CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:

WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
• The Chicago White Sox continue the 2023 season today against the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.
• RHP Lucas Giolito, who was 6-2 with a 3.83 ERA (36 ER/84.2 IP) on the road in 2022, is scheduled to start for the White Sox … RHP Mike Clevinger will start tomorrow’s series finale.
• The Sox have split the fi rst two games of this series, suffering a 6-3 loss last night after rallying on Thursday for a 3-2 victory in Pedro Grifol’s managerial debut.
• Following tomorrow’s game, the White Sox return to Chicago for a three-game, four-day homestand vs. the Giants (4/3, 4/5-6) before taking a six-game trip to Pittsburgh (4/7-9) and Minnesota (4/10-12).
• The White Sox play just three games vs. AL Central teams in April (4/10-12 at the Twins) … from 4/14-30, the Sox play 16 straight games vs. AL/National League East clubs.

TODAY’S STORYLINES
• The White Sox have outhit the Astros, 22-11, through two games of this series, but have left 20 runners on base.
• Sox starting pitchers own a 2.25 ERA (3 ER/12.0 IP) with 16 strikeouts and a .128 (5-39) opponents average.
• Lucas Giolito is 24-8 with a 3.24 ERA (107 ER/297.1 IP) and 357 strikeouts (10.8 per 9.0 IP) in 51 road starts since 2019.
• Elvis Andrus needs one hit to become the 290th player in MLB history to record 2,000.
• Since 2019, Tim Anderson leads MLB with a .345 (82-238) average in March/April.

LAST NIGHT’S RECAP
• Yordan Álvarez hit a three-run double off Jake Diekman with two outs in the seventh inning as Houston rallied from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the White Sox, 6-3.
• With two outs and the bases empty, Kendall Graveman loaded the bases on two walks and a single to set up Álvarez, who erased a 3-2 deficit with his game-winner off Diekman.
• Lance Lynn posted a ND, allowing two runs on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts over 5.2 IP … Lynn held the Astros scoreless until a two-run homer by Kyle Tucker in the sixth.
• The Sox built a 3-0 lead on RBI doubles by Eloy Jiménez in the first and Jiménez and Yoán Moncada in the sixth, all off Astros starter Cristian Javier.
• Moncada went 3-4, Tim Anderson was 2-4 with a run scored and stolen base, and Elvis Andrus collected his 1,999th hit.

OPENING DAY LEFTOVERS
• Pedro Grifol became the first White Sox manager to win his debut since Jerry Manuel in 1998.
• Dylan Cease became the fourth pitcher in American League history with no walks and 10-plus strikeouts on Opening Day, joining HOF Walter Johnson (1916), HOF Mike Mussina (1998) and Jered Weaver (2012) … ESPN Stats and Info.
• Cease recorded his 14th career double-digit strikeout game, tied with teammate Lucas Giolito for the fourth-highest total in White Sox history … his 10 strikeouts tied Jack McDowell (1991) for the most by a Sox pitcher on Opening Day.
• Elvis Andrus made his first MLB appearance at a position other than shortstop.
• Oscar Colás became the first White Sox player since Joe Hall in 1994 to record his fi rst MLB hit as a pinch-hitter.

HOME OPENER TIDBITS
• The White Sox open the home portion of their schedule on Monday vs. San Francisco (3:10 p.m. CT first pitch).
• White Sox great A.J. Pierzynski, 2005 World Series Champion and two-time MLB All-Star, will throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
• Grammy Award-winning artist Jon Secada will perform the National Anthem.
• A flyover will be performed by two United States Navy P-8A Poseidon Aircrafts.

AT THE HELM
• Pedro Grifol was named the 42nd different manager in White Sox history on 11/3/22, replacing Hall-of-Famer Tony La Russa … Grifol joins the Sox after a 10-year stint in Kansas City (2013-22), including the last three as the Royals bench coach.
• He is one of four current Latino managers in MLB, joining Boston’s Alex Cora, St. Louis’ Oliver Marmol and Washington’s Dave Martinez.
• Grifol has 23 years of professional baseball experience as a bench coach, hitting coach, winter ball and minor league manager, director of player development and scout … he has more than 600 career games of managerial experience.

WHITE SOX VS. HOUSTON ASTROS
• The season series is even at one game apiece.
• The White Sox are hitting .293/.329/.413 (22-75) with a 4.24 ERA (8 ER/17.0 IP) and have been outscored, 8-6.
• Including the postseason, the Sox have lost nine of their last 11 games at Minute Maid Park and are 5-17 since 2017.
• The Astros won the 2022 season series, 4-3, taking two of three games in Houston from 6/17-19 and splitting a four-game set in Chicago from 8/15-18.
• Houston defeated the White Sox in four games in the 2021 ALDS, while the Sox recorded a sweep in the 2005 World Series.

FAMILIAR FACE
• 1B José Abreu spent his first nine MLB seasons with the White Sox before signing with Houston in the off season.
• Abreu batted .292/.354/.506 (1,445-4,954) with 303 doubles, 243 home runs, 863 RBI and 697 runs scored in 1,270 games with the Sox … he ranks third in franchise history in homers and fifth in RBI and extra-base hits (562).
• Abreu was the 2014 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2020 AL Most Valuable Player.

WHITE SOX ROSTER BREAKDOWN
• The White Sox 26-man roster includes 13 pitchers (two LHP), two catchers, seven infielders and four outfielders.
• INF Elvis Andrus (14.0000) has the most service time, and SS Tim Anderson (2016-) is the longest tenured.
• LHP Garrett Crochet (Tommy John recovery) and RHPs Matt Foster (right fl exor strain) and RHP Liam Hendriks (Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma treatment) are on the 15-day injured list.
• INF Hanser Alberto, OF Andrew Benintendi, RHPs Mike Clevinger and Gregory Santos are new to the organization.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME
• The White Sox went 44-37 (.543) on the road in 2022, tied with Seattle for the fourth-best winning percentage in the American League and their best mark since going 52-29 in 2005.

27 STARTER LUCAS GIOLITO RHP

GIOLITO AT A GLANCE
• Is scheduled to make his 2023 season debut, marking his eighth season in the majors and seventh with Chicago.
• Was the White Sox Opening Day starter for the last three seasons (2020-22).
• Needs 27 strikeouts for 900 in his career … enters the 2023 season needing 138 strikeouts to become the 12th pitcher in White Sox history with 1,000.
• Finished sixth in the American League 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.

2022 SEASON RECAP
• Went 11-9 with a 4.90 ERA (88 ER/161.2 IP), .272 (171-628) opponents average and 177 strikeouts over 30 starts with the White Sox last season.
• Made 30 starts for the third time in his career and second straight season … ranked second on the team with 177 strikeouts, the first time he did not fan 200-plus batters in a full season since 2018 (125).
• Limited left-handers to a .217/.295/.335 (57-263) slash line … righties posted a .312/.370/.542 (114-365) line.
• Made his third consecutive Opening Day start on 4/8 at Detroit … received a ND after allowing one hit with six strikeouts over 4.0 scoreless IP … left the game with an abdominal strain on his left side … became the first Sox pitcher to start three consecutive season openers since LHP Mark Buehrle (four) from 2008-11, and the first RHP since Jack McDowell (four) from 1991-94.

ROAD WARRIOR LUCAS
• Is 4-0 with a 2.50 ERA (14 ER/50.1 IP), .229 (43-188) opponents average and 47 strikeouts in his last nine starts on the road … has allowed three runs or less in each of those starts.
• Has gone 24-8 with a 3.24 ERA (107 ER/297.1 IP), .226 (249-1,103) opponents average and 357 strikeouts in 51 road starts since 2019.
• Ranks among American League road leaders since 2019 in wins (3rd), strikeouts (3rd), ERA (3rd), opponents average (4th) and starts (T4th).

POSTING PUNCHOUTS
• Has recorded 14 career starts with 10-plus strikeouts, the fourth-most in White Sox history … needs one double-digit strikeout game to tie 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).

BITTEN BY THE LONG BALL
• Has allowed 51 home runs since the start of the 2021 season, tied for the eighth-most in baseball … is averaging 1.35 HR/9.0 IP during that span.
• Allowed a home run in 16 of his 30 starts in 2022 and multiple homers in seven … allowed 10 homers on the road and 14 at home … surrendered 16 home runs in the first half of the season, compared to just eight in the second half.

NOT A MORNING PERSON
• Is 2-3 with a 6.23 ERA (27 ER/39.0 IP), .307 (50-163) opp. average and 43 strikeouts in his last eight day starts.
• Has gone 24-19 with a 3.85 ERA (129 ER/301.2 IP), .227 (258-1,135) opponents average and 323 strikeouts in 54 career starts during the day.

VS. HOUSTON ASTROS || A.L. WEST
• Is scheduled to make his eighth career start against the Astros and fifth at Minute Maid Park.
• Has gone 0-2 with a 16.88 ERA (15 ER/8.0 IP) in his last two starts against Houston, allowing seven-plus runs in each of those starts.
• Started Game 2 of the 2021 ALDS in Houston, allowing four runs over 4.1 IP.
• Is 1-3 with a 7.00 ERA (28 ER/36.0 IP), .308 (45-146) opponents average and 40 strikeouts over his last seven starts vs. the American League West.

HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:

TODAY’S GAME: The Houston Astros, the reigning World Series champions, will play Game 3 of their 162-game season today in an afternoon matinee against the White Sox…a 13-game winner for the Astros a season ago, RHP José Urquidy will get the start for Houston today opposite RHP Lucas Giolito and the White Sox.

ABOUT URQUIDY:RHP José Urquidy is entering his fifth Major League season (2019-23) and is looking to build upon a solid 2022 campaign in which he set many career highs, including wins (13), starts (28), innings pitched (164.1) and strikeouts (134)…he also had a solid showing this Spring Training at the WBC, pitching twice for Team Mexico, including a 2.1-inning appearance (1ER) in Mexico’s semifinal game vs. Japan.
UPCOMING AWARD CEREMONIES: In a pregame ceremony prior to today’s game, 2B Jose Altuve and LF Yordan Alvarez will be presented with their 2022 Silver Slugger Awards and SS Jeremy Peña and RF Kyle Tucker will receive their 2022 Gold Glove Awards…prior to tomorrow’s game, Altuve, Alvarez, Tucker, RHP Ryan Pressly and LHP Framber Valdez will receive their 2022 First and Second Team All-MLB Awards.

RUN OF SUCCESS: In addition to capturing the 2022 World Championship, Houston has played in three of the last four and four of the last six World Series, earning two championships along the way (2017, 2022)…the Astros have also advanced to the ALCS an MLB-record six consecutive seasons (2017-22).

AT THE HELM: Astros skipper Dusty Baker celebrated his 26th career Opening Day as a manager on Thursday and his fourth at the helm in Houston…Baker, who ranks ninth all-time in managerial wins with 2,094 wins, has an outside shot of moving up to sixth all time by seasons end…en route, he’d have to surpass Joe McCarthy (8th, 2,125), Bucky Harris (7th, 2,158) and Sparky Anderson (6th 2,194).

VS. THE WHITE SOX: The Astros and White Sox played a pair of series against each other in 2022, with the Astros taking the season series 4-3…there is some history between these two organizations, including two postseason series, the 2005 World Series, won by the Sox in four games, and the 2021 Division Series, won by the Astros in four games.

FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE: Trailing 3-0 entering the bottom of the 6th, the Astros rallied for six unanswered to down the Sox by a score of 6-3…the Astros had a pair of huge hits late, a two-run homer by RF Kyle Tucker and a three-run double by LF Yordan Alvarez en route to the win…RHP Cristian Javier (3ER/5IP) started for Houston and was backed by four relievers, who tossed 4.0 scoreless frames…RHP Seth Martinez picked up the win, RHP Bryan Abreu the hold and RHP Rafael Montero t

ABOUT THE ROSTER: The Astros Opening Day roster includes 13 pitchers and 13 position players…seven players on the club are making their first appearance on an Opening Day roster: RHP Hunter Brown, C Yainer Diaz, IF David Hensley, OF Corey Julks, RHP Seth Martinez, OF Jake Meyers and C César Salazar… Julks and Salazar are making their MLB debuts.

BOMBS AWAY: RF Kyle Tucker connected for a two-run homer last night, which traveled 437’, making it the fourth-longest home run of his career and the furthest of his career at Minute Maid Park…Tucker’s homer is the second-longest hit homer in the Majors on the young season, trailing only the 442’ shot hit by LF Yordan Alvarez on Opening Day.

99 AND COUNTING: LF Yordan Alvarez connected for a solo homer on Opening Day, giving him 99 career home runs, the same total Astros TV broadcaster Geoff Blum hit in his illustrious career…with one more homer for Alvarez, he’ll become the 19th player in franchise history to reach the 100-homer mark.

AIR YORDAN: LF Yordan Alvarez is off to a characteristically strong start two games into the young season, as he’s 2×6 with a double, homer, four RBI and a .500 OBP…Alvarez is now just the seventh player in Astros history to drive in four-or-more runs through the first two games of a season.

FAMILIAR FACE, NEW PLACE: 1B José Abreu, who spent his first nine career seasons with the White Sox, joined the Astros this offseason on a three-year contract…he made his Astros debut on Opening Day and has gone 2×7 in the young season… Abreu was a three-time All-Star (2014, 2018-19) for Chicago and won the AL MVP Award in 2020.

JULKS SMASH: DH Corey Julks connected for his first Major League hit last night, a hard single off RHP Lance Lynn…he became just the 12th player in Astros history to collect a hit in his first career at-bat and the first since C Garrett Stubbs doubled in his first career at-bat on May 28, 2019 vs. CHC.

SEÑOR SCORELESS: RHP Bryan Abreu has worked scoreless innings in both games this season, recording four strikeouts in his 2.0 innings pitched…including his work in the 2022 post- season, Abreu has made 16 consecutive scoreless appearances, tossing 15.0 innings and recording 26 strikeouts in that span.

TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP JOSÉ URQUIDY
LAST SPRING START – 3/26/23 vs. STL: picked up a winning decision after allowing a run on 4 hits to go with 1 strikeout and 1 walk.

LAST START – 9/23/22 vs. BAL: struck out 6 batters through 5.1 IP and allowed just one run on three hits but received a losing decision in a 6-0 loss to the Orioles.

THE 2022 CAMPAIGN: reached career-highs in appearances (29), starts (28) wins (13) and strikeouts (134), while posting a 3.94 ERA (72ER/164.1IP)
• posted a 2.08 walks per 9.0 ratio (38 BB in 164.1IP) this year…ranked 9th in AL.
• was moved to the bullpen prior to his final start of the season and made his lone relief appearance in his final outing on 10/3 vs. PHI…prior to 10/3’s relief outing, made only 2 regular season relief appearances, which both came in Sep. 2019 (2ER/7IP)
• pitched in 1 game in the ‘22 postseason, appearing in relief in Gm 3 at Philadelphia…delivered 3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out 4 batters to 1 walk…helped the Astros bullpen cover important innings in the 7-0 loss as the team went on to win the next 2 games and seal the World Series title…the Astros bullpen allowed just 2 runs through 13 innings beginning with Urquidy’s appearance
• ranked 9th in the AL among qualifying pitchers with 2.08 walks per 9 IP

POSTSEASON RECORD BOOKS: holds numerous postseason records of foreign-born
players…leads all foreign-born players in MLB history with 3 World Series wins…has gone
3-0 with a 1.23 ERA (2ER/14.2 IP) in 5 World Series games…also just the 2nd Mexican-born
player to receive a winning decision as a starter in the World Series, joining LHP Fernando
Valenzuela (LAD, ‘81)
• through 12 career postseason games, has gone 3-2 with a 3.72 ERA (15 ER/36.1IP).

WITH THE ‘STROS: was originally signed by the Astros as an international free agent from Mexico on March 2, 2015…made his MLB debut on 7/2/19 with a start at Colorado…since his debut, has ranked 6th of AL pitchers (min. 325 IP) by averaging 1.89 walks per 9 IP.
• last name is pronounced “urr-KEE-dee”
• is on 11 Mexican-born players to appear in a game with the Astros…his 342.0 IP in his career is the most of any Mexican-born pitcher in Astros history, directly ahead of RHP Aurelio Lopez, who pitched 116.0 innings for the Astros in the 1986-87 seasons…his 24 career wins are 2ndmost of any active Mexican-born player in MLB, trailing only Dodgers LHP Julio Urías (50)
• appeared on his 3rd Opening Day roster with his Astros (‘21-23)

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT: is making his third career appearance (all starts) against the White Sox…had a dominant start against them in 2022 on Aug. 15 in Chicago, tossing 7.2 IP and allowing just one run to go with six strikeouts as the Astros went on to lose 4-2…it was his 2nd-longest outing of the season and longest outing in which allowing 1-or-less runs.