Terra Incognita

These last two games against the Tigers show just how much things have changed for the White Sox, or, if you prefer, how they’ve made changes for games like these to happen. If this were 2023 or ’24 or ’25, they lose Friday night’s game in extra innings instead of having Miguel Vargas hit a two-run walk-off homerun. And yesterday, that 2-0 first-inning lead against Framber Valdez would’ve disappeared instead of turning into a 7-1 win for Anthony Kay. I mean, Grant Taylor pitching two perfect innings of relief with the game still on the line along with Edgar Quero, Colson Montgomery and Andrew Benintendi going deep late? It’s been awhile, to say the least. Same for today, with seven lefthanded hitters in the lineup against righty Keider Montero; there were years the Sox didn’t have seven lefthanded/switch hitters on the roster, and now this. Who is this team? We’re in the process of finding out.

Smallball, Longball

The White Sox beat the Tigers last night with a blend of smallball and longball. Trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth, Rikuu Nishida laid down a so-so bunt that pitcher Kyle Finnegan fielded without much trouble. Only Finnegan didn’t notice Andrew Benintendi’s lead off of third base while throwing Rikuu out at first. Benintendi timed his dash home perfectly to beat the throw from first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Then, in the bottom of the tenth, with two out and one on and the Sox down a run, Miguel Vargas walked off a homerun to left field off closer Drew Anderson. Sox 4 Tigers 3. This being the White Sox, of course some rain had to fall on the parade. It happened in the second inning when Munetaka Murakami beat the relay on an attempted double play, only Murakami suffered an apparently mild right hamstring injury. Did I mention injuries are opportunities for teams that are prepared? Rumor has it Jacob Gonzalez, the Sox first-round pick in 2023, is being called up. To say the 24-year old lefthanded-hitting infielder is having a monster year would be an understatement. Gonzalez is hitting .317 for Triple-A Charlotte with nineteen homers and 62 RBIs. Wow. Two wishes here, that Gonzalez seizes his opportunity and Murakami heels quickly.

Blossoms

Everything’s coming up roses for the White Sox right now. Davis Martin threw six innings of one-run ball; bargain-basement pickup Randal Grichuk hit a bases-clearing double during a four-run fourth inning; and the White Sox beat the Twins 6-2, taking three out of four games. What’s not to like? Well, Edgar Quero still isn’t hitting, as evidenced by an 0-for-3 day resulting in a .176 BA. And Jordan Leasure doesn’t seem to realize how lucky he is to be back up from Charlotte, not with two innings of work in two appearances totaling two runs and two innings. That’s no way to make a good impression, young man. But Tristan Peters went 3-for-4 with a swing that brought back memories of Clare in high school. Different hitting coaches back then had differing opinions on “squashing the bug,” or pivoting the back foot in the follow-through. Peters is a definite proponent of fully squashing the bug. Whatever works.

Opportunity Knocks

I’m a firm believer in injuries being opportunities; just ask Wally Pipp and Lou Gehrig. I know a good medium. Of course, it’s only an opportunity for organizations that have the wherewithal to plug in the talent. I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but the White Sox look to be reaching that stage, if David Sandlin’s debut in last night’s 15-2 Sox win is any indication. Two pitches in, and the 25-year old righthander was down 1-0, courtesy of yet another Byron Buxton homerun against the Sox (number 24, if you’re counting). But after Buxton, eighteen consecutive Twins went down without a hit or a walk. On the night, Sandlin needed just 61 pitches to get through six innings. Manager Vibes Venable did the right thing bringing in Brandon Eisert to start the seventh. Sandlin is a talent to develop, not waste. Chase Meidroth hit a grand slam in the seventh inning, with Munetaka Murakami going back-to-back four pitches later. Oh, and Sam Antonacci had himself a three-hit, three-RBI night. More, please.

Almost

The White Sox almost stole one from the Twins last night. Down 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth, rookie Rikuu Nishida led off with a single. One out later, Munetaka Murakami tied the game with a moonshot to right. In the tenth, Nishida may have entered the record books in the tenth inning with a second straight game recording an out-at-the-plate assist. Murakami nearly singled in the winning run, only for first baseman Josh Bell turn a one-hop smash into an inning-ending double play. Twins 5 Sox 3 in eleven innings. The big concern, at least for me, is hitting, as in the lack thereof. Outside of Sam Antonacci and Chase Meidroth, none of the regulars is close to .250, except for centerfielder Tristan Peters at .248, and he shouldn’t be a regular. This team isn’t going anywhere if Colson Montgomery can’t hit better than .222 or Miguel Vargas .233. For this I have no answers other than to offer that the Sox needs to steal more games like they might have last night until the hitting comes around, if it comes around.

A Shot in the Arm

Yes, Anthony Kay pitched six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 White Sox win over the Twins on a beautiful Memorial Day afternoon on the South Side. And, yes, Munetaka Murakami and Drew Romo both left the yard to power the offense. Oh, and Rikuu Nishida, a ball of nervous energy, if there ever was one. What a debut. The 5’6”, 25-year old rookie barely got the ball out of the infield in the fourth inning to record his first major-league hit, but, so what? Nishida, playing in the (very big, literally and figuratively) shadows of Harold Baines and Jermaine Dye, threw himself into the hearts of Sox fans by throwing a strike to nail Orlando Arcia at home as Arcia tried to score from second base on a two-out single by Alex Jackson. Wait, there’s more. Nishida recorded seven putouts on the day, the most ever by a Sox outfielder in his first game. Did I mention Nishida lost a shoe in making the throw or that he nearly made a great diving catch in the seventh inning? Or that Nishida wears number 51, in honor of Ichiro Suzuki? I didn’t find that out until listening to Nishida’s postgame comments. All game, I kept thinking of Terry Forster, shall we say a slightly larger number 51? Yesterday, it worked either way.

Monkey See

Erick Fedde put the White Sox in an early three-run hole Saturday; Noah Schultz put the Sox in an early three-run hole Sunday. The Sox came back to tie the game Saturday and chose to stick with Fedde, a show of faith that led to a Giant’s grand slam. The Sox came back to tie the game Sunday and chose to stick with Schultz, a show of faith that led to a Giants’ grand slam. San Francisco 8 Chicago 5. When Fedde leaves (sooner than later, unless GM Chris Getz is a complete masochist), it’ll be a DFA. If Schultz leaves (and I hope he can figure out things sooner than later), it’ll be a demotion to Triple-A Charlotte. So, there’s that. Speaking of DFAs and Charlotte, the Sox released outfielder Jarred Kelenic and promoted infielder Rikuu Nishida. The 25-year old lefthanded hitter can do two things, get on base and steal bases once he does. Nishida has a .410 career OBP with 110 stolen bases over three-plus seasons. Did I say infielder? Nishida, all 5’6” inches of him, will make his major-league debut today as a right fielder. Fingers crossed.