White Sox 7, Guardians 2: Same wins welcome
After experiencing one numbing loss after another over the first five weeks of the season, White Sox fans would embrance a sequence of samey wins.
For the second night in a row, the White Sox thumped the Guardians for a five-run victory. This one unfurled a little earlier than the six-run blitz of Shane Bieber on Tuesday, but other characteristics remained intact. The White Sox once again homered thrice, including long balls by Gavin Sheets and Jake Burger, while their starter posted his longest start of the season.
The long climb remains, because the White Sox are still a dozen games under .500, but at least they’re dragging Cleveland into the mud while they figure things out.
Another towering Sheets fly to right center put the White Sox back on even footing with the Guardians in the second, and the Sox started to distance themselves in the fourth. Andrew Vaughn smoked a hanging slider into the bleachers to open the inning for a 2-1 lead, while Sheets popped out, Yasmani Grandal followed with a line drive down the right-field line. Once again, he opted against trying to stretch a single into a double, and once again Burger rewarded him by allowing everybody to trot the rest of the way. This one left little doubt, and the Sox had all the runs they needed.
They did widen the cushion — Andrew Benintendi doubled to lead off the fifth and came home on Yoán Moncada’s single, while the Sox took advantage of a rookie error by Brayan Rocchio with a Tim Anderson hit-and-run RBI single and a productive out from Benintendi. The insurance ended up being largely unnecessary, but it was recommended given the amount of traffic Mike Clevinger invited.
A leadoff walk to open the game came around to score, but Clevinger managed to sidestep any damage over the next five. He stranded a Straw leadoff double with his defense in the third, gloving Amed Rosario’s comebacker to freeze the runner at third for the second out. A double play diminished the threat of two singles to start the fourth inning, and he responded to a one-out double in the fifth inning with a couple of strikeouts.
Just like the night before, Pedro Grifol used the sizable lead to let his starter leave a mess for the bullpen. Clevinger departed with the bases loaded and nobody out after a single and two walks, and Reynaldo López had to work to minimize the damage. He struck out Rosario on a foul tip after seven pitches, and got Andres Gimenez to pop out to Moncada on the 10th pitch to put a scoreless inning within reach. (Moncada made a great catch after a long run, then had the presence of mind to get the ball to Anderson because his momentum wouldn’t allow him to make a strong throw home.)
López didn’t get that scoreless inning because he lost a seven-pitch battle to Josh Bell and walked in a run, but he recovered to strike out Will Brennan on six pitches to retain the comfortable margin. Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman never caused any reason to worry.
Bullet points:
*Burger legged out a triple in the eighth inning after a strange carom off the right-center fence eluded Straw. He didn’t score, but that’s besides the point.
*Luis Robert Jr.’s home run streak ended at four games, as he went 0-for-4.
*Grandal departed the game with another hamstring issue after a single that raised his average to .295. He’s day-to-day, and that’s probably his permanent status.
*Sheets was tossed by Dan Iassogna after getting rung up on a very low strike three in the seventh inning. He probably knew that Jake Marisnick was going to replace him in right field afterward no matter what, so he got his money’s worth.
*Every AL Central team is 5-5 over their last 10 games.
Record: 16-28 | Box score | Statcast
We’re bums, but so’s everyone else. Damn shame about the balanced schedule, I’d like to have seen much more of the ‘23 Guardians and a lot less of the ‘22 Guardians
Outside of the last month or so the 22 Guardians were in the same crap rock fight the Sox and Twins were in. Ive always felt people have overrated them a little based on the end of last season when they got hot.
oh yea totally agreed. overachievers built to succeed in the deadball year, not serious long-term threats. they have a lot of good prospects but outside of Bo Naylor they’re all light-hitting SS or decent mid-rotation pitching prospects
They were rumored to be in on both Matt Olson and Sean Murphy. Thank goodness for the Braves.
Atlanta gave up more in both deals than Cleveland can really afford to. They’ve only had one really good prospect the past 12 months or so, Espino. Unless Oakland really wants multiple light-hitting middle infielders (historically, the A’s like and develop for power), they didn’t have the prospect juice for either.
Cleveland is a little screwed at the moment, in that they’re bizarro Sox: filled to the brim with these MIF such that Amed Rosario, always known as a glove-first SS, DHed for them today. They’d kill for some corner-only power basher like Burger right now.
How did MIL sneak their way into that Murphy deal? Also, I want their catching instructors. Omar Narvaez and William Contreras learn to frame and improve their DRS by going there.
Seems like whoever wins the AL central will do so accidentally
Sox are gonna go .500 the rest of the way and we’ll miss out on the 4 way tie at 81 wins for the AL Central. Tsk tsk.
We’ll have to settle for a 3 way tie.
Honestly, I stopped watching the standings. I am trying to enjoy every White Sox victory one game at a time. The team is getting back together in health. I see them playing, and despite their flaws (there are many), I see a team that there is no way is under .500.
They’ve actually looked like they’re having fun these past couple of games.
I should probably stop watching and paying attention, I don’t feel like I get much of anything from anything they do.
I gave up on the bulls, bears, and hawks… sports in general aren’t satisfying for me anymore.
Is too bad, I loved it so.
This is a great formula: HR’s and quality SP. Would still like to see more walks and less swinging, but don’t stop now boys. Hard to not like Jake Burger and he seems like a legit MLB hitter. They will need to trade one of Eloy/Vaughn/Burger/Sheets, Burger shouldn’t see AAA again unless he turns into Josh Fields.
There is a lot of talent on this team. The roster is poorly constructed and the manager is in way over his head, but good starting pitching and home runs will be how this team climbs back toward .500. When Liam comes back, the bullpen should be a strength- Kelly and Graveman seem to be finding their groove. If Bummer and Rey can pick it up, the bullpen will be lights out. Timmy needs to get healthy, Benintendi is getting on base more, and the 3-8 spots with Robert, Yoan, Vaughn, Burger, Eloy, Sheets and Grandal can hit a lot of homers. I don’t think they can afford to trade one of those guys yet. Somebody’s always going to be hurt. The biggest key will be to keep the starting 5 healthy. There is just no starting pitching depth at all in the minors. It’s a long way back, but they need one extended hot streak of 15-5 or so to get back to near .500.
I’m going to go out on a limb here. The Sox will pick up Clevinger’s option, or because it’s a mutual option, they’ll sign him to an extension during the season. The rotation is too uncertain going forward, and they’ll want some stability.
Good morning Steve, I’ll go out on a limb with you. They will be short 3-4 starters next year, probably 6 minimum is the new norm. You know they’re not signing 2-3 quality FAs, so what to do. If Lynn rights the ship exercise his option. If Clevinger continues to be serviceable, at least explore an extension. Yes, he’s not a model citizen, and I wouldn’t want my daughter to go out with him, especially since he hung around with Bauer. However, he wasn’t charged with anything criminal, and with prosecutors often eager to charge celebrities (particularly if they’re eying politics), that’s telling to me.
Can they come up with 2 more from the minors – I’d guess one, so that would leave them with 1 to find in FA.They really shouldn’t need to add much to the lineup for 2024. As has been suggested above, off-season trade of Vaughn/Sheets/Burger/Eloy cou8old yield a young pitcher.
I mostly agree…
“You know they’re not signing 2-3 quality FAs, so what to do.”
You know they’re not signing any quality FAs, so yeah, what to do.
“If Lynn rights the ship exercise his option. If Clevinger continues to be serviceable, at least explore an extension.”
I don’t see any way they pick up that $18 mil option on Lynn. If you could decline it and offer him $12 mil then you might be in business, but as of right now I’d take Clevinger over Lynn at that price and so I’m inclined to pick up Clevinger’s option.
“Can they come up with 2 more from the minors”
No, one is pushing it but they’ll find someone to throw to the wolves.
I think their 3rd starter will either come from a trade or from dumpster diving, I hope the new guy is good at both.
“They really shouldn’t need to add much to the lineup for 2024.”
Wow, I don’t see where this could even be a possibility. After the last few years and the current cratering of the season ticket sales, to come back next with a “stand pat” and weak replacements for SPs that left approach, there would be no fanbase to play in front of.
I currently cannot imagine a universe where this FO comes back intact, so I don’t and stay hopeful that every loss this year will bare the seeds of many wins in the future.
Even if Lynn is good the rest of the way, no way you pay him $18M next year. Plenty of average pitchers in the 31-34 year-old range. Could probably add a couple of those to Cease, Kopech, Clevinger. Plus I would imagine Crochet will be in the rotation next year.
As far as the offense, still need a 2nd baseman unless Sosa shows something on the major league level this year. Maybe Jose Rodriguez or Bryan Ramos? Rest of the infield should be set. Outfield likely Benintendi, Robert, Colas. Eloy DH. Need a catcher. Trade Sheets or Burger. Get a RH corner outfielder that can actually hit for the 4th OF spot.
The best move they could make is in the front office, but we know Hahn or a Hahn-picked replacement will be the GM.
UNS, yeah in a perfect universe they tinker/massage the 2024 lineup. As we know, Sox are not a perfect world, after spending for Lynn/similar and Clevenger/similar, and perhaps another starter and a reliever or two, they aren’t going to spend much more on a lineup.
6 starting pitchers is way too few. Almost every team uses 8 or more starting pitchers. The average number of starting pitchers used by a team is about 10.
This seems to be something the Sox front office is unaware of.