CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:
The Chicago White Sox have lost five of their last six games as they continue a six-game trip this afternoon with the middle game at Seattle.
RHP Lucas Giolito is scheduled to start for the White Sox, who are in fourth place in the American League Central, but just 5.5 games off the pace set by division-leading Minnesota.
The Sox are 1-3 on the trip, suffering a 3-2 loss last night after dropping two of three games at Dodger Stadium … the last two losses have been by one run after holding late leads.
Following this series, the White Sox return home for six games in seven days vs. Texas (6/19-21) and Boston (6/23-25).
The Sox went 1-2 on their last homestand vs. Miami from 6/9-11 and 2-1 on their last trip to New York-AL from 6/6-8.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
Prior to their current 2-7 stretch, the White Sox had won a season-high five straight games and 13 of their previous 20.
Lucas Giolito is 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA (1 ER/13.0 IP), 15 strikeouts and a .133 (6-45) opponents average over his last two starts and 5-4 with a 2.86 ERA (23 ER/72.1 IP) and 75 strikeouts over his last 12.
The White Sox rank second in MLB with a 3.13 ERA (96 ER/275.2 IP) since 5/13, just percentage points behind Houston.
The Sox have hit nine home runs in the last three games, but eight of the nine have been solo shots, including six in a row.
Tim Anderson is a career .391/.397/.634 (52-133) hitter with seven home runs, 18 RBI and 24 runs scored in 32 career games against the Mariners.
Luis Robert Jr. has recorded four doubles, four home runs, six RBI and eight runs scored over his last 11 games … his 17 homers are a career high and have matched Andrew Vaughn’s team-leading total from 2022.
LAST NIGHT’S RECAP
Teoscar Hernández hit a solo home run off Tanner Banks in the seventh inning and the Mariners held on to defeat the White Sox, 3-2, in the series opener.
Gavin Sheets broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run (No. 8) off Bryan Woo in the fifth inning, and Andrew Benintendi hit a solo shot (No. 1) in the sixth to give the Sox a 2-1 lead.
Michael Kopech posted a ND, allowing one run on six hits and a season-high tying six walks over 4.1 IP (102 pitches) … Banks (2 ER/2.2 IP) suffered the loss.
Sheets collected two of the five hits for the White Sox, who did not walk, struck out 16 times and went 0-4 with RISP as they suffered their 23rd loss after leading.
THROWING ZEROS AT KANNAPOLIS
Class A Kannapolis LHP Noah Schultz, the White Sox first-round pick (No. 26 overall) in the 2022 draft, has thrown 7.0 scoreless IP over three starts to begin his professional career.
Schultz, 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, has allowed one hit with one walk and 12 strikeouts … he threw 3.0 hitless IP last night at Down East, allowing one walk with six strikeouts.
ARMS RACE
The White Sox are 17-14 (.548) since 5/13, the best record in the American League Central … during that span, the Sox lead MLB with a .206 (210-1,009) opponents average, rank second with a 3.13 ERA and third with a 1.17 WHIP.
A breakdown of the Sox pitching through their first 40 games of the season and last 31:
Games W-L ERA QS IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG OPS WHIP
Last 31 17-14 3.13 14 275.2 210 107 96 33 112 272 .208 .655 1.17
First 40 13-27 5.66 12 351.2 366 241 221 65 167 385 .263 .817 1.52
ROBERT SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
CF Luis Robert Jr. is attempting to make his first career American League All-Star Team … Robert ranks among the AL leaders this season in extra-base hits (2nd, 36), slugging percentage (3rd, .531), total bases (3rd, 137), home runs (T3rd, 17), runs scored (T6th, 45), doubles (T7th, 19) and OPS (10th, .859) while playing in 67 of Chicago’s 70 games.
Robert also ranks fourth in the AL and second among all center fielders with seventh defensive runs saved (per Fangraphs).
RISING TO THE TOP
The White Sox are playing seven consecutive series (22 games) from 6/6-29 against teams who were at or above .500 at the beginning of that stretch (4-6 so far).
The stretch includes 13 games on the road against the Yankees (2-1), Dodgers (1-2), Seattle (0-1) and Angels and nine at home vs. Miami (1-2), Texas and Boston.
WHITE SOX VS. SEATTLE MARINERS
The Mariners lead the season series, 1-0.
The White Sox went 4-2 against the Mariners in 2023, winning two of three games at home from 4/12-14 and at T-Mobile Park from 9/5-7 for their first season series victory since 2016.
The Sox batted .206/.264/.340 (40-194) with a 2.89 ERA (17 ER/53.0 IP) … both teams scored 22 runs.
The White Sox 52-35 against the Mariners since 2010, including a 24-18 record at T-Mobile Park.
Eloy Jiménez owns a career .364/.404/.614 (16-44) average with three homers and seven RBI in 12 career games vs Seattle.
FAMILIAR FACE
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol spent 13 seasons in the Seattle organization from 2000-12 … Grifol served as manager at Class A High Desert in 2012, guiding the Mavericks to a 83-57 regular-season record and a berth in the California League playoffs while earning CL Manager of the Year honors.
Grifol also worked as an area scout for south Florida and Puerto Rico (2000-05), manager for Advanced Rookie Everett (2003-05), Coordinator of Instruction (2006-08) and Director of Minor League Operations (2008-11).
He managed RHP Fėlix Hernández (2003), OF Adam Jones (2003) and INF Asdrúbul Cabrera (2004) at Everett, and also helped oversee the development of INF Kyle Seager.
ROTATION SENSATION
White Sox starting pitchers own a 3.2 ERA (61 ER/168.1 IP) with a .221 (138-625) opponents average and 177 strikeouts in 31 games since 5/13 … during that span, they rank second in MLB in opponents average and third in ERA.
During that 31-game stretch, Sox starters have made eight scoreless outings, allowed one run five times and two runs six times … the rotation since 5/13:
W-L ERA WHIP QS IP H R ER HR BB SO SO/9.0 AVG OPS
10-7 3.26 1.21 14 168.1 138 66 61 22 67 177 9.5 .221 .689
BURGER KING
Jake Burger ranks second on the White Sox and sixth in the American League with 16 home runs despite recording just 183 plate appearances.
Burger hit his first career grand slam and walkoff homer on 6/4 vs. Detroit, hit a two-run homer on 6/5 at Yankee Stadium, recorded his first career multihomer game on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium and went back-to-back with Andrew Vaughn last night against the Dodgers.
BULLPEN RELIEF
The White Sox bullpen has posted a 2.93 ERA (35 ER/107.1 IP) with a .188 (72-384) opponents average and 1.09 WHIP in 31 games since 5/13 … during that stretch, the pen ranks second in MLB in opponents average, third in WHIP and fourth in ERA.
Kendall Graveman owns a 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19.0 IP) in 19 games since 5/3, allowing six hits (.100 opponents average) with six saves and 16 strikeouts.
Keynan Middleton has posted a 1.10 ERA (2 ER/16.1 IP) in 16 games since 5/2, with five walks, 17 strikeouts, a .143 (8-56) opponents average and 0.80 WHIP.
The White Sox bullpen since 5/13:
W-L ERA WHIP SV IP H R ER HR BB SO HR/9.0 AVG OPS
7-7 2.93 1.09 7 107.1 72 41 35 11 45 95 0.92 .188 .600
DYNAMIC DUO
Eloy Jiménez and Dylan Cease were acquired by the White Sox from the Cubs on 7/13/17 as part of a five-player deal.
Since making their debuts in 2019, Jiménez has homered in 15 of Cease’s starts (17 total HR) … the Sox are 12-3 in those games, including multihomer efforts from Jiménez on 9/3/19 at Cleveland and 8/8/21 at the Cubs (STATS).
Jiménez hit a solo home run on Thursday, his second of the season in support of Cease … he homered in six of Cease’s starts in 2022, including three in a row from 7/24-8/5.
ALL-RIGHTY THEN
Today marks the 190th consecutive game in which a RHP has started for the White Sox … per Elias, it is longest active streak in baseball (Minnesota is second at 140), second-longest in Sox history (194 from 9/7/33-5/19/35) and longest in MLB since Cleveland (417) from 2017-21.
Dallas Keuchel (5/26/22 vs. Boston) was the last left-hander to start a game for the Sox … by comparison, from the beginning of the 2007 season until Keuchel’s start on 5/26/22, 1,021 of the White Sox 2,372 games (43.0 percent) were started by lefties.
STARTING PITCHER – #27 LUCAS GIOLITO RHP
GIOLITO AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his 15th start of the season, eighth on the road and first vs. the Seattle Mariners.
Has gone 5-4 with a 2.86 ERA (23 ER/72.1 IP), .205 (54-263) opponents average and 75 strikeouts over his last 12 starts … has tossed 6.0-plus IP in 10 of the 12 starts and has allowed two runs or less in eight.
Opponents are hitting .221 (15-68) against him with RISP and .233 (7-30) with RISP/two outs in 2023.
Is 54 strikeouts away from becoming the 12th pitcher in White Sox history with 1,000 (43 strikeouts away from 1,000 in his career).
Finished sixth in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2019, seventh in 2020 and tied for 11th in 2021.
Threw the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history on 8/25/20 vs. Pittsburgh, walking one with 13 strikeouts.
Was a finalist for a Rawlings(R) Gold Glove and Comeback Player of the Year Awards and was a 2019 AL All-Star.
Won AL Pitcher of the Month honors in May 2019 and AL Player of Week for 8/24-30/20 and 5/27-6/2/19.
LAST START
Did not factor in the decision on 6/11 vs. Miami despite recording his eighth quality start of the season … allowed just one run on six hits (one home run) with one walk and eight strikeouts over a season-high tying 7.0 IP … surrendered a solo homer to Jorge Soler in the fifth inning.
Departed the game in the eighth with the White Sox leading, 5-1 … threw 101 pitches (56 strikes) … the Sox bullpen allowed five runs over the last two innings as the White Sox lost, 6-5.
Owned a 53.6 first-strike percentage and 8.9 swinging-strike percentage (12 swing and misses) vs. 20 batters … threw 43 four-seam fastballs (92.3 mph avg; 94.4 mph max), 38 sliders (83.6 avg; 86.0 max) and 20 changeups (86.6 avg; 94.4 max).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Is 2-3 with a 4.78 ERA (20 ER/37.2 IP) and .259 (33- 159) opponents average in seven road starts this season, compared to 4-1 with a 2.47 ERA (12 ER/43.2 IP) and .208 (33-159) opponents average over seven home starts.
Earned the win in his last road start on 6/6 at New YorkAL after throwing 6.0 hitless IP … became the first White Sox pitcher in franchise history to have multiple starts in a season of 6.0-plus hitless IP (Elias) and the first pitcher in MLB to have multiple such starts since Max Scherzer in 2015 (also two GS) … became the second Sox starter to work 6.0 hitless IP at the Yankees (also Melido Perez, 6.0 IP, 7/12/90).
POSTING PUNCHOUTS
Has recorded 14 career starts with 10-plus strikeouts, fifth-most in White Sox history … needs one double-digit strikeout game to tie teammate Dylan Cease and Juan Pizarro for third place.
Recorded consecutive 10-plus strikeout games twice in his career from 8/20-25/20 (two) and 8/16-27/19 (three).
His last double-digit strikeout game came on 5/4/22 at the Cubs (10 SO).
THE QUALITY KID
Leads the team and is tied for 10th in the American League with eight quality starts this season.
Three of his last five starts have been quality, posting a 2.93 ERA (9 ER/27.2 IP) in that span.
Has tossed 79 quality starts in his career, fifth-most in the American League since 2017.
EFFICIENCY IS KEY
Is averaging 95.8 pitches per start, 16.5 pitches per inning and 3.97 pitches per batter faced this season … all three are the lowest by a White Sox pitcher in 2023.
BITTEN BY THE LONG BALL
Has allowed 63 home runs since the start of the 2021 season, eighth-most in baseball … is averaging 1.34 HR/9.0 IP during that span.
Has surrendered 12 home runs over his 13 starts this season, allowing one three-run homer, one two-run and 10 solo shots … has allowed six homers on the road, six at home, six vs. left-handed hitters and six vs. righties.
VS. SEATTLE MARINERS || A.L. WEST
Is scheduled to make his third career start against the Mariners and second at T-Mobile Park.
Last faced Seattle on 4/6/21 at Seattle, earning the win after allowing three runs on four hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts across 5.1 IP.
Owns a 10-9 record with a 4.85 ERA (80 ER/148.1 IP) in 26 career starts (12 quality) against the American League West.
SEATTLE MARINERS NOTES:
TODAY’S TILT…the Mariners continue a 6-game, 7-day homestand (3-1) today with the second of 3 games against the Chicago White Sox (1-0)…the Mariners began the homestand with a 3-game series vs. the Miami Marlins (2-1)….following tomorrow’s game, Seattle embarks on a 6-game road trip at the New York Yankees (3 G, 6/20-6/22) and Baltimore Orioles (6/23-6/25)…today’s game will be televised live on ROOT Sports with Dave Sims and Aaron Goldsmith on the call..the game will also be broadcast live on Seattle Sports (710 AM) and Mariners.com with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
ODDS AND ENDS…the Mariners won last night’s series opener to the White Sox by a 3-2 score…the Mariners are 12-10 over their last 22 games (5/22-c)…Seattle is 25-13 when scoring at least 4 runs and 9-21 when scoring 3-or-fewer…the Mariners are 20-16 at T-Mobile Park and 14-18 on the road this season…they are 9-14 in day games and 25-20 at night.
- Home Sweet Home – Seattle is 10-4 over its last 14 games at T-Mobile Park.
- Salute to the Negro Leagues: A Juneteenth Celebration – The Mariners will wear Seattle Steelheads uniforms today, honoring Seattle’s Negro Leagues franchise…Seattle is 2-2 all time when wearing Steelheads uniforms.
- Whiff Artist – Bryan Woo’s 19 swings-and-misses in yesterday’s game were tied for the 2nd-most by a rookie in the Majors this season, trailing only Kadai Senga-NYM (22, 5/30/23 vs. PHI)
TEO, SO HOT RIGHT NOW…Teoscar Hernández went 2-for-4 with 1 double, 1 home run and 2 RBI in yesterday’s game and has now reached base safely in 12-consecutive games dating back to June 2…in 12 June games, the outfielder is batting .364 (16×44) with 6 runs, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 10 RBI and 5 walks, getting on base at a .429 clip, slugging .682 with a 1.111 OPS…in 39 games since May 3, Teo is batting .293 (43×147) with 15 runs, 7 doubles, 2 triples, 5 homers, 22 RBI and 11 walks, getting on base at a .340 clip, slugging .469 with a .809 OPS.
FRANCE THE NIGHT AWAY…Ty France went 2-for-4 with an RBI in last night’s game…dating back to May 22, France has reached safely in 18-of-21 games, batting .345 (29×84) with 16 runs, 8 doubles, 4 home runs and 12 RBI, while getting on-base at a .402 clip and slugging .583 (.986 OPS)…France’s .986 OPS since May 22 ranks 12th in the American League during that span…overall this season, France is batting .282 (74×262) with 40 runs, 21 doubles, 6 home runs and 32 RBI with a .782 OPS…France ranks 3rd among qualified AL first basemen with a 124 wRC+, and his 21 doubles rank T3rd in the AL.
THE J-ROD SHOW…Julio Rodríguez recorded his team-leading 22nd multi-hit game in last night’s win, going 2-for-5 with 1 double and 1 run scored…over his last 22 games dating back to May 22, Julio is batting .309 (29×94) with 12 runs, 5 doubles, 5 home runs, 16 RBI and 4 stolen bases, getting on-base at a .337 clip and slugging .521 (.858 OPS)…overall this season, Julio ranks T8th among AL outfielders with 1.7 fWAR and has recorded 6 Outs Above Average in center field, which ranks T3rd among Major League outfielders…he is one of just 10 players in the Majors this season with 10+ homers and 10+ stolen bases.
THE PITCHING STAFF…the Mariners pitching staff leads the Majors in FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (10.9), ranking ahead of Minnesota (10.0)…Seattle pitchers also lead the big leagues in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.54), FIP (3.58), walks-per-9 innings (2.63) and home runs-per-9 innings (0.96)… Mariners starters rank 3rd in fWAR (7.5) behind Minnesota (8.1) and Philadelphia (8.0)…Mariners relievers also rank T2nd in fWAR (3.4), trailing only Baltimore (4.0).
WE WENT TO JARRED…Jarred Kelenic went 1-for-2 with 2 walks in yesterday’s game and is batting .263 (61×232) with 30 runs, 16 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 8 stolen bases and 24 walks in 64 games this season, getting on base at a .333 clip, slugging .483 with an .816 OPS…the 23-year-old outfielder leads the team in extra-base hits (28), slugging percentage and OPS.
STILL D.R.É.S….Andrés Muñoz has not allowed a run in 8 appearances this season, recording 1 save with 2 walks and 11 strikeouts in 7.1 innings out of the Mariners bullpen…the right-hander has not allowed a regular season home run in over a calendar year (June 10, 2022)…his homerless streak of 52.0 innings is the longest in the Majors among pitchers who have appeared in a game during the 2023 season.
BETTER CALL PAUL…in 29 appearances this season, Paul Sewald is 2-0 with 13 saves and a 2.54 ERA (8 ER, 28.1 IP) with 9 walks and 40 strikeouts…he is 13-for-14 in save opportunities…Sewald ranks among the top-10 American League relief pitchers in saves (13), strikeouts (40), strikeouts-per-9 innings (12.71), & fWAR (0.9) this season (min 20 IP)…Sewald leads the Majors in xERA (1.59) and xwOBA (.198), ranking ahead of Josh Hader-SD in both categories.
AS YOU MAY KNOW…Bryan Woo (9 SO), Matt Brash (3 SO), Andrés Muñoz (2 SO) and Paul Sewald (2 SO) combined to strike out 16 batters without issuing a walk in last night’s game, but…DID YOU KNOW?…that it was just the 5th time in franchise history that the Mariners have struck out at least 16 batters without issuing a walk?…the Mariners last accomplished the feat on 7/15/22 at TEX, striking out 17 batters without a walk…DID YOU ALSO KNOW?…it marks just the 2nd time in the Majors this season a team has combined to strike out 16+ without a walk, joining the Pittsburgh Pirates, who struck out 17 without a walk on 5/14/23 at BAL.
MARINERS STARTER – RHP LOGAN GILBERT
2023 MLB Breakdown:
W-L ERA G/GS IP H R ER BB SO HR
Overall 4-4 4.38 13/13 74.0 63 39 36 13 81 10
Home 1-3 4.11 5/5 30.2 22 16 14 3 35 6
Road 3-1 4.57 8/8 43.1 41 23 22 10 46 4
vs. CWS 0-0 0.00 0/0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ABOUT LOGAN GILBERT…
- The 26-year-old right-handed pitcher is scheduled to make his 14th start of the season and 1st against Chicago-AL…he will also make the 70th start of his MLB career and 4th career start against the Angels.
- Selected by Seattle in the 1st round (14th overall) of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft; signed by Mariners scout Rob Mummau.
- Spent 3 seasons at Stetson (FL) University, 2016-18…in 2017, was ASUN Pitcher of the Year and ASUN 1st-Team All-Conference.
- Was named the 2022 Mariners Most Valuable Pitcher by the Seattle Chapter of the BBWAA.
LAST TIME OUT…L#4 in 13th start of the season against Los Angeles-AL on 6/11, tossing 3.0 innings and allowing 7 runs (6 earned) on 8 hits (2 HR) with 2 strikeouts.
MARINER MILESTONES…with his 3 strikeouts in his last outing Logan moved into the top 20 in strikeouts in Mariners history…he ranks tied 18th with 383 strikeouts…he is tied with Jarrod Washburn and ranks behind Jason Vargas (442).
JOYOUS JUNE…has a 7-2 record with a 3.60 ERA (26 ER, 65.0 IP) with 15 walks and 63 strikeouts in 12 career starts in the month of June…his 3.60 ERA is the 4th lowest of any month in his career and his 6 quality starts are tied for the most in any month (also: Sept./Oct.).
CAREER-HIGH INNINGS…matched his career high in innings pitched on 5/25 against Oakland with 8.0…this was the 2nd time he has pitched 8.0 innings in a game, the first time coming in his last regular season start of 2022 also against Oakland.
7 STRAIGHT STRIKEOUTS…he struck out 7 consecutive batters from the 2nd4th innings on 5/8 against Texas…the streak of strikeouts tied a franchise record shared by Mark Langston (6/15/84) and Luis Castillo (9/7/22)…Logan finished the game with a season-high 10 strikeouts which is 1 off from his career-high.
K MORE WALK LESS…his 6.23 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranks 2nd in the Major Leagues and 2nd on the Mariners among pitchers with at least 13 starts this season…he trails only George Kirby who has a 11.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
FOURTH TIME AROUND…had a perfect game through 6.0 innings during his outing on 5/8 at Texas before allowing a leadoff single in the 7th…became the 4th Mariners pitcher this season to carry a no-hitter into the 6th inning…he joins Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, and Easton McGee.
STRIKEOUT STREAK…he has recorded at least 6 strikeouts in 10 of his 13 starts this season…in each of his first 7 starts, Gilbert recorded at least 6 strikeouts…this marked the first time in his career that he has pitched 7 straight games with 6+ strikeouts…the 7-game streak is tied for the 4th longest streak among starting pitchers in the Majors this season.
KEEPING THE BASES CLEAN…has allowed 78 baserunners through his first 13 starts this season which is the fewest in the Major Leagues among pitchers who have made at least 13 starts this season, ranking ahead of Joe Ryan-MIN (79).
AMONG MARINERS GREATS…with his 8 strikeouts in his outing on 4/18 vs. MIL Logan passed Randy Johnson for the 3rd most strikeouts through a pitchers first 60 Mariners starts with 330…he trails only Félix Hernández (351) and Erik Hanson (349).
ON A ROLL…Logan’s 81 strikeouts so far this season ranks second among Mariners starting pitchers… he trails only Luis Castillo (98)…he recorded 39 strikeouts in May which is a new career-high for the month…his 34 strikeouts in March/April were also a career high to start the season.
QUALITY AND QUANTITY…has recorded 7 quality starts this season which ranks tied 2nd on the team with Luis Castillo and trails only George Kirby (10)…had 16 quality starts in 2022 the 3rd most among Mariners starting pitchers and tied 16th in the AL with Dylan Cease-CHW and Shohei Ohtani-LAA …he trailed only Marco Gonzales and Robbie Ray who each had 18.
