First place in August, and a road wrecking ball
August 2, 2026 – St. Petersburg – The White Sox entered August leading the AL Central for the first time since 2021. Sunday they looked like it.
Anthony Kay threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Andrew Benintendi, Everson Pereira, and Miguel Vargas all homered. The Chicago White Sox beat the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays 9-1 at Tropicana Field.
Chicago holds a 3 1/2 game lead over Minnesota. Tampa Bay still owns the East. One afternoon does not rewrite either division. It does show what Chicago's lineup can do when Kay keeps the game quiet for six innings.
Jax lost the first, then the middle
Griffin Jax opened the first with a fielding error that scored Benintendi. A wild pitch scored Colson Montgomery from third. Before Jax recorded three outs, Chicago led 2-0 without a clean RBI hit.
Benintendi made the next statement himself. His 12th homer cleared the right-center wall in the fourth. Pereira doubled home two in the sixth, then homered in the ninth. Vargas finished it with a 413-foot shot to left.
Jax lasted five innings with three runs and eight strikeouts. He had enough stuff to survive. He did not have enough defense or luck in the first inning, and Chicago kept adding.
Ben Williamson hit a solo homer for Tampa Bay's only run off Duncan Davitt in the ninth. Kay was long gone by then. He had allowed seven hits, one walk, and zero earned runs.
During the game, the Rays acquired Freddy Peralta from the Mets. That is a deadline move for a first-place club. It did not change the 9-1 scoreboard.
AthX Engine and the Central race
AthX Engine scored Chicago at 20 team fantasy points and Kay at 17.33 pitching fantasy points. Pereira's multi-hit power night put him among the slate's top hitters. Production first. Price later.
What's next
Chicago continues the road trip at Fenway. Tampa Bay opens against Colorado with Ian Seymour. The White Sox leave Florida with a statement win and the Central still in their pocket.
*Sources: MLB Gameday, ESPN recap, MLB schedule, AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*
Ready to trade White Sox 9, Rays 1: Kay and Three Homers Quiet AL-Leading Tampa Bay?
Download the AthX Android app, or sign up on the web. Trade player and team shares with low 1–4% fees and performance-linked pricing.
All-Star bonus ends July 31 · 2026 MLB All-Star promo
Earn $200 in bonus player shares as an eligible new account — fund with qualifying monthly deposits (terms apply).
Web signup: https://getathx.com/signup
AthX NFL: IPO listings planned September 6, 2026. NFL hub · 2026 season guide · AthX NFL vs DFS
Double up: referrals + All-Star promo
Refer a friend before July 31 — when they fund with $100+, you can both earn bonus shares through the referral program, in addition to the limited-time $200 in bonus player shares launch offer (terms apply).
Explore AthX trading pages
Browse searchable directories or jump to featured player and team pages (stats, projections, FAQs).