Pregame notes: A day when .500 is possible

This headline could seem a little over the top, but consider that the White Sox have not been .500 even 10 games into the season since 2022, and not had a four-game winning streak in the first month of the season since then either.

It's like we're always saying: why can't the White Sox return to the glory days of 2022?

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Grant Taylor is opening again, this time for Erick Fedde. Because it's a right-hander opening for a right-hander once more, the goal is the same as before: push back when Fedde faces Taylor Ward, Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso for a third time, or possibly avoid it entirely.

Taylor hasn't had one of the multi-inning outings that was supposed to become part of his diet yet this season, nor even cracked 10 pitches in any of his opener appearances yet. Accordingly, Will Venable acknowledged that this usage wasn't something planned during spring training, or planned beyond the idea that they would use openers when they felt it would help, and that Taylor would be part of the mix.

The repeat usage seems to stem from the fact that it's worked, and Taylor has looked awesome in the process.

"It's been as good as I've seen Grant," Venable said. "That first one against the Blue Jays was maybe as good as I've seen any pitcher. Yeah, he was just electric and I think that he does like it. He finds a little more juice in there, especially if he knows what the parameters of the start are going to be. I think he has a really good understanding of what he needs to do."

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Tuesday's game has been rescheduled from 6:40pm to 2:10pm, in light of a very cold forecast for the evening hours. Maybe this can be considered a present for Edgar Quero's 23rd birthday; the gift of not taking foul tips off his fingers in freezing temperatures.

"I don't think that this game is meant to be played in really, really cold weather," Venable said.
"So to have the flexibility and everyone being open to that, certainly the league, means a lot, to our players, and to the health and safety of players and also the product on the field."

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The White Sox claimed left-hander Doug Nikhazy off waivers from Cleveland, who was designated for assignment on March 30 and has yet to pitch this season. He was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte, and given their rotation depth, that likely necessitates a move to the bullpen.

Nikhazy has below-average velocity and a 13.8 percent career walk rate in pro ball, albeit while undergoing myriad delivery changes with the Guardians, so a move to the pen feels overdue to maximize his interesting breaking balls. As Jim riffed about online, this gives the Sox a fifth member of the 2021 Ole Miss Rebels (Tim Elko, Jacob Gonzalez, T.J. McCants, Drew McDaniel) in the organization. They also used to have Taylor Broadway, but he was the player to be named later included in the 2022 swap of Jake Diekman for Reese McGuire.

Man, the 2022 White Sox were just a magical ride (derogatory).

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Speaking of Quero, he mentioned he's holding his hands out farther away from his body in his setup at the plate (not behind the plate), in an effort to sync up his hands with the new, shorter hip load he worked on during the offseason.

"What I'm trying to do with my hands is get them in rhythm with my hands so I can load a little better with my hips too," Quero said. "Feeling good right now and just trying to hit the ball hard and be on time."

Quero has reached base seven times in his last three games.

First pitch: White Sox vs. Orioles

TV: CHSN

Radio: ESPN 1000 AM

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