Money's Worth

The Red Sox paid big bucks, as in $170 million over six years, to extend Garrett Crochet, who rewarded them with 7.1 innings of no-hit ball against his old team. The White Sox responded by starting Shane Smith, their Rule-5 find. Ex-Sox, new-Sox Chase Meidroth broke up the no-hitter with a grounder that bounded past shortstop Trevor Story. Two batters later, the score was 2-1 Boston with White Sox runners on second and third. And the White Sox proceeded to get what they paid for. Journeyman Joshua Palacios struck out pinch-hitting for journeyman Jacob Amaya. Future journeyman Miguel Vargas—who struck out three times against Crochet, twice with what can only be called a lumberjack swing—followed with a harmless flyball to left field. Final score: Boston 3 Chicago 1. Let me be blunt—this team has next to no hitting, not on the major-league roster, at the very least, with the jury out on Triple-A prospects Colson Montgomery (who upped his average to .122 with two hits yesterday) and Kyle Teel (hot early but now batting .192). Hats off to Smith for putting up a 2.04 ERA in three starts over 17.2 innings. But you can’t win a game unless you score runs. And that the 4-11 White Sox have yet to show they can do.