Rangers 11, White Sox 1: Seby Zavala ends shutout streak

White Sox lose

Pedro Grifol had the right idea.

By getting ejected in the third inning, he missed most of Dane Dunning retiring 21 batters in a row.

He did have to watch Dylan Cease throw 79 pitches over 1โ…” innings, including a 45-pitch second. The Rangers sent 10 batters to the plate, nine of whom faced Cease. Cease fell behind most of them, and even if he did get ahead, he couldn’t put them away. Cease ended up allowing 11 baserunners — seven hits, three homers, one HBP — over the course of five outs.

Had Grifol known the game was over two batters into the bottom of the first, perhaps he wouldn’t have worked Cease so hard.

The White Sox offense actually had an encouraging start, loading the bases with two singles and a walk after two outs before Andrew Vaughn shot a 107-mph grounder to first to end the inning. But then Marcus Semien opened Texas’ attack by singling on a 2-2 slider over the middle of the plate, and Corey Seager jumped on top of a high curve to give the Rangers a quick 2-0 lead.

Texas then scored five in the second, and the only question after that was whether the White Sox would be shut out for a third straight game.

Seby Zavala, of all people, prevented that from happening. Just as Dunning appeared set to close out an eighth scoreless inning, Zavala drew Dunning into a rare extended plate appearance. He fouled off an elevated sinker on the fifth pitch, but after working the count full on the sixth pitch, Dunning left a slider up over the inner half, and Zavala doinked it off the left-field foul pole to end both streaks.

In between was a bunch of nothing. Dunning needed just nine pitches to close out the third, 10 pitches for the fourth, and five pitches for the sixth. The Sox did make him throw 31 between the seventh and eighth innings, but that’s because Dunning struck out five in a row. That’s another unflattering streak Zavala cut off before it truly got ridiculous.

Bullet points:

*Zavala’s homer was the second to hit the left-field foul pole, as Semien clipped it in the sixth inning for a two-run shot off Edgar Navarro.

*Yoรกn Moncada made a nice cross-body throw across the diamond, and Zach Remillard also made a tough charging play behind the mound. Vaughn came through with picks on both.

*Adam Hamari’s strike zone didn’t seem ejection-worthy until later in the game, when he called a several strikes either well below the zone or off the plate.

Record: 43-66 | Box score | Statcast

Author

  • Jim Margalus

    Writing about the White Sox for a 16th season, first here, then at South Side Sox, and now here again. Letโ€™s talk curling.

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itaita

It doesn’t matter in the end cause who cares if the team wins or loses anymore, but why would Grifol drop Bentendi to 5th. I thought him, Anderson and Robert were a good trio to start the lineup off.

As an aside Burger went 2-4 with a walk for the Marlins tonight playing 3rd.

PauliePaulie

So Hendriks had TJ last week. The Sox didn’t tell anyone, while not trading Cease and continuing to claim they were looking to compete next year.

Both things I read said that he had surgery this morning. Where are you guys seeing that it was last week?

steelydan52

I think I saw the article on Yahoo and it said Hendriks had the surgery last Thursday.

Al Kohallik

Just saw article mentions Wednesday….that doesn’t take FO of the hook for lack of forthrightness ….. Press release was probably stalled by writing of Soxfest cancelations

JazznFunk

Not revealing it early arguably helped negotiating position around Cease (assuming any other front offices could be convinced the Sox would try to compete in ’24 or that this information wasn’t already out among executives). It also could take away from giving a proper adieu to the departing players.

Augusto Barojas

They will be competing next year. To the exact same extent that they are this year.

LamarHoyt_oncrack

The Sox team is begotten of their owner, they have become the sewer of major league baseball.

ParisSox

Yes they suck. Yes they should have been better. But honestly thereโ€™s also the Royals and Aโ€™s with us. But what I think is even worse is being the Mets or Padres. Way more talent, stocked rosters, and still flailing.

With that said we follow the rest of the season with bemusement.

Iโ€™ll be in Chicago for a few days later this month and will probably still try to catch a game. Itโ€™s live baseball which is a treat for me. Do you think I can get box seats for $20 from season ticket holders through StubHub?

Augusto Barojas

No. The Mets and Padres situations are not worse. An ownership that spends with abandon and gives a good faith effort with things not working out is not worse than a half ass effort which amounts to not trying at all.

Consider all the phony narratives, 3 garbage offseasons, not addressing their RF in 4 years, Beni being their highest paid FA in history, hiring Tony, cancelling Soxfest… no. The Padres are not the laughing stock of baseball, and Seidler does not deserve shame and vitriol.

ParisSox

Good points. Fully agree. I was thinking the disappointment of this season but yes, they have owners who will do everything to correct course.

Joliet Orange Sox

Thank you for making sure we are all clear that being a Sox fan right now is worse that being a victim of the Black Death. That plague lasted less than a decade and Jerry has owned the Sox for much longer. It took you a few hours to quash @ParisSox’s minimal upbeatness but it was the middle of the night so with some luck not many people saw his post without your reply as a needed antidote to his disgusting attempt to enjoy baseball.

Hahn has similarly probably killed off 30-60% of the fan base.

ParisSox

White Sox Baseball: Nihilism. Eat Arby’s.

As Cirensica

Yes they suck. Yes they should have been better. But honestly thereโ€™s also the Royals and Aโ€™s with us. But what I think is even worse is being the Mets or Padres. Way more talent, stocked rosters, and still flailing.

Silver lining: we are not worse than the worse

In any event, I hope you find your tickets, and be able to enjoy live baseball and your Chicago visit.

ParisSox

thank you

Trooper Galactus

Stopped watching before Pedro even pulled Cease. I was miffed they didn’t trade him when they had a desperate market with multiple suitors and probably the most attractive option available. One start later and his value has taken a hit, and unless his fastball velocity recovers in a hurry teams are not going to look at him as a frontline starter if Hahn tries to move him in the offseason. Missed opportunity.

ParisSox

In searching for tickets, I learned that Saturday, August 26 is Dylan Cease “Fuzzy Mustache” bobblehead night, with an actual fuzzy mustache.

Brooks Boyer probably vetoed any trades.

knoxfire30

So freaking sox it hurts to withhold the Hendrix injury news, they absolutely didn’t want that out before the deadline. Hahn telling people they can contend with a straight face, lol gtfoh. Thats a 100 loss 2024 team , heck its gonna be close to a 100 loss 2023 team.

Donโ€™t say the rebuild isnโ€™t already on the upswing: they went from scoring zero runs to scoring one!

soxygen

Pedro couldnโ€™t even do the ejection right. He should have gotten himself ejected earlier (in the second inning). It was strange the way he left Cease out there struggling, then decided to make a stink many minutes later.

Al Kohallik

Oh boy I can’t wait for Soxfest

As Cirensica

I hope you have a comfortable chair to sit while you wait

SupportSoxFamily

Iโ€™m now questioning my own mental capacity as I must admit that Hahn and myself have finally agreed on one thing. The trading of Burger. I couldnโ€™t believe that no one (except Sox Machine contributors) were talking about trading Burger. He was worth the most he ever would be now and I didnโ€™t believe it to be the smartest thing to build around Robert and Burger for the future. Granted, Burger was a good story this year, but he still is under .300 OBP in his career. While Hahn should at least be given credit for trading Burger, how does it look and feel now for hanging onto Cease? Again, as fans we usually over-value our hometown heroes (pitching staff in particular). How does a staff of Cease, Giolito, Lynn, Kopech and Clevenger look now? Professional Hitters adjust to pitchers. It was a matter of time until the League laid off Ceaseโ€™ slider. Add in reduced fastball velocity and it resulted in a mediocre season at best for Cease with no adjustment himself. The best time to trade Cease was NOW. After last nightโ€™s performance, his value is falling fast. Cease has had one good year (heck, even Keuchel had at least one good year). Players produce a few good years before they become stars. Cease has the capability, but we all have capabilities. Because weโ€™re nowhere near being able to compete in โ€˜24, adding quality now for โ€˜25, โ€˜26, etc. would have been the wise thing to do. Same exact analysis on TA.

We know what the outcome will be if the Sox look at free agents to fill the gaps. Which leads me to the question; โ€œDo free agents even want to play for the White Soxโ€?

Iโ€™m still checking my mental capacity as Iโ€™m hoping for different results by watching the Sox do the same thing year after year!

Augusto Barojas

Can’t disagree with your take on Cease. I doubt he will ever have more value than he just did prior to the deadline. They may not have gotten an amazing package for him, but surely they would have gotten at least 2 solid top 100 prospects from a team like the O’s. Since the 2023 postseason won’t be part of Cease’s trade value, it seems likely that Hahn (or god willing, a different GM that we don’t hate) will have to settle for less than what they were just offered if/when they trade him. Hahn’s gambles rarely pay off, and this will probably turn out to be a costly one. Cease would have to pitch a lot better next year to have as much trade value as he just had if they keep him til next year’s trade deadline. I’m not sure how likely that is. If he continues to post an ERA in the 4’s, there is no way they will even get what they were just offered. Maybe not close to it.

I just hope he doesn’t tank the rest of the season, and they can deal him this winter and get the most for him that they can. There’s little point to keeping him much longer as his trade value diminishes due to time. Ditto TA. The Liam news makes any notion of trying to retool for 2024 even more nonsensical. All they can look to do is keep selling everyone but Robert, with an eye toward 2026.

On whether free agents even want to play for the White Sox, it’s obvious how little enthusiasm this team plays with, so if the Sox offered equal money to a free agent, they are likely to choose elsewhere. Losing isn’t fun, and Jerry has unwittingly made it the White Sox reputation, and vibe.

soxygen

Iโ€™ve said it before and Iโ€™ll say it again, not only do I not think anyone else wanted to manage the Sox, but I donโ€™t think we were Pedroโ€™s first choice either. The Sox announced his hire a couple of days after the Royals announced theirs, and the most likely explanation is that he waited to accept the Sox job until after the he knew he didnโ€™t get the Royals jobโ€ฆand when you realize how underqualified he was to lead a team with playoff aspirations and think about how bad heโ€™s been as a manager it puts the Sox job in perspective.

Augusto Barojas

This team never had legit playoff aspirations except in fantasy. The Sox had as much right to claim playoff aspirations as I do of claiming to have an aspiration of playing for the Bears. The chances of either happening are the same. Zero.

You are probably right that nobody would want Grifol’s job. I mean I wouldn’t, not even for big money. I hate this team enough from afar! Whether it’s Grifol or somebody else, whoever manages this team next year is in for a brutal, joyless summer.