CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:
WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
The Chicago White Sox have lost three of their last four games, six of eight and nine of 13 as they open a six-game trip tonight at Tampa Bay.
RHP Michael Kopech is scheduled to start for the White Sox, who are in fourth place in the American League Central, but just 4.0 games behind division-leading Minnesota.
Following this three-game series, the Sox conclude the trip with three in Toronto (4/24-26) before returning to Chicago for seven games vs. the Rays (4/27-30) and Minnesota (5/2-4).
The Sox are coming off a 2-4 homestand vs. Baltimore (1-2) and Philadelphia (1-2), which ended on Wednesday with a 5-2 loss to the Phillies.
The Sox went 2-4 on their last trip to Pittsburgh (1-2) and Minnesota (1-2) from 4/7-12.
TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The White Sox begin a stretch tonight where they play 23 games in 24 days from 4/21-5/14, including 10 straight to end the month against Tampa Bay (seven) and Toronto (three).
The Sox are 8-4 at Tropicana Field since 2018 … six of their eight wins have come by one run.
The White Sox are hitting .204/.254/.335 (67-328) with 31 runs scored (3.1 R/G) over the last 10 games.
The Sox bullpen has allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts in 9.0 IP over the last two games (14 walks in 14.2 IP over previous four games).
Jake Burger has homered in four of his last six games … seven of Burger’s eight hits in 2023 have gone for extra bases, including fi ve home runs in 34 plate appearances.
Andrew Vaughn has reached base safely in 17 of his 18 games this season and has recorded a team-high nine games with a hit and RBI.
WEDNESDAY’S RECAP
Philadelphia defeated the White Sox, 5-2, in the deciding game of the series.
Mike Clevinger suffered the loss, allowing three runs on six hits over 3.0 IP (75 pitches) … Tanner Banks threw 3.0 IP in relief, giving up two runs with no walks and three strikeouts … Keynan Middleton (1.0 IP) and Gregory Santos (2.0) combined to retire all nine batters faced.
Andrew Vaughn gave the Sox a brief 2-1 lead with a two-run homer off Taijuan Walker in the first, but they were held scoreless on four hits over the fi nal eight innings.
For the third time in four games, the Sox scored multiple runs in the first before being held scoreless for the rest of the game.
White Sox pitchers walked one and struck out nine.
CLOSING OUT CANCER
White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, who is tied for second in MLB since 2020 with 89 saves, announced yesterday that he officially is cancer free … he completed his rounds of chemotherapy to treat Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on 4/5.
Hendriks and his wife, Kristi, launched an ongoing campaign inviting fans to purchase specially designed “Close Out Cancer” T-Shirts, with proceeds benefiting the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) and its Patient Aid Grants.
LOOKING TO RUIN A PERFECT TEN
For just the second time in franchise history, the White Sox are playing a road game against a team with a record of 10-0 or better at home (STATS).
The first such occurrence was on 5/18/51 when the Sox recorded a 7-4 victory at New York-AL, which entered the game with a 10-0 record at Yankee Stadium. Bud Stewart hit a game-winning grand slam off Spec Shea in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie … Nellie Fox went 2-4 with a
home run and two runs scored, and Minnie Miñoso was 2-5.
Billy Pierce threw a complete-game 11-hitter against a lineup that included Phil Rizzuto, Mickey Mantle, Gil McDougald, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Hank Bauer batting in the 1-6 slots.
WHITE SOX VS. TAMPA BAY RAYS
The White Sox went 4-2 against the Rays in 2022, winning two of three games in Chicago from 4/15-17 and two of three at Tropicana Field from 6/3-5.
The Sox batted .248/.293/.371 (50-202) with a 3.23 ERA (19 ER/53.0 IP) and were outscored by the Rays, 26-21 … all four White Sox victories came by one run.
Elvis Andrus is a career .307/.372/.445 (98-319) hitter in 86 games against Tampa Bay, and Andrew Vaughn owns a .349/.378/.442 (15-43) average in 11 career games.
FAMILIAR FACE
White Sox bench coach Charlie Montoyo spent 22 seasons (1997-2018) in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, including four on manager Kevin Cash’s staff as third-base coach (2015-17) and bench coach (2018).
Montoyo also managed 18 seasons in the Rays minor-league system from 1997-2014, including eight at Class AAA Durham (2007-14), compiling a 1,266-1,142 (.526) record. He led Durham to seven International League South Division titles, six trips to the International League finals, two Governors’ Cup Championships (2009, ‘13) and the Triple-A title in 2009 … his No. 25 was retired by the Bulls on 5/26/16.
Montoyo managed Class AA Montgomery from 2004-06, winning the Southern League championship in his final season.
FROM THE TRAINING ROOM
Matt Foster will miss the remainder of the 2023 season after undergoing successful Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.
INF Hanser Alberto (strained left quad), SS Tim Anderson (sprained left knee), LHP Garrett Crochet (Tommy John recovery), RHPs Matt Foster (right fl exor strain) Liam Hendriks (Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma treatment) and Joe Kelly (right groin strain) and 3B Yoán Moncada (lower back soreness) are on the injured list.
ON THE AIR
Gordon Beckham will fi ll in for Steve Stone in the NBC Sports Chicago booth for this six-game trip to Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Tomorrow’s game at Tropicana Field will be nationally televised on FOX with Jason Benetti and Tom Verducci on the call.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The White Sox are 48-43 (.527) on the road since the start of the 2022 season, the sixth-best winning percentage in the American League.
The Sox rank second in the AL during that span with a 3.56 ERA (311 ER/786.2 IP), trailing only Houston (3.07).
NO RISP, NO REWARD
The White Sox rank fourth in the American League with a .291 (46-158) average with runners in scoring position … Andrew Vaughn is batting .500/.600/.938 (8-16) with 13 RBI with RISP, and Andrew Benintendi is hitting .455/.500/.545 (5-11).
SOUTHPAW SUCCESS
The White Sox are batting .273/.339/.443 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 (.783) and fi fth in slugging.
Tim Anderson owns a .353/.383/.564 (141-399) slash line vs. LHP since 2019, while Hanser Alberto is hitting .343/.362/.483 (170-495) … during that span, Anderson and Alberto rank 1-2 in MLB in average vs. LHP.
Luis Robert Jr. is a career .354/.406/.626 (70-198) hitter vs. lefties … Jake Burger owns a .651 slugging percentage vs. LHP.
STARTER – #34 MICHAEL KOPECH RHP
KOPECH AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his fourth start of the season, second on the road and first vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.
Has gone 7-12 with 3.80 ERA (69 ER/163.1 IP), .214 (128-598) opponents average and 157 strikeouts in 36 career starts … is 3-3 with 3.90 ERA (24 ER/55.1 IP), .225 (47-209) opponents average and 80 strikeouts in 40 career relief appearances.
Has recorded 100-plus strikeouts in each of his last two seasons (2021-22).
Spent his first full season in the major leagues in 2021, pitching out of the bullpen (40 games) while making four starts … opted out of the 2020 season for personal reasons … missed the entire 2019 season recovering from Tommy John surgery (performed on 9/18/18 by Dr. Neal
ElAttrache).
Was acquired by the White Sox from Boston with OF Luis Basabe, RHP Víctor Díaz and INF Yoán Moncada in exchange for LHP Chris Sale on 12/6/16.
LAST START
Received a no decision on 4/15 vs. Baltimore, allowing three runs on six hits over 5.0 IP … struck out four and walked four … threw 97 pitches (58 strikes).
Surrendered two solo homers, one in the third inning to Jorge Mateo and one in the sixth to Anthony Santander.
Departed the game in the sixth after walking Austin Hays with no outs and the score tied, 2-2 … Hays scored on a Mateo RBI single off Sox reliever Keynan Middleton … Chicago would win the game, 7-6, on a walkoff single from Oscar Colás in the 10th.
Owned a 60.9 first-strike percentage and 6.2 swinging-strike percentage (seven swing and misses) vs. 23 batters … threw 65 four-seam fastballs (95.5 mph avg; 98.0 mph max), 25 sliders (85.3 avg; 87.6 max), four curveballs (88.1 avg; 89.6) and three changeups (88.1 avg; 89.6 max).
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
RUBBER GAME VICTORY — Tampa Bay defeated Cincinnati 8-0 on Wednesday afternoon, earning a series victory while recording its second straight shutout…RHP Drew Rasmussen threw 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts…LHP Josh Fleming tossed 3.0 scoreless relief innings, scattering a hit with no walks and three strikeouts while RHP Pete Fairbanks (1IP, 1H, 2BB, 2SO) extended his scoreless inning streak to 27.0IP.
1B Yandy Díaz (2-for-4, HR, RBI, BB, R) jump-started a six-run first inning, launching his second lead-off homer of the season (4/13 vs. BOS) and the ninth of his career.
DH Randy Arozarena (3-for-5, R, SB) set a season high with three hits while stealing his 59th bag as a Ray, tying Rocco Baldelli for the 10th most in franchise history.
The Rays have scored 6+ runs in a single inning four times this year after Wednesday’s six-run first inning (last, 7R, 5th inn., 4/13 vs. BOS)…Tampa Bay scored 6+ runs in a single inning five times all of last season.
With Wednesday’s 8-0 win, Tampa Bay became the first team in the modern era (since 1900) to have four shutouts, while scoring 8+ runs, in the first 19 games of the season (per OptaSTATS).
CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP — Tampa Bay has hit a major league-best 42 home runs, second most through a team’s first 19 games of a season in MLB history (since 1901) behind the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (44HR).
Tampa Bay has homered in each of its first 19 games, the second-longest streak to open a season in MLB history (since 1901) behind only the 2019 Seattle Mariners’ 20-game run…the 19-game run is a franchise record for the longest single-season home run streak, surpassing the 18-game run from 8/19-9/8, 2017.
The current MLB record for homers through 20 games is 47 HR, held by the 2000 Cardinals, followed by the 2019 Mariners (42HR).
GOOSE EGGS — The Rays have recorded a major league-leading six shutout wins this season, ahead of Milwaukee (4)…Tampa Bay is the fourth team since 1901 to record six shutouts in its first 19 games, joining Detroit in 1945, Cleveland in 1966 and Texas in 1981…the only team to record seven shutouts in its first 20 games was Detroit in 1945.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS — Tampa Bay has won 10 straight home games to open the season, the longest streak in the majors since the 2020 New York Yankees also won their first 10 home games…with a win tonight, the Rays would be the first club to win its first 11 home games to begin a season since the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers.
A win tonight would match Tampa Bay’s second-longest home win streak in franchise history, matching an 11-game run by the 2008 Rays from 4/22- 5/13.… the 2018 Rays hold the franchise record for most consecutive home wins at 12 from 8/9-9/10.
Since the beginning of the 2017 season, the Rays are 274-170 (.617) in home games, the fourth-best home winning percentage in the majors, trailing only Los Angeles-NL (303-145, .676), New York-AL (293-155, .654) and Houston (286-160, .641).
LOWE’S HOME (RUN) IMPROVEMENT — After entering the season with two homers in 181 career AB (90.5 AB/HR), Josh Lowe has belted 4 HR in 47 AB in 2023 (11.75 AB/HR).
He has hit safely in five straight games and reached base safely in each of his last eight games, slashing .379/.438/.793 (11-for-29) with three doubles, 3 HR and 10 RBI during the eight-game run.
DAY IN, DAY OUT—The Rays lead MLB in runs scored (133) while allowing the fewest runs (50)…Tampa Bay’s +83 run differential the best through the first 19 games of a season in MLB history (since 1901).
Since 1901, the current run differential record through 20 games is +81, done by the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates, followed by the 1905 New York Giants (+80).
Tampa Bay’s 133 runs scored are its most through 19 games in club history, ahead of the 2010 Rays (113R)…the Rays are one of 20 teams since 1901 to score 133+ runs through its first 19 games and the first since the 2003 New York Yankees (134R).
ON THE MOUND — Tampa Bay’s 2.57 ERA is the best mark in the majors ahead of Milwaukee (2.96)…this includes the best starter ERA (2.31) and fifth-best bullpen ERA (2.89)…Rays pitchers rank among MLB leaders in opponents’ OPS (1st, .554), opponents’ average (1st, .195), HR/9.0IP (1st, 0.43), WHIP (1st, 1.05), fewest pitches per IP (1st, 15.3), lowest average exit velocity (T2nd, 87.5 mph) and first-pitch strike pct. (2nd, 63.9%).
The Rays’ 50 runs allowed are second-fewest through 19 games in club history, behind the 2019 team (49R)…the club record for fewest runs allowed through the first 20 games is held by the 2019 Rays (55R).
IN THE BOX — Rays hitters lead MLB in runs scored (133), OPS (.903), slugging percentage (.542), extra-base hits (81), total bases (354) and batting average (.288)…Tampa Bay’s four games with 10+ runs pace the majors…the Rays have pushed across 7+ runs in 12 of their 19 games.
Tampa Bay is one of six teams to score 7+ runs in at least 12 of its first 19 games to start the season, joining the 1903 New York Giants (12G), 1928 New York Yankees (13G), 1929 New York Yankees (13G), 1930 New York Giants (12G) and 2000 Chicago White Sox (12G).
RAYS AND SOX — The Rays and White Sox meet this evening for the first of seven matchups this season, all of which take place over the next 10 days…Tampa Bay went 2-4 vs. Chicago-AL last season, including 1-2 at home.
REWRITING HISTORY — Prior to Friday night’s 6-3 loss in Toronto, the Rays became the fourth team in MLB history to begin a season 13-0, joining the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers (13-0), 1982 Atlanta Braves (13-0) and 1884 St. Louis Maroons (20-0)…it marked the longest win streak in club history, surpassing a 12-game run from 6/9-22, 2004.
The Rays won each of their first nine games by 4+ runs, the second-longest streak to open a season in MLB history behind the 1884 Maroons (13 straight)…ties the fourth-longest overall streak of 4+ run wins in MLB history and marks the longest since the 1939 New York Yankees (10G, 8/20-28, 1939).
Tampa Bay pitching strung together a 32.0 scoreless inning streak from 4/8-11, the longest streak in club history and longest single-season streak in MLB since St. Louis from 8/5-9, 2015 (38.0IP)…the streak included a franchise-record three consecutive shutouts (4/8-10) — Tampa Bay became the first club to record three straight shutouts within a single season since Cleveland in 2017 (8/25-27, 2017).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP CALVIN FAUCHER (0-0, 4.15)
CALLING ON CALVIN—Faucher takes the mound for his second consecutive start after making 26 relief appearances to begin his major league career…will mark his first career start at home…in seven career starts in the minor leagues, Faucher went 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA (13.1IP, 6ER).
NEXT MAN UP—Made his first career start on 4/15 at Toronto, yielding one run on two hits and a walk while striking out a pair in 2.2 innings of work…set career highs in both innings pitched and pitches thrown (42).
THIS AND THAT—Has held right-handed hitters to a .200/.273/.350 (4-for-20) clip compared to .357/.400/.571 (5-for-14) against lefties… opponents are batting .211 (4-for-19) against him following a first-pitch strike compared to .385 (5-for-13) when his initial offering is a ball.
THE ARSENAL—Faucher mainly utilizes his slider (49.0%) and sinker (41.9%), while mixing in his curveball (9.0%) primarily against left-handed hitters…relies on his slider as his strikeout pitch, inducing a 25.6 pct. whiff rate with a 17.9 pct. putaway percentage (rate of two-strike pitches resulting in a strikeout) on the offering.
