CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:
WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
The Chicago White Sox have won four of their last seven games as they continue a seven-game trip this afternoon with the middle game at Oakland.
RHP Dylan Cease is scheduled to start for the White Sox, who are in fourth place in the American League Central, 5.5 games behind division-leading Minnesota.
The Sox are 2-3 on the trip, suffering a 7-4 loss last night to the A’s after splitting a four-game series at Los Angeles-AL.
Following tomorrow’s game and a day off on Monday, 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
Dylan Cease owns a 2.20 ERA (7 ER/28.2 IP) with 42 strikeouts in five starts since 6/3 and a 2.82 ERA (16 ER/51.0 IP) over his last nine starts (since 5/13) … his 2.20 ERA in June ranked fourth in the American League (see box at right).
Luis Robert Jr. is hitting .315/.382/.728 (29-92) with 11 home runs, 16 RBI and 20 runs scored in 24 games since 6/4.
The White Sox have scored 24 runs over the last three games, compared to 32 in their previous 11 (2.9 R/G).
The Sox rank second in MLB with a 3.48 ERA (151 ER/391.0 IP) in 44 games since 5/13 … the rotation ranks third in MLB during that span with a 3.63 ERA (95 ER/235.1 IP).
Andrew Benintendi is hitting .392/.436/.529 (20-51) in 13 games since moving into the leadoff spot on 6/17 at Seattle.
LAST NIGHT’S RECAP
Oakland scored four runs in the second inning and went on to record a 7-4 victory over the White Sox in the series opener.
Opener Tanner Banks suffered the loss, allowing four runs on five hits over 4.0 IP … Jesse Scholtens went the final 4.0 IP), giving up three runs on five hits.
Andrew Vaughn went 3-5 with a double and run scored, Andrew Benintendi was 2-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored, and Luis Robert Jr. hit his 24th home run, a solo shot off Trevor May in the ninth.
The Sox went 3-12 with RISP and left 11 runners on base.
SOUTHPAW SUCCESS
The White Sox are batting .271/.336/.440 vs. left-handed pitching since the start of the 2019 season … during that span, the Sox lead MLB in average, rank third in on-base percentage, fourth in OPS (.775) and seventh in slugging percentage.
Tim Anderson leads MLB with a .345 (154-446) average vs. left-handers since 2019.
JUNE BOON
The White Sox went 13-13 in June, ranking third in the American League with a 3.54 ERA.
Luis Robert Jr. ranked second in the AL with 11 home runs and a .677 slugging percentage and fourth with a 1.040 OPS.
Dylan Cease (4th, 2.20) and Lucas Giolito (6th, 2.32) ranked among the AL leaders in ERA.
WHITE SOX VS. OAKLAND ATHLETICS
The A’s lead the season series, 1-0.
The White Sox are 9-6 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 .324/.364/.592 (23-71) hitter with five home runs, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored in 19 games against the A’s, and Luis Robert Jr. is hitting .387 (12-31) in seven games.
RHPs Kendall Graveman (2015-18) and Liam Hendriks (2016- 20) and INF Elvis Andrus (2021-22) all played for the A’s.
Oakland defeated the Sox in the 2020 AL Wild Card Series.
LAST TIME HERE
Some notes from the White Sox last series at The Coliseum from 9/8-11/22:
Series: Collected 20-plus hits twice in a three-game span (9/8 and 9/10) for the second time in franchise history (6/19 and 6/21/74).
9/8 (14-2 win): 14 runs scored and 21 hits are the most recorded by the Sox in 309 games all-time at Oakland Coliseum … five homers matched the club record (9/27/81) … 12-run margin of victory matched the franchise record at the Coliseum (also 13-1 on 8/17/08) … Elvis Andrus (fi rst career leadoff HR) and Yoán Moncada led off the game with back-to-back home runs, marking the seventh time in franchise history the White Sox have accomplished that feat.
9/9 (5-3 win): Per STATS, the Sox posted their first win when trailing by three-plus runs entering the ninth since 4/20/15 vs. Cleveland (down 3-0) and first on the road since 4/6/11 at Kansas City (trailed 6-3).
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
The Sox are 8-13 vs. the American League West this season, including a 5-7 record on the road.
The Sox went 18-16 vs. the division last season and 16-17 in 2021 … they are 20-25 on the road vs. the AL West since 2021.
ARMS RACE
White Sox pitchers have recorded a 3.48 ERA (151 ER/391.0 IP) in 44 games since 5/13, the second-best mark in the major leagues … during that span, the Sox lead MLB with a .216 opponents average and rank seventh with a 1.21 WHIP.
A breakdown of the Sox pitching through their first 40 games of the season and last 44:
Games W-L ERA QS IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG OPS WHIP
Last 44 23-21 3.48 18 381.0 314 165 151 50 158 419 .216 .676 1.21
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 3.63 ERA with a .230 opponents average in 44 games since 5/13 … during that span, they lead MLB with an average of 10.25 strikeouts per 9.0 IP, rank second in opponents average and third in ERA.
During that 44-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 3.63 1.25 18 235.1 204 103 95 35 91 268 10.3 .230 .724
BULLPEN RELIEF
The White Sox bullpen has posted a 3.24 ERA (56 ER/155.2 IP) with a .195 (110-564) opponents average and 1.13 WHIP in 44 games since 5/13 … during that stretch, the bullpen leads MLB in opponents average, ranks fourth in WHIP and sixth in ERA.
The White Sox bullpen since 5/13:
W-L ERA WHIP SV IP H R ER HR BB SO HR/9.0 AVG OPS
11-8 3.24 1.14 9 155.2 110 62 56 15 67 151 0.87 .195 .600
GRAB SOME BENCH
The White Sox lead MLB with an average of 9.74 strikeouts per 9.0 IP (804 SO/742.2 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 43 of 84 games (51.2 percent), including 15 or more six times (0-6 record).
Lance Lynn (4th, career-high 10.88), Dylan Cease (5th, 10.84), Michael Kopech (7th, 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 97 home runs, including 27 over the last 16 games (23 solo), and are on pace to finish with 187.
By comparison, the Sox hit 68 homers over the first 84 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 – #84 DYKAN CEASE RHP
CEASE AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his 18th start of the season, ninth on the road and first against the Oakland Athletics.
Needs one win for 40 in his career.
Has allowed one run or less while tossing 5.0-plus IP in 27 starts since 2022 … the 27 starts are the most in baseball ahead of the Dodgers’ Julio Urías (23) and the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (23).
Is 1-1 with a 2.82 ERA (16 ER/51.0 IP) and .203 (38-187) opponents average in his last nine starts.
The White Sox are 9-8 in his starts this season … has recorded seven quality starts.
According to STATS, he is the fastest White Sox pitcher to reach 600 career strikeouts (495.1 IP).
Is tied for the MLB lead since 2021 in starts (81), ranks fourth in SO/9.0 IP (11.49) and in strikeouts (563) and 11th in opponents average (.210).
Was the 2022 AL Cy Young Award runner up and has been named American League Pitcher of the month twice in his career (June and July 2022).
LAST START
Received a no decision on 6/26 at Los Angeles Angels, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts over 6.0 IP … surrendered a solo home run to
Shohei Ohtani in the fourth inning.
Departed the game in the seventh with the score tied, 1-1 … threw 99 pitches (62 strikes) … the Angels walked off the White Sox with a wild pitch in the ninth.
Owned a 69.6 first-strike percentage and 16.2 swinging-strike percentage (17 swing and misses) vs. 23 batters … threw 48 sliders (86.7 mph avg; 89.3 mph max), 36
four-seam fastballs (95.1 avg; 97.7 max), 11 knuckle curveballs (81.5 avg; 84.0 max) and four changeup (74.2 avg; 75.5 max).
JUNE HEAT
Posted a 2.20 ERA (7 ER/28.2 IP) and .192 (20-104) opponents average in five starts last month.
Has gone 6-3 with a 2.61 ERA (25 ER/86.1 IP), .215 (70-326) opponents average and 124 strikeouts over 16 career starts in June … his 2.61 ERA is the lowest monthly
mark in his career.
Went 2-1 with a 0.33 ERA (1 ER/27.1 IP), .192 (19-99) opp. average and 45 strikeouts in five June starts in 2022 … was named American League Pitcher of the Month.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Is 9-4 with a 2.75 ERA (33 ER/108.0 IP) in his last 20 road starts, 12-6 with a 2.76 ERA (41 ER/133.2 IP) over his last 25 and 14-7 with a 3.06 ERA (55 ER/162.0 IP) in his last 30.
Ranks among MLB road leaders since 7/11/21 in strikeouts (4th, 208), wins (10th, 14), ERA (11th, 2.81) and opponents average (16th, .209).
UNDER PRESSURE
Opponents are hitting .219 (14-64) with RISP, .167 (6-36) with RISP/two outs and .222 (2-9) with the bases loaded this season.
Owns a career .209 (94-450) opponents average with RISP, the fourth-lowest mark in the majors since 2019.
OVER WORKED
Has thrown 1,665 pitches in 17 starts this season, the fifth-most in the majors … his 97.9 pitches per game are the eighth-most in baseball.
Is averaging 18.2 pitches per IP and 4.22 pitches per batter faced, the second and fourth highest marks in MLB respectively.
THE 2023 OPENER
Was the 70th pitcher and 41st right-hander to start on Opening Day for the White Sox.
Became the first White Sox to start OD following a Top 2 Cy Young finish since Jack McDowell in 1994 … McDowell won the American League Cy Young in 1993.
Tied a franchise OD record with 10 strikeouts (also McDowell in 1991).
Joined Walter Johnson (1916), Mike Mussina (1998) and Jared Weaver (2012) as the only pitchers in MLB history to record 10-plus strikeouts and no walks on OD.
VS. OAKLAND ATHLETICS || A.L. WEST
Is scheduled to make his fourth career start against Oakland and second at the Oakland Coliseum.
Earned the win in his last start against the Athletics on 9/8/22 at the Coliseum, allowing three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts over 6.0 scoreless IP.
Has tossed 6.0 IP in each of his three career starts.
Is 5-0 with a 1.37 ERA (9 ER/59.1 IP), .171 (36-211) opponents average and 80 strikeouts over his last 10 starts vs. the American League West, including a 0-0 mark
with 1.48 ERA (4 ER/24.1 IP), 34 strikeouts and a .182 (16-88) opponents average in four starts this season.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS NOTES:
No team release available.
