CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:
WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
The Chicago White Sox have lost 13 of their last 20 games as they conclude a seven-game trip this afternoon at Oakland.
RHP Touki Toussaint is scheduled to start for the White Sox, who are in fourth place in the American League Central, 6.5 games behind division-leading Minnesota.
The Sox are 2-4 on the trip, losing the first two games of this series after splitting a four-game series at Los Angeles-AL.
Following today’s game and a day off tomorrow, the White Sox end the first half with a six-game homestand vs. Toronto (7/4-6) and St. Louis (7/7-9).
The Sox went 3-3 on their last homestand vs. Texas (1-2) and Boston (2-1) from 6/19-25 and 2-4 on their last trip to Los Angeles-NL (1-2) and Seattle (1-2) from 6/13-18.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
Luis Robert Jr. is hitting .330/.393/.732 (32-97) with 11 home runs, 16 RBI and 22 runs scored in 25 games since 6/4.
The White Sox have scored 30 runs over the last four games, compared to 32 in their previous 11 (2.9 R/G).
The Sox are 1-5 on the road this season against Kansas City (1-3) and Oakland (0-2).
The White Sox rank second in MLB with a 3.53 ERA (157 ER/400.2 IP) in 45 games since 5/13, but they have posted a 5.98 mark (29 ER/43.2 IP) over the last five games.
The Sox have given up 14 runs on 21 through two games of this series … the A’s entered the series averaging 3.5 runs per game and had gone 19 straight games without recording 10 hits.
Eloy Jiménez is hitting .429/.478/.810 (9-21) with two homers and six RBI over his last five games.
ROSTER MOVES
Prior to today’s game, the White Sox placed RHP Michael Kopech on the 15-day injured list (retro to 6/29) with right shoulder inflammation and selected the contract of RHP Bryan Shaw from Class AAA Charlotte … to make room for Shaw on the 40-man roster, the Sox transferred INF Romy Gonzalez (right shoulder inflammation) to the 60-day injured list.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Tyler Wade scored from second base on Elvis Andrus’ fielding error with two outs in the 10th inning as Oakland recorded a 7-6 victory over the White Sox.
The Sox scored three runs in the eighth to take a 6-4 lead and briefly took a 10-4 lead on a Tim Anderson grand slam that would have marked his first home run of the season before being overturned after review … the A’s tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a balk by Joe Kelly and infield single by Tony Kemp.
Eloy Jiménez went 2-3 with a solo homer (No. 11) and two RBI, and Luis Robert Jr. was 3-5 with a double, two runs and a steal.
Dylan Cease posted a ND, allowing three runs on six hits over 5.1 IP … Kendall Graveman retired the first two batters in the 10th prior to the Andrus error.
ROBERT SHOOTING FOR THE STARS
CF Luis Robert Jr., the reigning American League Player of the Week, is attempting to make his first All-Star Team … the All-Star Game will be played on 7/11 at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.
Some notable information from Robert’s season to date:
Attempting to become the first Sox CF to make the All-Star Team since Chet Lemon in 1978-79;
Ranks among the AL leaders in home runs (2nd, 24), extra-base hits (2nd, 44), slugging percentage (2nd, .574), total bases (3rd, 179), OPS (3rd, .907), runs scored (4th, 59), defensive runs saved (4th, 9) and games played (T6th, 82);
On pace for 46 home runs, 88 RBI, 113 runs scored, 86 XBH and 341 total bases … 46 homers would rank second in Sox history behind Albert Belle (49 in 1998), 113 runs scored would be the most since Magglio Ordóñez (116) in 2002, 86 XBH would tie Ordóñez (2002) for third in Sox history, and 341 TB would rank fifth in Sox history.
His 24 home runs are the most by a Sox player in the first half since Todd Frazier (25) in 2016, 59 runs scored at the most since Alejandro De Aza (59) in 2012, .574 slugging percentage and 45 XBH are the most since Abreu (.630 SLG and 50 XBH) in 2014, and 179 TB are the most since Abreu (180) in 2019;
Is hitting .309/.373/.662 (63-204) with 15 doubles, 19 homers, 33 RBI and 45 runs scored in 54 games since 5/1;
Ranked second in MLB with 11 homers in June, the most by a Sox player in a single month since José Abreu hit 11 in August 2020;
Named AL Player of the Week for 6/19-25 (first career weekly honor) after hitting .444/.524/1.111 (8-18) with four home runs, five RBI and six runs scored in six games;
One of five players in Sox history (8x) to record 20-plus doubles and homers before the break, joining Frank Thomas (1993-94, 2003), Abreu (2014, ’19), Jermaine Dye (2008) and Ordóñez (2000);
Is hitting .358/.434/.716 (24-67) with six doubles, six home runs and a AL-best 1.151 OPS vs. LHP.
WHITE SOX VS. OAKLAND ATHLETICS
The A’s lead the season series, 2-0.
The White Sox are 9-7 against the Athletics since 2021 after going 4-15 from 2017-19.
The Sox went 5-2 in 2022, winning two of three games at home from 7/29-31 and three of four in Oakland from 9/8-11, their first series win at The Coliseum since 2016.
Eloy Jiménez is a career .338/.383/.635 (25-74) hitter with six home runs and 15 RBI in 20 games against the A’s, and Luis Robert Jr. is hitting .417/.432/.611 (15-36) in eight games.
Oakland defeated the Sox in the 2020 AL Wild Card Series.
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
The Sox are 8-14 vs. the American League West this season, including a 5-8 record on the road.
The Sox went 18-16 vs. the division last season and 16-17 in 2021 … they are 20-26 on the road vs. the AL West since 2021.
CLOSE CALLS
Thirty-eight of the White Sox 85 games (44.7 percent) this season have been decided by two runs or less … the Sox are 12-13 in one-run games and 5-8 in two-run games … 25 of their last 27 games have been decided by four runs or less.
ARMS RACE
White Sox pitchers have recorded a 3.53 ERA (157 ER/400.2 IP) in 45 games since 5/13, the second-best mark in the major leagues … during that span, the Sox lead MLB with a .218 opponents average and rank eighth with a 1.22 WHIP.
A breakdown of the Sox pitching through their first 40 games of the season and last 45:
Games W-L ERA QS IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG OPS WHIP
Last 45 23-22 3.53 18 400.2 325 172 157 51 164 429 .218 .681 1.22
First 40 13-27 5.66 12 351.2 366 241 221 65 167 385 .263 .817 1.52
ROTATION SENSATION
White Sox starting pitchers own a 3.66 ERA with a .231 opponents average in 45 games since 5/13 … during that span, they lead MLB with an average of 10.21 strikeouts per 9.0 IP and rank third in ERA and opponents average.
During that 45-game stretch, Sox starters have made eight scoreless outings, have allowed one earned run 10 times and two earned runs nine times … the rotation since 5/13:
W-L ERA WHIP QS IP H R ER HR BB SO SO/9.0 AVG OPS
12-13 3.66 1.26 18 240.2 210 106 98 35 94 273 10.2 .231 .728
GRAB SOME BENCH
The White Sox lead MLB with an average of 9.74 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (814 SO/752.1 IP), which would be the second-highest total in franchise history behind the 2021 club (10.18).
Sox pitchers have struck out 10-plus batters in 44 of 85 games (51.8 percent), including 15 or more six times (0-6 record).
Lance Lynn (4th, career-high 10.88), Dylan Cease (5th, 10.71), Michael Kopech (8th, 10.15) and Lucas Giolito (10th, 9.79) all rank among the AL leaders in strikeouts per 9.0 IP.
LONG BALL
The White Sox rank sixth in the American League this season with 98 home runs, including 27 over the last 16 games (23 solo), and are on pace to finish with 187.
By comparison, the Sox hit 69 homers over the first 85 games of 2022 and finished the season ranked 10th in the AL with 149.
Luis Robert Jr. (2nd, career-high 24) and Jake Burger (T6th, career-high 17) rank among the AL leaders this season.
STARTING PITCHER – #47 TOUKI TOUSSAINT RHP
TOUSSAINT AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his 25th career start and second start against Oakland (third appearance).
Has pitched to a 0-1 record with a 3.60 ERA (4 ER/10.0 IP), .133 (4-30) opponents average, nine walks and eight strikeouts in 2023 with Cleveland and Chicago.
Was claimed off waivers by the White Sox on 6/20 after being designated for assignment on 6/17 by Cleveland l Opposing hitters are batting .222/.263/.333 (4-18) with RISP and .250/.250/.250 (2-8) with RISP/2-outs this year.
Made his major-league debut on 8/13/18 with Atlanta vs. Miami, allowing one run on two hits over 6.0 IP.
Originally selected by Arizona in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft.
START YOUR ENGINES
Will be making his 25th career start and second.
Has gone 5-8 with a 5.37 ERA (65 ER/109.0 IP), .233 (9-200) opponents average, 63 walks and 113 strikeouts in his 24 starts (five quality).
Last started on 6/16 at Arizona with Cleveland … suffered the loss after allowing two runs on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts over 3.2 IP.
Has made just three starts since the start of the 2022 season, going 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA (6 ER/11.1 IP).
START STRONG
Holding batters to a .197/.356/.320 (40-203) slash line across his career in his first IP.
First batters faced are hitting .188 (6-32) while he is limiting opponents to a .196/.336/.360 (74-378) slash line the first time through the order.
DEBUT ON 35TH AND SHIELDS
Made his White Sox debut on 6/21 vs. Texas, spinning 4.0 hitless IP with two walks and four strikeouts.
Became the second Sox pitcher in franchise history to throw 4.0-plus hitless IP in his White Sox debut, joining Wilson Álvarez who threw a no-hitter on 8/11/91.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS NOTES:
ABOUT THE A’S: Have won the first two games of this series and will be going for their second series sweep of the season today…swept a three-game series at Milwaukee June 9-11 but have been swept 11 times…have won three of the last five games, are 4-4 over the last eight and 11-12 over the last 23… including this series, the A’s are 4-5-1 over the last 10 series after going 1-16 over the first 17 series…have a record of 23-62 (.271) and the winning percentage is the lowest in the majors behind the Royals (24-59, .289)…the last two Major League teams to finish with a winning percentage under .290 are the 2003 Tigers (43-119, .265) and 1962 Mets (40-120, .250).
WINNING LATE: The A’s have scored the winning run in their final at bat in 12 of their 23 victories…had their sixth walk-off win of the season yesterday, which is tied for second most in the majors to the White Sox (7)…played their 11th extra inning game of the season yesterday, which is tied for fourth most in the majors…are 5-6 (.455) in extra innings…are tied for third in losses and tied for fifth in wins…have 11 wins when tied or trailing after seven innings, which is tied for fifth most in the majors…are 12-5 when leading after seven innings.
RUN DIFFERENTIAL: Five of the A’s last six wins and 14 of 23 overall have been by one run…11 of the A’s last 21 games have been decided by one run and Oakland is 6-5 in those one-run games…are 14-16 (.467) in one-run games overall…are tied for second in the majors in one-run losses, rank third in games (30) and tied for sixth in wins…however, are 9-46 (.164) in games decided by two or more runs, including 1-17 in games decided by six runs or more…have a run differential of -236, which is the lowest in the majors…had a run differential of -202 all last year, which was second lowest in Oakland history (-287 in 1979).
OFFENSE: The A’s have collected two triples in each of the last two games, which marks the first time in Coliseum history the A’s have logged back-to-back multiple-triple games…it’s the first time the A’s have recorded back-to-back multi-triple games at any point since May 3-4, 1982…have reached double figures in hits in back-to-back games (21-for-72, .292) after going an Oakland-record 19 consecutive games with fewer than 10 hits…are now batting .209 (274-for-1314) with 25 home runs over the last 41 games dating back to May 17 after hitting .230 with 52 home runs over the first 44 contests…are hitting .220 for the season, which is the lowest mark in the majors…have hit under .223 once in Athletics history and that was last year (.216)…also rank last in the majors this year in slugging (.351), OPS (.651), runs scored (300) and extra base hits (201)…are tied for the second fewest doubles (112), have the third lowest on-base percentage (.300), the fourth most strikeouts (779) and the seventh fewest home runs (77)…lead the majors in sacrifice hits (17) and rank third in hit by pitches (46)…have been shut out nine times, which is tied for third most.
IN THE PINCH: A’s pinch hitters are 8-for-20 (.400) over the last 13 games and 23-for-80 (.288) with three doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and 10 walks overall…lead the majors in hits, are tied for third in plate appearances (91), rank fourth in walks (10), tied for fifth in extra base hits (5), doubles and home runs and tied for sixth in RBI.
PITCHING: The A’s have compiled a 6.68 ERA (46 er in 62.0 ip) over the last seven games and have a 6.04 ERA overall, which is the highest in the majors… the highest in Athletics history is 6.07 in 1936…have the highest opponents on-base percentage this year (.362), the second highest OPS (.831) and slugging percentage (.469) and third highest batting average (.273)…lead the majors in most walks (374), home runs (124), hit batters (55) and wild pitches (41) and have the seventh fewest strikeouts (664).
STARTING PITCHING: A’s starting pitchers are 2-8 with a 4.81 ERA (42 er in 78.2 ip) over the last 16 games and are 8-40 with a 6.31 ERA for the season…the ERA is second highest in the majors (Rockies, 6.46) and the wins are the fewest…the fewest wins from a starting rotation in a full season in Major League history is 21 by the Pirates last year…have tossed seven innings or fewer in each game this year and have the fourth fewest innings pitched (395.0).
THE BULLPEN: The A’s bullpen is 2-4 with three saves, three blown saves and a 5.51 ERA (40 er in 65.1 ip) over the last 16 games…has a 5.75 ERA for the season, which is the highest in the majors…leads the majors in losses (22)… has converted 13-of-28 (46.4%) save opportunities, which is the lowest percentage in the majors…has the third fewest saves and is tied for the eighth most blown saves (15)…has 354.0 innings pitched, which is the most…has allowed 64-of-155 (41.3%) inherited runners to score, which is the second highest percentage…has the third most inherited runners.
ON THE BASES: The A’s have seven steals in the last three games and are 86-for-104 (82.7%) in stolen base attempts for the season…rank third in the majors in steals, fourth in attempts and sixth in percentage…the A’s 86 steals have already surpassed their season total of 78 from last year and are two \short of their total from 2021 (88)…A’s opponents are 11-for-24 (45.8%) in stolen base attempts over the last 22 games and are 59-for-90 (65.6%) for the season, which is the second lowest success rate in the majors…the 31 caught stealings are eight more than any other team…A’s pitchers have 10 pickoffs, which is second most (Yankees, 12).
HOME AND AWAY: The A’s are 3-2 on this six-game homestand against New York-AL (1-2) and Chicago-AL (2-0)…with a win today, the A’s would record their first winning homestand of more than one series since going 6-2 against Detroit, Texas and Houston in the first series after the All-Star Break last year (July 21-27)…have not swept a home series since going 3-0 against the Angels to close out the 2022 season (Oct. 3-5)…are 12-31 (.279) at home, which is tied with the Royals for the lowest home winning percentage in the majors…leave for the final road trip before the All-Star Break following the game today, a six-game trip to Detroit (three games) and Boston (three games) that begins on Tuesday…went 1-5 on the last road trip to Cleveland (0-3) and Toronto (1-2) and are 11-31 (.262) on the road, which is the worst road record in the majors…have compiled a 5.23 ERA (232 er in 399.0 ip) at home compared to 6.97 on the road.
A’s IN JUNE: The A’s went 10-16 (.385) in June after going 6-23 (.207) in May and 5-23 (.179) in April…have the eighth worst record in the majors in June after posting the lowest mark in April and May…finished with a losing record in June for the second consecutive year (went 5-21 in 2022)…have posted a losing record in each of the last five full months and nine of the last 10…had a run differential of -42 after posting a mark of -78 in May and -118 in April… had a 4.77 ERA, which was fifth highest in the majors…logged the highest ERA in the majors in May (5.54) and April (7.97)…yielded just 24 home runs, which was fourth fewest…surrendered 50 home runs in April and 49 in May… batted .220, which was third lowest in the majors and third lowest in June in Oakland history (.209 in 2022 and .216 in 1982)…ranked last in the majors in slugging (.340), had the second lowest OPS (.638), second fewest extra base hits (59) and home runs (19) and fourth fewest runs (86)…stole 30 bases, which was third most in the majors and the most by an A’s team in June since 1984 (39).
A’S VS. WHITE SOX
- The A’s have won the first two games of this series and will be going for the first three-game sweep of the White Sox since July 12-14, 2019.
- Went 2-5 against Chicago last year and have lost the season series in each of the previous two years.
- Are 29-27 against Chicago dating back to 2014…that includes 16-12 in Oakland and 13-15 in Chicago.
- Have won 13 of the last 17 games in Oakland and have dropped five of the last seven in Chicago.
Year Home Road Totals
2023 2-0 0-0 2-0
2022 1-3 1-2 2-5
Oakland History: 324-299
at the Coliseum: 172-142
at Guaranteed Rate Field: 70-69
All-Time: 801-1162
TODAY’S TIDBITS
Ryan Noda leads the American League and is tied for third in the majors in walks (56)…ranks 11th in the majors in on-base percentage (.384)…leads Major League rookies in on-base percentage (.384) and walks (56)…Esteury Ruiz stole his 42nd base of the season yesterday, which ties the Athletics rookie record set by Mitchell Page in 1977…leads the majors in stolen bases (42), is tied for third in hit by pitches (12) and ranks fifth in batting with runners in scoring position (.382)…leads ML rookies in stolen bases (42) and hit by pitches (12), ranks third in hits (84), tied for third in doubles (19) and seventh in RBI (33).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: Paul Blackburn (1-0, 3.77 ERA)
FOR STARTERS: Was reinstated from the injured list May 29 and is scheduled to make his seventh start of the season…began the year on the 15-day IL with a right middle fingernail avulsion…had no decisions, a 7.50 ERA and 1.012 OPS in six rehab starts with Single-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas.
DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Picked up his first win of the season in his last start last Tuesday against New York (AL)…it was his first decision of the season after beginning the year with five no decisions over his first five starts…the season-opening streak of five consecutive starts without a decisions matches the longest such streak in Oakland history (Mike Oquist, 1998).
HOME AND AWAY: Is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA (4 er in 15.0 ip) and .729 opponents OPS in three starts at home compared to 0-0 with a 5.06 ERA (9 er in 16.0 ip) and .793 OPS in three starts on the road…last year, he was 1-5 with an 8.31 ERA and .975 OPS in eight starts at home compared to 6-1 with a 2.12 ERA and .611 OPS in 13 starts on the road…had the highest home ERA in Oakland history among pitchers with 30 or more innings at home…using the same minimum, he had the highest home ERA in the majors in 2022…his road ERA was fourth lowest in the AL among pitchers with at least 70.0 road innings… yielded nine home runs in 39.0 innings in Oakland, six in 72.1 innings on the road…is now 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA and .742 OPS in 31 career games on the road, 5-9 with a 6.16 ERA and .838 OPS in 26 games at home.
THIS AND THAT: The A’s are 3-3 in his starting assignments…has allowed one run or fewer in three of his six starts and has walked two batters or fewer all six times…the opponents two through five hitters are batting a combined .407 (24-for-59) while the six through nine hitters are 8-for-51 (.157)…now has a .298 (154-for-516) career average against the two through five hitters compared to .258 (116-for-449) against the six through nine hitters…has not committed an error in his six start and seven total chances…did not make an error last year and his 21 total chances tied for fifth most among American League pitchers with no errors.
2023 DAY-BY-DAY: Began the season on the 15-day injured list with a right middle fingernail avulsion…made three rehab starts with Single-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas from April 7-16 before his rehab assignment was halted…resumed on May 14 and made three more starts with the Aviators… had no decisions, a 7.50 ERA and 1.012 OPS in six rehab starts overall when he was reinstated from the IL on May 29…started and had a no decision that day in a 7-2 A’s loss to Atlanta in Oakland…it was his first Major League appearance since a start on Aug. 4, 2022 at Los Angeles (AL)…logged a season-low 4.0 innings and walked a season-high two…allowed a season-high five runs in 5.0 innings and walked a season-high tying two in a no decision on June 4 at Miami…tossed a season-high 6.0 scoreless innings June 10 at Milwaukee but had a no decision in the A’s 2-1, 10-inning win…left with a 1-0 lead but Lovelady allowed a run in the eighth for the blown save…struck out a career-high nine batters in 5.2 innings on June 15 against Tampa Bay but had a no decision in the A’s 4-3 loss…logged a season-high 104 pitches…allowed a season-high nine hits on June 21 at Cleveland.
LAST START: He was the winning pitcher in the A’s 2-1 win over New York last Tuesday in Oakland…blanked the Yankees on two hits over the first four innings and had a 2-0 lead when he allowed a lead-off home run to Donaldson in the fifth…that was the only run he would allow in 5.1 innings of work.
