and players' forms dissolving into unrecognizable splatters of energy.A monster six-RBI night from first baseman Miguel Vargas powered the White Sox to their first win of the season, shaking off an ugly opening weekend.Chicago Today

The Chicago White Sox earned their first win of the 2026 season, defeating the Miami Marlins 9-4 on Monday night. First baseman Miguel Vargas had a monster game, hitting a grand slam and driving in six runs to power the Sox offense. The win came after the Sox were outscored 20-3 in their first two games of the season.

Why it matters

The White Sox were looking to bounce back after a disastrous opening weekend against the Milwaukee Brewers. This win helps the team shake off the early-season 'jitters' and get their offense on track as they look to compete in the AL Central division.

The details

Vargas' grand slam in the third inning gave the Sox a big lead they would not relinquish. Outfielder Everson Pereira and third baseman Munetaka Murakami also contributed key hits. Sox starter Davis Martin went five innings, giving up three runs, while the bullpen held on for the victory.

  • The game was played on Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • The Sox were outscored 20-3 in their first two games of the season.

The players

Miguel Vargas

The White Sox first baseman had a monster game, hitting a grand slam and driving in six runs.

Everson Pereira

The White Sox right fielder had a double and scored a run to help spark the offense.

Munetaka Murakami

The White Sox third baseman got his first career hit that did not leave the yard.

Davis Martin

The White Sox starting pitcher went five innings, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six.

Sean Newcomb

The White Sox relief pitcher was strong until running into trouble in the eighth inning.

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What they’re saying

“We all just progressively just kept getting better. We are seeing the ball a lot better, having better quality at-bats. I think it was the jitters and we were all really excited... Everyone started to chill out and be like, 'Alright, same game we've been playing in spring training.' Take the crowd and jitters out of it.”

— Andrew Montgomery, White Sox Hitter

“I'm one of those players that is really excited and I want to crush every single pitch. Just try to slow the game down and breathe.”

— Everson Pereira, White Sox Outfielder

“You settle in more quickly if you're able to get a knock. It's just part of the game where you spend all this time in spring training and going about your business and then the lights come on and it means something and it changes a little bit. You've just got to find your bearings again.”

— Will Venable, White Sox Manager

What’s next

The White Sox will look to build on this win as they continue their series against the Marlins on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The takeaway

This game showed the White Sox offense has the potential to bounce back from a rough start to the season. If they can continue to get production from players like Vargas, the team could be poised to compete in the AL Central despite their early struggles.