Sean Burke delivered six strong innings on Thursday as the Chicago White Sox opened the 2025 season with an 8-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Guaranteed Rate Field. The win marked the first career managerial victory for Will Venable, who took over the club in October following a tenure as associate manager for the Texas Rangers.
Making his season debut, Burke allowed just three hits across six scoreless innings, striking out three and walking none. The 24-year-old right-hander faced little resistance from an Angels lineup that struggled to generate offensive momentum. He was supported by three relievers, including Penn Murfee, Jordan Leasure, and Mike Clevinger, who combined to maintain the shutout through the eighth inning.
Los Angeles catcher Logan O’Hoppe spoiled the bid for a combined shutout when he launched a solo home run in the ninth inning off reliever Cam Booser. The blast accounted for the Angels’ only run of the afternoon.
White Sox outfielders Andrew Benintendi, Austin Slater, and infielder Lenyn Sosa hit home runs to power Chicago’s offense. Sosa’s two-run homer in the second inning gave the team an early lead, while Benintendi added to the tally with a solo shot in the fifth. Slater’s three-run blast in the eighth inning broke the game open, giving the White Sox a commanding 7-0 advantage.
Yusei Kikuchi took the loss in his debut for the Angels after signing a three-year, $63 million contract in the offseason. The veteran left-hander allowed three runs on five hits across six innings while striking out four. Kikuchi was one of three Japanese-born pitchers to start on opening day in Major League Baseball this year, joining Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shota Imanaga of the Chicago Cubs.
The Angels also turned to reliever Ryan Johnson, who struggled in his major league debut and allowed five runs in one inning. The eighth-inning rally for Chicago included a walk to Mike Trout with the bases loaded before Jorge Soler struck out swinging to end the threat.
Angels utility infielder Nicky Lopez was called upon to pitch and recorded the final out of the eighth, a rare relief appearance in his first game with the team.
Chicago’s dominant showing on Thursday came after a difficult 2024 season in which the club finished with a league-worst 41-121 record, setting a modern-era record for losses. With new leadership under Venable and promising early performances from its young roster, the White Sox aim to turn the page.
The teams are scheduled to resume their three-game series on Saturday following Friday’s off day. Right-hander José Soriano is expected to start for the Angels, coming off a 2024 season in which he posted a 6-7 record with a 3.42 ERA. The White Sox will counter with Jonathan Cannon, who compiled a 4.49 ERA over 124.1 innings as a rookie.
Early betting odds for Saturday’s matchup have Chicago listed as slight favorites at -115 on the moneyline, while Los Angeles sits at -105. The over/under for total runs is set at 8.5.