Pregame notes: Happy Opening Day

MILWAUKEE — Watching Munetaka Murakami drill balls off the scoreboard in center in batting practice makes it hard to imagine him being cowed by anything. But in the White Sox placing him sixth in the batting order for his major league debut, there’s at least some notion of easing him into his first big league game at play.

There’s just a strategic element that seems more salient. Will Venable said the White Sox are guarding against the Brewers bringing in a lefty reliever to face both Murakami and Colson Montgomery later in the game. So Andrew Benintendi batting cleanup makes it seem like he holds a hallowed status in the first lineup of the season, but it's actually so the White Sox can more freely swap him out, and make a theoretical lefty reliever brought in to face Montgomery deal with three-straight righties afterward.

"[Murakami is] going to move around to the lineup," Venable said. "You could see him anywhere from [fourth to seventh] is what I told him yesterday. As far as today's lineup goes, there is a strategic benefit to separating him and Colson and having Benny in between, as somebody that we will pinch hit for, whereas we probably won't pinch hit for Colson or Mune."

⚙️⚙️⚙️

The opening day experience tends to resonate with the most hardened, process-oriented baseball people, even when they have other things to worry about.

"Just being on the line during the national anthem, is something that just sticks out to me, and every year, it feels special," Venable said. "You work so hard to get here, you have offseasons and spring trainings that are a ton of hard work, and then you're here and you've arrived."

The White Sox have less true rookies present than in previous rebuilding season, but still plenty who are experiencing being on a major league roster on opening day for the first time.

"It might be as close as you can get to the feelings of a debut," said Grant Taylor, who quickly pointed out that pitching in Dodgers Stadium last year was likely a bigger crowd, not that he notices the crowd anyway. "Honestly, when I'm on the mound, I don't really see it. I'm just trying to focus on the 17 inches of white."

Starter Shane Smith could be said to have long dreamed of starting on opening day in Milwaukee. Mission accomplished, with a small tweak.

"I always thought I would come here hopefully when I was with [the Brewers], now it's just a different uniform," Smith said. "Me and [Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski] were together in Low-A. I think we missed each other in High-A but we were together in Double-A in '24 for a while. Really cool to see him. Obvious uber-talented but kind of refined what he's done over the past couple of years."

If Jedixson Páez gets into the game on Thursday, where he's expected to work as a multi-inning reliever, he'll be doubling up his first opening day with his major league debut, just days removed from the catharsis of making the roster.

"They were screaming and they were very, very happy; my mom, my dad, my siblings, they all were very, very happy," Páez said of calling his family with the news. "Since I was a kid, my favorite player was Felix Hernández. Every time I had the opportunity to see him pitch, I would say to myself, ‘One day, I’m going to be like him. One day, I’m going to do what he’s done.’ And now I’m here."

This is the second opening day for Saturday's starter Sean Burke, but maybe one he'll get to drink in a bit more than last year, when he had to pitch.

"I'm trying to take it all in today," Burke said. "Watching from the stands is a little different from pitching. I'll still get to enjoy it, probably take this one in, see this game as a fan a bit."

⚙️⚙️⚙️

Expect an outing on the shorter side for Smith, and for all White Sox starters on their first turn through the rotation.

"Especially up front here, as we have a rested and healthy bullpen for maybe the only time all year, we'll be able to tap into those guys and use them as appropriate," Venable said. "We also know that our starters are not fully built up to pitch seven innings and 100-and-something pitches, so I think we'll find the right transition point on each night."

First pitch: White Sox at Brewers

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM

Lineups: