Non-roster invitees: Don't buy into them

Gavin Sheets created a bit of a stir on social media Tuesday when he had a two-homer game against the White Sox in Cactus League play.

Sheets, who accumulated -2.7 WAR over four seasons with the Sox, is in camp with the San Diego Padres on a minor league contract that included an invite to spring training. In other words, he's a non-roster invitee, and he's having a decent spring for himself as he tries to make the San Diego roster -- he's 9 for 34 with five homers.

Don't believe the hype.

The walk-off homer Sheets hit Tuesday? It came off a pitcher named Bryce Collins, who has never pitched above A-ball in the Sox system. Chances are, Collins won't be appearing on a National League West mound anytime soon. That's the thing about spring training stats -- they are accumulated against all kinds of different players, including many who have never reached the big leagues and never will.

Remember, we're just two years removed from watching Hanser Alberto tear apart the Cactus League and make the Sox roster, only to be designated for assignment by June. Alberto played his last game in the majors with the Sox on May 31, 2023. His white-hot performance in Arizona that spring ceased to matter. 

So for those worried about a Sheets breakout now that he's no longer wearing a Sox uniform, stop worrying. A bum having a good spring is still a bum, and that March push to make a roster usually doesn't carry over into the season.

That being said, if your non-roster invitees aren't hitting in spring, they are easy to cut. Looking at the 2025 White Sox spring camp, here's how some notable non-roster invitees are hitting:

• Brandon Drury: 9 for 30, 5 doubles, 1 homer, 6 Ks, 1 BB 
• Corey Julks: 3 for 21, 1 double, 1 homer, 9 Ks, 2 BBs
• Jacob Amaya: 2 for 16, 1 double, 8 Ks, 2 BBs
• Bobby Dalbec: 2 for 15, 7 Ks, 2 BBs
• Zach DeLoach, 2 for 15, 6 Ks, 4 BBs
• Joey Gallo: 2 for 20, 11 Ks, 1 BB
• Omar Narvaez: 3 for 15, 6 Ks, 5 BBs 

Is it any wonder the Sox are 5-12-1 in spring ball? A lot of the guys they are looking at in spring have done absolutely nothing. These are all guys who have MLB service time. Some of them have even had past successes in the majors. But Drury is the only one who has a chance of breaking camp with the team.

And even if he does, don't expect much. Let the excitement surrounding Alberto two years ago be your cautionary tale. 

White Sox reach 100 losses ... on Aug. 25

Guaranteed Rate Field (Photo by Jason Bauman)

In their 124-year history, the White Sox have never won back-to-back anything. Not a back-to-back World Series. Not a back-to-back American League pennant. Not a back-to-back division title. Not even a back-to-back wild card berth.

But now the Sox (31-100) have lost 100 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in team history. They clinched that dubious milestone Sunday with a 9-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

What's remarkable about this is August isn't even over yet. We've still got a month of miserable baseball to go. The Sox reached 100 losses in only 131 games, which is the second fastest it's been done in the modern era. The 1916 Philadelphia Athletics were 29-100-1 after 130 games.

So, basically, what we're witnessing now is something no one still alive has ever seen. The Sox are chasing all sorts of history that nobody wants.

The American League record for losses in a season is 119, set by the 2003 Detroit Tigers. The Major League Baseball and National League record for losses in a season is 120, set by the 1962 New York Mets.

The Sox would need to go 12-19 in their remaining 31 games to avoid tying that record held by the Mets. If I'm being honest, I think it is a given they will set this record at this point.

They've only managed 31 wins in the first five months of the season. That's roughly six per month. Why would we think they could double that total and win 12 over the season's final month? It doesn't seem reasonable.

Some will point to the firing of incomprehensibly bad manager Pedro Grifol as a reason for hope. And indeed, Grifol earned his walking papers by posting a 28-89 record with this bunch, and that was on the heels of a 61-101 campaign in 2023.

However, the Sox are only 3-11 under interim manager Grady Sizemore. From a won-loss perspective, that's not an improvement over the Grifol era.

Sure, Sizemore has made some good changes in the way the roster is being deployed. He's finally gotten Gavin Sheets the hell out of right field. Andrew Vaughn and Sheets are sharing first base and designated hitter duties, as they should be.

Dominic Fletcher and Corey Julks are now platooning in right field. Neither is a long-term answer at the position, but at least they are actual outfielders who can play competent defense. In Fletcher's case, he's an exceptional defensive right fielder. Unfortunately, his bat has not come around. That said, Sizemore is deploying him in the correct fashion.

Newly acquired Miguel Vargas was moving from position to position and hitting too high in the lineup under Grifol. Now, Vargas is getting an everyday look at his best position: third base. And he's hitting seventh or eighth in the batting order, which is where he belongs. It's not going well. Vargas is 6 for 62 since joining the Sox, but it isn't because he isn't getting a fair shake from the manager.

The lineup construction has been consistent and reasonable. Nicky Lopez and Lenyn Sosa are being used as a platoon in the leadoff spot. Luis Robert Jr. is batting second, with Andrew Benintendi third, Vaughn fourth and Sheets fifth most days.

Brooks Baldwin, the rookie middle infielder, is batting ninth every day, instead of second or sixth, or whatever other stupid idea Grifol was coming up with day to day. The No. 9 spot is appropriate for Baldwin, who had played only eight Triple-A games before joining the Sox.

All that said, Sizemore isn't working any miracles here. I've seen some fans call for him to get the full-time managerial job for next season. I disagree. I understand that Sizemore is more likable than Grifol. He's easier to root for than Grifol. People, including me, would like to see him succeed.

But the fact is, the proper course of action is for the Sox to conduct a full managerial search this offseason. They must cast a wide net, interviewing both external and internal candidates for the position. Grifol is gone, but the losses are still mounting. To me, that's a clear sign that fresh voices are badly needed.

Jonathan Cannon's debut also a success; Sox split doubleheader

The White Sox did not win Jonathan Cannon's first major-league start, but the rookie right-hander can say he did his job.

Cannon worked five innings in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, allowing only one earned run on three hits. He struck out three and walked one, and he left the game with a 2-1 lead.

Alas, the Sox bullpen happened, and the Royals rallied for a 4-2 victory.

The run Cannon allowed was not his fault. He retired the first two batters in the top of the second inning, including his first career strikeout, which came against Salvador Perez.

Alas, center fielder Dominic Fletcher slipped and fell on what should have been a routine flyout off the bat of Nelson Velasquez, who made second base on the "double" and scored on a single by Adam Frazier.

Fortunately, the Kansas City lead didn't last. Paul DeJong's third home run of the season, a two-run shot, gave the Sox a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second.

The score stayed there until the eighth inning, when Perez connected for a two-run homer on a middle-middle fastball from Michael Kopech (0-2) to put the Royals ahead to stay at 3-2.

Hunter Renfroe added a solo home run for Kansas City in the ninth, and the Sox were toast.

The loss not only wasted Cannon's start, but it also ruined DeJong's best game in a Sox uniform. The shortstop went 3 for 3 with the aforementioned homer, a single, a double and a walk.

Game 2 goes to Sox

We have a surprise for you! The Sox won Game 2!

This time, two runs was enough. The Sox got a strong starting pitching performance from Erick Fedde in a 2-1 victory.

Fedde (1-0) allowed no runs on three hits over 5.2 innings. He struck out five and walked three.

The Sox got a run in the fourth after Andrew Vaughn doubled and scored on a single by Fletcher. Gavin Sheets hit his third home run of the season in the sixth inning for a 2-0 lead, and this time, the bullpen made it stick.

Tanner Banks allowed an unearned run in the seventh, but Deivi Garcia got six outs for his first save of the season.

The Sox are 3-15. There are 144 more games of this crap remaining.

It's not Gavin Sheets' fault

Gavin Sheets went 3 for 5 with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs on Wednesday night.

The White Sox still lost, 7-6, in 10 innings to the Cleveland Guardians.

That's because the Sox only went 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position. All three of those hits were by Sheets, including a 3-run homer in the top of the third inning that put the Sox ahead 5-0.

But for the second straight night, the Sox blew a five-run lead. On Tuesday, they were able to overcome that and win anyway.

On Wednesday, the game went extra innings. The Sox took a 6-5 lead in the 10th on an RBI double by ... Sheets, of course. 

Sheets got to third with one out on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Pillar, but Andrew Benintendi and Martin Maldonado both struck out.

For some reason, manager Pedro Grifol summoned washed-up veteran Bryan Shaw to try to protect the one-run lead. Naturally, Shaw allowed the ghost runner to score, plus one more, and lost the game. Typical.

The Sox are 2-10. Only 150 more games of this crap to go.

Only 12 runs in 6 games: That's not going to cut it

The Kansas City Royals scored eight runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday night, throttling the White Sox, 10-1, in the first game of a four-game series.

But hey, at least the Sox scored one run! Moral victories, I guess, but they should have scored more. The South Siders grounded into double plays in each of the first three innings, had a runner thrown out at home plate on a shallow fly ball in the sixth and finished 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

If my math is correct, the Sox are now 4 for 32 with runners in scoring position through the first six games of the season. They have scored only 12 runs total, and six of those came in one game.

Michael Soroka (0-1) took the loss Thursday night, even though it wasn't his fault. He posted a quality start -- six innings pitched, with two runs allowed on six hits. He struck out two and walked nobody. You'll take that.

The problem was the seventh inning, when Deivi Garcia and Dominic Leone imploded. They combined to issue three walks and allow four hits. Andrew Vaughn dropped a pop fly in foul territory, and shortstop Braden Shewmake booted a routine grounder. The wildness by the pitchers and the poor defense fueled the Kansas City rally.

But the offense continues to be the biggest sore point. Eloy Jimenez was out of the lineup for the third straight game with abductor strain, but we can't blame the DH spot for Thursday's woes. Gavin Sheets went 2 for 2 with a double, a single and two walks.

Alas, Luis Robert Jr. was 0 for 4, and Dominic Fletcher is off to a 1-for-15 start to the season after another 0-for-4.

Something else to keep an eye on as this weekend series progresses: Andrew Benintendi in the leadoff spot. The veteran is batting .125 to start the season, and the four years left on his contract are starting to look really bad. What exactly does Benintendi do for this team? It's time start asking.

The Sox are 1-5. They are 156 more games of this crap.

I'll blog next after this series is over, and we'll see if it's gotten any better.

Weekend moves offer clues on White Sox right field strategy

We've been wondering all offseason who will be the White Sox right fielder in 2024, and we've been hoping it will be someone other than Gavin Sheets or Oscar Colas.

Turns out, fans might not have to put up with either Sheets or Colas in right field after a series of moves Sox general manager Chris Getz made over the weekend.

Here are the moves:

• Signed Kevin Pillar, 35, to a minor-league contract. Pillar will be paid $3 million if he makes the team out of spring training.
• Traded relief pitcher Gregory Santos to the Seattle Mariners for right-hander Prelander Berroa, outfielder Zach DeLoach and the No. 69 overall pick in the 2024 draft.
• Traded pitching prospect Cristian Mena to the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder Dominic Fletcher.

What does this mean for the right field scenario? DeLoach and Fletcher are both major league-ready prospects. Both are left-handed batters. I expect them to compete in spring training for the right to be the right fielder when the Sox are facing a right-handed pitcher. Pillar likely has an inside track to make the team, and play right field when the Sox are facing a left-handed pitcher.

Fletcher, 26, played 28 games in the majors last season for the National League champion Diamondbacks. He posted a solid line of .301/.350/.441 with two homers and 14 RBIs. He's only 5-foot-6, so don't expect big power out of him, but he hit right-handed pitchers hard at both levels he played at last season:

• Triple-A: .325/.412/.555 over 310 plate appearances
• MLB: .369/.423/.523 over 72 plate appearances

I think we can agree that the Sox could use a lefty bat who punishes righties.

Then, there's DeLoach, 25, who has yet to play in the majors. He has more swing-and-miss in his game (173 Ks last season), but he also offers more power. At Triple-A Tacoma in 2023, DeLoach batted .286/.387/.481 with 23 home runs and 88 RBIs.

I can't promise either of these two guys are the answer, but we know Sheets is not, right? And we know Colas needs more Triple-A time, which means it's time to try someone else.

That brings us to Pillar, who is the insurance policy against both Fletcher and DeLoach failing. Pillar is a plus defender, who can be counted on to play an effective right field, and he can play center field competently when Luis Robert Jr. needs a day off.

However, Pillar isn't much of a hitter at this stage of his career. He batted a ghastly .228/.248/.416 with nine homers and 32 RBIs in 81 games with the Atlanta Braves last season.

Pillar did bat .250/.261/.472 with six of his nine homers against lefties, so there is hope for decent production if he's deployed correctly as a platoon player.

What did the Sox lose in these deals? Well, Santos was pretty good in 2023 before he got hurt. He was a pleasant surprise out of the bullpen, going 2-2 with a 3.39 ERA, with 66 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched over 60 relief appearances.

Thanks to attrition and trades, Santos was closing by the time August and September rolled around -- on the rare occasions where the 2023 Sox needed a closer. Santos totaled five saves before elbow inflammation ended his season. His innings total in 2023 represented a career high, casting some doubt on how durable he will be in 2024.

However, there's a case to be made that Berroa, 23, will simply take Santos' spot. The right-hander struck out 104 batters over 65.1 innings in Double-A last year, and he earned a two-game cup of coffee with the Mariners. If he looks decent in spring, expect him to be a member of the Sox bullpen.

As for Mena, 20, he split time between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte last season. He went 8-7 with 4.85 ERA in 27 starts, and he was ranked among the top 10 prospects in the Sox system.

For that reason, I saw a lot of fans melting down over his trade. My recommendation to those folks is to relax. 

Mena is right-handed and throws a 92-mph fastball. He might be a useful pitcher for the Diamondbacks, but there's nothing special about right-handed and 92. There are plenty of pitchers out there just like him, and if you can move that guy for a position of need, you have to consider that.

And outfield is without question a position of need for the Sox. The options have increased as a result of these moves. Now we wait to see whether the moves work out.

Will White Sox address right field in meaningful way?

Jermaine Dye 2005 World Series MVP bobblehead

Jermaine Dye was the last legitimate long-term solution to play right field for the White Sox. He was on the South Side of Chicago from 2005 until 2009, so it's been a while since that position has had stability.

Here are the players who have started the most games at that position for the Sox, by year, since 2010:

• 2010: Carlos Quentin
• 2011: Quentin
• 2012: Alex Rios
• 2013: Rios
• 2014: Dayan Viciedo
• 2015: Avisail Garcia
• 2016: Adam Eaton
• 2017: Garcia
• 2018: Garcia
• 2019: Ryan Cordell
• 2020: Nomar Mazara
• 2021: Eaton
• 2022: Gavin Sheets
• 2023: Oscar Colas

Eaton had a good year in right field the first time he was here, in 2016. But he was a shell of his former self when he was brought back in 2021, and he ended up getting designated for assignment the first week of July that year.

Garcia was the Sox's 2017 All-Star representative during his injury-plagued tenure with the team, and even though he was around for parts of six seasons, he never was regarded as a franchise cornerstone.

Since 2018, right field has been a revolving door. Daniel Palka shared the position with Garcia and Cordell for a short time. Mazara was a bust in 2020. Adam Engel was always hanging around on the roster, when healthy, and he saw playing time in right field in 2021 after Eaton fell off the map. Brian Goodwin was with the team in 2021, too.

Once 2022 rolled around, there wasn't a right fielder on the roster, so the Sox put two first basemen out there in Andrew Vaughn and Sheets. That was defensive nightmare, with neither man hitting enough to overcome the shortcomings in the field.

Colas was supposed to be the answer in 2023. Instead, his rookie season was poor. He batted .216/.257/.314 with only five home runs in 75 games. His season WAR finished at -1.5, and he was twice demoted to Triple-A Charlotte.

In fact, Colas finished the season at Charlotte. It was quite an indictment that he wasn't welcome on a 101-loss team that was playing out the string in September. Once again, Sheets was getting playing time in right field instead.

As the offseason began, new GM Chris Getz acknowledged that Colas could use more time at Triple-A.

Getz will find no disagreement here. That said, who is the right fielder for the 2024 season? As we sit here on Jan. 9, Sheets still seems to sit atop the depth chart, with Colas next in line. 

The Sox recently signed Brett Phillips to a minor league contract. Phillips, 29, can no doubt handle the position defensively, but he's bounced around for seven seasons, playing for five different teams, because he cannot hit a lick.

In his career, Phillips is batting .187/.272/.347. 

But hey, he played for the Kansas City Royals from 2018 until 2020, so he knows Sox manager Pedro Grifol! That seems to be a qualification that appeals to the Sox these days. Pedro needs his guys, even if they can't play worth a damn.

I'm not counting Phillips in for the 26-man roster when the season starts. After all, he's on a minor league deal, and he'll have to win a job in spring training. Frankly, I don't see him being better than Colas, and that's saying something, because I'm not a fan of Colas' game.

I assume the Sox aren't going to make the mistake of putting Eloy Jimenez in the outfield again. Sure, he could play right field, but only until he gets hurt again.

Maybe the 2024 right fielder is coming in a trade? If starting pitcher Dylan Cease is dealt, as is rumored, perhaps the centerpiece in such a trade would be a young outfielder to start in right field.

It's just not clear what the answer is here, and it hasn't been clear for years and years. Aren't the Sox sick of having a sinkhole at that position yet? 

White Sox continue to have weakness in right field

Before Monday's game against the Los Angeles Angels, the White Sox made a swap of bench players. They optioned infielder Jose Rodriguez to Double-A Birmingham and recalled outfielder Adam Haseley from Triple-A Charlotte.

The Rodriguez move makes sense. The 22-year-old was called up June 19, but he only appeared in one game -- as a pinch runner. Given that manager Pedro Grifol apparently had no intention of using him, Rodriguez is better off getting regular at-bats in Birmingham and continuing his development.

But why recall Haseley? The 27-year-old appeared in 26 games with the Sox earlier this season and slashed .222/.282/.278. His numbers in Charlotte are fine -- a .796 OPS in 35 games -- but that reflects exactly what Haseley is: a Quad-A outfielder.

He's another guy the Sox can toss into their right field mix, but there's no rational reason to believe Haseley can move the needle at a position that has been a perpetual weakness for years.

Right now, Gavin Sheets and Clint Frazier are forming a platoon in right field, with the lefty Sheets playing against right-handed pitching, and the righty Frazier playing against lefties. If the Sox have a lead late on days when Sheets is playing, Frazier comes in because he is the superior defensive player.

But the main problem is neither man has been hitting:

Sheets in the month of June: .195/.298/.317 with 1 HR, 1 RBI and only 2 doubles in 17 games

Frazier in the month of June: .147/.275/.177 with only 1 double and 1 RBI in 18 games

As a matter of fact, Frazier has more walks (6) than hits (5) this month, and he is without a homer on the season. Right field is supposed to be a power position. The Sox are getting nothing of the sort.

Remember what happened in the offseason? The Sox did not address right field, believing rookie Oscar Colas was ready to man the position. It didn't work out early, as Colas batted .211/.265/.276 with only one homer and seven RBIs in 25 games before being optioned.

Colas has an .823 OPS in 43 games in Triple-A Charlotte. That's good, not great. BUT ... since June 13, he's posted a slash line of .295/.354/.613. He's homered three times in the past two days. He went 8 for 19 on the Knights' most recent homestand.

There's still plenty of upside in the 24-year-old Colas. Why not give him another shot in right field while he's hot? Wouldn't that be a more inspired use of a roster spot than the journeyman Haseley?

Luis Robert Jr. looks like favorite to represent White Sox in All-Star Game

About an hour before game time Sunday, in Suite 250.

Luis Robert Jr. went 3 for 4 with two home runs and three RBIs on Sunday, lifting the White Sox to a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox in the rubber match of a three-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Robert Jr.'s first homer was in the fourth inning, a high fly to right-center field that just cleared the fence. The two-run shot gave the Sox their first lead of the game at 2-1.

Andrew Benintendi's RBI double scored Gavin Sheets, who had walked, in the fifth inning to make it 3-1. Robert Jr. then capped the scoring in the sixth with a screaming liner to left field that cleared the Sox bullpen.

On the pitching side, it was a bullpen game for the Sox. Tanner Banks started and gave up the lone Boston run over 2.2 innings pitched. Jesse Scholtens (1-2) went four scoreless innings to pick up the first win of his career, and Keynan Middleton worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his second save of the season.

Robert Jr. now has 21 home runs this season, to go along with 20 doubles.

Here is a list of Sox players to clear 20 home runs and 20 doubles before the All-Star break:

• Frank Thomas, 1993
• Frank Thomas, 1994
• Magglio Ordonez, 2000
• Frank Thomas, 2003
• Jermaine Dye, 2008
• Jose Abreu, 2014
• Jose Abreu, 2019
• Luis Robert Jr., 2023

It's exclusive list. Robert Jr.'s slash line is now .269/.326/.559. Even with his high strikeout totals (91 in 315 plate appearances), his extra-base power and premium defense in center field easily make Robert Jr. the most effective player on the Sox this season.

It's hard to see a scenario where he isn't the guy to represent the Sox during the MLB All-Star Game next month in Seattle.

White Sox offense continues to disappoint

I didn't want to dump on the White Sox after they swept the Detroit Tigers over the weekend. When your favorite team is 26-35, you have to take the positives when they come, right?

But the fact is the Sox won those three games almost solely on the basis of their pitching. They scored only 11 runs in the series, even though the Detroit pitching staff doesn't have anyone who will be confused with a Cy Young contender.

During those three games, the Sox went 19 for 97 (.196) with 16 singles, two doubles and only one home run. They struck out 31 times against nine walks -- two of which were intentional. Not good.

Fortunately, Sox pitching only gave up three runs total in the three games. But with stronger teams lurking on the June schedule -- the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Texas Rangers, to name a few -- the Sox are going to have to start hitting.

The pitching staff could perform well and still give up four or five runs per game to the aforementioned playoff contenders. If that's the case, the Sox better be able to score five or six runs every now and then. It hasn't happened much, because there are too many guys struggling.

Let's take a look at some of these lineup spots that aren't generating much:

Tim Anderson. The Sox leadoff hitter has yet to homer in 2023, and he has only eight extra-base hits (all doubles). A .633 OPS and a 76 OPS+ isn't going to get it done from a player who has made the All-Star team in past years.

Yasmani Grandal. The slow-footed catcher is 4 for 28 in his past eight games and has no extra-base hits in that span. That's not good, because when Grandal singles, he clogs the bases. The Sox need him to provide some power.

Yoan Moncada. The switch-hitting third baseman is 2 for 22 with no extra-base hits in his past eight games. He has a .684 OPS and a 88 OPS+ for the season. Moncada hit two home runs in the season-opening series against the Houston Astros. He hasn't homered since April 2.

Andrew Benintendi. His next home run in a Sox uniform will be his first. Benintendi is now 231 plate appearances into his career on the South Side, and he's yet to take advantage of the relatively short fence in right field at Guaranteed Rate Field. He has a .686 OPS and a 90 OPS+.

Luis Robert Jr. The team leader in home runs with 13 has not gone deep since May 21. He is 6 for 36 with 16 strikeouts in his past nine games. Robert Jr. has already struck out 70 times this season in 240 plate appearances.

Gavin Sheets. In his past five games, Sheets is 0 for 11 with five strikeouts. That's not going to cut it for a player whose only value comes from being a left-handed bat.

I could go on, but you get the idea. 

If you look at WAR on baseballreference.com, six of the top eight Sox players this season are pitchers. Only Robert Jr. and Jake Burger crack the top eight among position players.

In all of baseball, the Sox rank 21st in batting average (.240), 28th in on-base percentage (.297), 23rd in slugging percentage (.386), 25th in OPS (.683) and 25th in OPS+ (87). Those numbers are entering Monday's play.

So, by almost every metric, the Sox are a bottom-third offense in MLB. I don't think they are going to storm back into contention this way. The bats have to wake up soon, or else the good vibes from this recent series with the Tigers will be short-lived.

White Sox sweep Kansas City Royals

Guaranteed Rate Field on Sunday afternoon.

It's only the Kansas City Royals, but the 2023 White Sox have finally swept a three-game series. And given that the Royals took three out of four from the Sox in Kansas City just last week, perhaps we shouldn't be minimizing the accomplishment. 

Here's a look back at the weekend that was:

Friday, May 19: White Sox 2, Royals 0

Michael Kopech (2-4) dominated the Royals over eight innings, allowing only one hit while striking out 10 and walking none. The lone Kansas City hit was a broken-bat single by Michael Massey, and he was quickly erased when Jackie Bradley Jr. grounded into a double play. 

Kendall Graveman worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his third save of the season, and Sox pitchers ended up facing the minimum 27 batters. That's the first time the Sox have done that since Philip Humber's perfect game in 2012.

The Sox offense produced only five singles, but four of them came in the second inning, yielding the only two runs that were needed. Gavin Sheets had an RBI single, and Romy Gonzalez added a sacrifice fly.

Saturday, May 20: White Sox 5, Royals 1

Jake Burger's three-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning turned a slim 2-1 Sox lead into a comfortable advantage. Yoan Moncada's two-run single in the first inning produced the other Sox runs.

After giving up a home run to Salvador Perez in the first inning, Lucas Giolito (3-3) settled in to give the Sox six quality innings. He allowed six hits, while striking out four and walking one. 

Four Sox relievers combined to allow only one hit over the last three innings.

Sunday, May 21: White Sox 5, Royals 2

The big hit in this game came from Gonzalez, of all people. The backup infielder entered Sunday's game with a .132 batting average, but with runners on second and third and the Sox trailing 2-1 in the fifth inning, Gonzalez delivered a two-run triple that put the Sox ahead to stay. His average is up to .195 after a 3-for-3 day.

Luis Robert connected for this 13th home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth, and Andrew Benintendi added the other two RBIs -- a sacrifice fly after Gonzalez's triple in the fifth and an RBI single in the seventh.

Lance Lynn (3-5) gave up a two-run homer to Massey in the second, but nothing more, over six innings. He struck out six and walked two.

Relievers Keynan Middleton, Aaron Bummer and Joe Kelly did not allow a hit over the final three innings. Kelly struck out two in his 1-2-3 ninth inning and earned his first save of the season.

The Sox are 19-29. The Royals are 14-34.

Home runs fuel White Sox offense in win vs. Cleveland

It stands to reason that a team increases its odds of winning by hitting two or more home runs in a game.

The White Sox have done that 14 times in 44 games during the 2023 season. In those 14 games, they are 7-7. That doesn't seem like much until you realize the team is 16-28 overall, which means they are 9-21 when they don't hit at least two homers.

But, they are 2-0 in their last two games against the Cleveland Guardians, and they've hit six homers in these two wins -- including three Wednesday in a 7-2 victory.

Gavin Sheets (No. 6) and Andrew Vaughn (No. 5) hit solo home runs, and Jake Burger (No. 10) had a two-run homer to fuel the offense. 

Burger went 3 for 4 and finished a double short of the cycle. It's fair to say he enjoys hitting at Guaranteed Rate Field, where he has hit nine of his 10 homers. For the season, he has only 89 plate appearances. One home run per every 8.9 plate appearances ... yeah, that's something you like to see from the player who is serving as your designated hitter.

In 52 at-bats at home, Burger has 50 total bases. In 27 road at-bats, he has nine total bases. Those are insane home-road splits.

Mike Clevinger (3-3) picked up the win for the Sox. He went six-plus innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked four, with two of the walks coming in the seventh inning.

Clevinger departed in the seventh inning, leading 7-1, with the bases loaded and no outs. Reynaldo Lopez walked in a run, but was able to get three outs without allowing any further damage.

Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman each worked a scoreless inning to close it out.

The Sox have not swept a series yet this season, and they'll have the opportunity to so Thursday afternoon. Given the hole this team has dug for itself, realistically, they need to sweep some divisional opponents if they hope to get back in the race.

Lance Lynn gets back on track against weak-hitting Cleveland Guardians

Lance Lynn

White Sox right-hander Lance Lynn has had a terrible start to the 2023 season. 

Coming into Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians, Lynn was 1-5 with a 7.51 ERA and a 1.602 WHIP in eight starts. Opponents had a .420 batting average against him while he was pitching out of the stretch. Ouch. 

However, the Guardians have been one of the weakest offenses in the American League so far this season. Among the 15 AL teams, Cleveland ranked 14th in runs scored (142) and dead last in batting average (.228), slugging percentage (.342) and OPS (.645) before Tuesday's game.

Lynn had a chance to get back on track against a slumping opponent, and he did just that. He pitched seven-plus innings to pick up the victory as the Sox beat the Guardians, 8-3, at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Through seven innings, Lynn (2-5) allowed only one earned run before he got dinged for a couple of unearned runs in the eighth. His final line: 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 7 Ks, 0 BBs.

The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when the Sox scored six two-out runs against Cleveland ace Shane Bieber (3-2). All the runs against Bieber were unearned, after Luis Robert Jr. started the lengthy rally by reaching base on catcher's interference.

On a hit-and-run play, Robert Jr. scored from first base on a single by Yoan Moncada. After a single by Andrew Vaughn, Gavin Sheets hit his fifth home run of the season -- a 3-run shot to make it 4-0.

After Yasmani Grandal singled, Jake Burger's two-run homer made it 6-0. Burger has homered in each of the two games he's played in since returning from the injured list. He ranks second on the Sox with nine homers.

The Sox home run leader? That would be Robert Jr., who capped the scoring with a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth -- his 12th home run of the year.

Robert Jr. has homered in four straight games. The last Sox player to do that was Matt Davidson, from June 12-15, 2017.

In a roster move before the game, pitcher Garrett Crochet was activated off the injured list, and pitcher Nicholas Padilla was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. Crochet missed all of the 2022 season after Tommy John surgery. He gives the Sox another left-handed option in the bullpen.

The Sox are 15-28. The Guardians are 19-22.

2023 Dylan Cease doesn't look like 2022 Dylan Cease

The White Sox had a 3-1 lead after three innings with their Opening Day starter on the mound Monday night against the last-place Kansas City Royals.

The Sox also got blown to bits Monday night by the last-place Royals, as Kansas City rallied for an easy 12-5 victory.

The Royals (10-26) are now 4-16 at home. I'm guessing their home record is that bad because they haven't had an opportunity to host the equally sad Sox (12-24) until now.

Dylan Cease had another poor outing in this game. He lasted five-plus innings, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits. He struck out six and walked one.

Gavin Sheets hit a home run to tie the score at 4-4 in the top of the sixth, but Cease failed to retire a batter in the bottom of the inning. He left with the bases loaded and no outs. 

By the time the sixth inning was over, the Royals led 12-4. I'll spare you the details of the eight-run inning, which featured horrendous pitching from relievers Aaron Bummer and Jimmy Lambert. 

Bummer, a lefty who is allegedly good at retiring left-handed batters, gave up three hits -- all to lefties. Absolutely ridiculous.

Bigger picture, one of the tragedies of the 2022 season is that Cease's career year went to waste. He had a 2.20 ERA and finished second in the Cy Young voting last year, going 14-8 for a team that finished 81-81.

He's not the same guy through eight starts this season, not even close. He's 2-2 with a 5.58 ERA. Only two of his outings have been quality starts. His last four outings have been four innings, four innings, five innings and five innings, respectively.

It's just not good enough, for Cease or the team as a whole. There's 126 games left. I'm not sure that's a good thing right now. 

That's all I got tonight.

White Sox take two of three at Cincinnati; Eloy Jimenez back to the IL

Coming into the weekend, we stated that the White Sox needed to win at least two out of three games on the road against the Cincinnati Reds.

That's exactly what they did. The South Siders scored 11 runs in the top of the second inning Sunday and went on to beat the Reds, 17-4, in the rubber match of the series.

Hanser Alberto's two-run homer and Gavin Sheets' 3-run homer on a 3-0 pitch highlighted the rally, which was the biggest inning the Sox have had since they hung 11 runs on the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 17, 2007.

The 17 runs are the most the Sox have scored in a game since they put up 17 against the Cubs on Aug. 27, 2021. (As a cautionary tale, the Sox got shut out in their following game, so you can't be assured that the momentum will carry over into Monday.)

In any case, the Sox lost Saturday's ballgame, 5-3, because they were only 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position. That's been a severe problem as of late. Since April 22, the Sox rank last in the league with a .176 batting average in those situations.

But on Sunday, they went 8 for 13 with runners in scoring position, including 5 for 6 in the second inning alone.

Alberto had his best game as a member of the Sox. He went 4 for 4 with a homer, two doubles, a single and a walk, plus four RBIs. Luis Robert Jr. reached base in all four of his plate appearances -- two doubles and two walks -- and he came around to score all four times. With the score out of hand, Robert was subbed out in the late innings. Andrew Vaughn finished a home run short of the cycle. He was 3 for 5 with four RBIs.

Michael Kopech (1-3) picked up his first win of the season. He wasn't sharp, but he didn't need to be. He lasted six innings, giving up four runs -- all on solo homers. He struck out only two, which shows his stuff wasn't his best. We know from the past that Kopech misses bats when he's on, but he generated only six whiffs on 99 pitches Sunday. 

The good news is Kopech walked only one. He was staked to an 11-1 advantage by the time he hit the mound in the second inning, and it's never a bad idea to throw strikes with a double-digit lead.

In the big picture, the Sox's record is still an ugly 12-23, but if you're looking for silver linings, they are 5-2 in their past seven games.

But, of course, all good news must be balanced out with some catastrophe. This weekend, Eloy Jimenez was hospitalized with severe stomach pain. He had surgery for acute appendicitis, and he is expected to be out for four to six weeks.

The Sox placed Jimenez on the injured list Sunday and recalled catcher Carlos Perez from Triple-A Charlotte.

I'm a little surprised we aren't seeing Oscar Colas, but it looks as though the Sox have decided to carry an extra catcher and give Yasmani Grandal more at-bats as the DH.

Grandal was the DH on Sunday, and he went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. For the season, he's batting .275/.357/.441. That's much, much better than anything we saw from Grandal during the 2022 season. He has recently left a couple of games early because of back spasms, so maybe catching less and DH'ing more will keep him healthy. The Sox need him to continue producing while Jimenez is out.

Tim Anderson hits the IL; White Sox lose two straight at Minnesota

The 2023 White Sox are starting to look like the bad sequel to the box office bust known as the 2022 White Sox.

Tim Anderson, who was limited to 78 games last season by injury, once again hit the injured list Tuesday. He's out 2-4 weeks with a sprained knee after a collision with Minnesota's Matt Wallner during a botched rundown during Monday's game.

Anderson joins Eloy Jimenez (hamstring) on the sidelines, along with erstwhile reliever Joe Kelly (groin), who was hurt running in from the bullpen during a bench-clearing incident Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Third baseman Yoan Moncada did not play in any of the three games against the Twins. He's listed as day-to-day with back soreness.

That leaves Luis Robert Jr. as the only man standing among "the core 4" of Sox position players. All of that feels eerily familiar.

Also eerily familiar is bad defense. The Sox lost, 4-3, in 10 innings Tuesday night when Hanser Alberto's throwing error allowed the Twins to score the winning run.

Remember when Rick Hahn said the Sox were going to stop putting first basemen in the outfield? Well, there was Gavin Sheets in right field on Wednesday, and he fell down on a routine fly ball that was scored a "triple," leading to the first Minnesota run in an eventual 3-1 Sox loss.

The Sox have played four series so far this season. They've lost three and split one. Two weeks into the season, they have yet to win consecutive games. Their record is 5-8.

During the three seasons of intentional losing (2017-19), we were assured that a prolonged "contention window" was coming. Whatever window there was seemed to close after a quick playoff exit in 2021.

Sox fans, are we having fun yet?

White Sox bullpen locks up 4-3 win in Minnesota

Dylan Cease

There is no such thing as a "big game" in April, but it felt as though the White Sox needed a win Monday against the Minnesota Twins.

They were coming off a lackluster series in Pittsburgh, during which they lost two of three games. Ace Dylan Cease was Monday's starting pitcher, and he was facing a short-handed Twins lineup. Byron Buxton took a scheduled day off, while Carlos Correa and Joey Gallo were out of the lineup with minor ailments.

Well, it wasn't pretty, but the Sox won, 4-3, behind four scoreless innings from a combination of four relief pitchers.

Cease (2-0) earned the win, but his outing was limited to five innings because poor infield defense cost him three runs and about 15 to 20 extra pitches. Hanser Alberto made two miscues -- one an error and one not (because you can't assume a double play) -- that cost the Sox a run in each of the third and fourth innings.

Elvis Andrus and Gavin Sheets both made errors in the bottom of the fifth that cost Cease a third run. 

Cease's final line: 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 6 Ks, 2 BBs.

But for all his shortcomings on defense, Alberto delivered the decision blow of the game -- a 3-run homer off Minnesota starter Kenta Maeda (0-2) that capped a four-run fourth inning. Andrew Benintendi and Sheets singled. Yasmani Grandal singled, scoring Benintendi, and setting up Alberto's blast on a hanging slider.

Cease exited the game after 99 pitches. Jimmy Lambert worked a scoreless sixth, and Kendall Graveman worked around a single to deliver a scoreless seventh.

Aaron Bummer got two outs in the eighth, and left with the tying run on third base. Reynaldo Lopez struck out Michael A. Taylor to end that threat, then worked a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts for his second save of the season.

The Sox are 5-6.

Eloy Jimenez to injured list; White Sox top Giants

Eloy Jimenez

Remember 15 or 20 years ago when White Sox fans would (rightfully) mock Cubs fans, who started every season by saying, "If Prior and Wood are healthy ..."?

Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were never healthy, and as a result, the Cubs of that era never lived up to the massive amount of hype they received in the local press.

Well, Sox fans, I hate to tell you this, but we are exactly like the Cubs fans of the Prior-Wood time frame right now. All we do is talk about how awesome our team would be if "they could just stay healthy," when the fact of the matter is the Sox are never healthy.

They haven't been healthy in three years, and there's no reason to believe players who are always getting hurt will stop getting hurt. 

Eloy Jimenez is the first core player to be sidelined this year. The 26-year-old designated hitter was injured running the bases during the seventh inning of Monday's loss to the San Francisco Giants. He is expected to be out 2-3 weeks with a hamstring strain, but with Jimenez's injury history, you have to be concerned that this will linger for longer than that.

Injuries limited Jimenez to only 55 games in 2021, and 84 games in 2022. The guy is a prodigious offensive talent, but sad to say, you can't trust him to be ready to play. He's made of glass. Always injured. 

The Sox recalled infielder Jake Burger from Triple-A Charlotte to take Jimenez's place on the roster. I would expect Burger to form the right-handed half of a designated hitter platoon while Jimenez is on the shelf. I would expect Gavin Sheets to be the left-handed half of the platoon.

Speaking of which, Sheets got the start at DH on Wednesday, and he went 2 for 4 with two singles and three RBIs to help the Sox to a 7-3 win over the Giants.

Dylan Cease (1-0) struggled with his command, walking five over five innings pitched. But he also struck out eight and limited the Giants to one hit -- a solo home run by J.D. Davis.

Luis Robert Jr. also had a good game for the Sox, going 3 for 4 with an RBI double, two singles and two runs scored.

The Sox are 3-3. After last season's 81-81 campaign, that's pretty much on brand, right?

Dylan Cease vs. Justin Verlander: No-decisions for both

Dylan Cease

The top two contenders for the American League Cy Young Award squared off Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, and ... neither one of them got a decision.

Dylan Cease and Justin Verlander both gave up three earned runs, and although Verlander pitched deeper in the game that Cease, the White Sox bullpen was better than the Houston Astros bullpen, as the Sox rallied for a 4-3 victory.

For the Sox, it is their fifth straight win, and it brings them within one game of the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central heading into Wednesday's play.

Final line on Cease: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 Ks, 3 BBs.

His season ERA is 2.09. His record remains 12-5.

Final line on Verlander: 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 Ks, 1 BB

His season ERA is 1.95. His record remains 15-3.

You have to believe Verlander is the front-runner for the Cy Young at this point. The 39-year-old has better numbers than the 26-year-old Cease at this time. And Verlander has the name recognition that goes with past accomplishments, and he plays for the team with the best record in the American League.

But on this night, Verlander could not hold a 3-1 lead. The Sox rallied against him with two runs in the seventh. Josh Harrison singled, Seby Zavala walked, and Gavin Sheets ripped 1-2 Verlander slider into the right-field corner to tie the game.

The Sox grabbed the lead in the eighth against Houston right-hander Hector Neris. Eloy Jimenez walked, Jose Abreu singled, and Yasmani Grandal grounded into a slooooooooow-developing 3-6-1 double play. That left pinch-runner Adam Engel at third with two outs, but Yoan Moncada delivered an RBI single to put the Sox ahead.

Closer Liam Hendriks earned his 27th save of the season by retiring the top three batters in the Houston lineup in the top of the ninth, punctuating his outing with a strikeout of Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez.

That capped a strong performance for the Sox bullpen, as Jose Ruiz, Vince Velasquez, Jimmy Lambert and Hendriks all recorded scoreless innings -- with Lambert getting the win.

The Sox have two more games on this homestand against Houston, and will look to extend their winning streak Wednesday with Michael Kopech on the mound.