White Sox series preview: This team historically stinks!
The White Sox are one of the worst ever, and they’re getting worse.
The White Sox are bad. Really bad. You thought they were bad before, but they’re even worse now. They dropped 19 of 22 this month, and are currently mired in a 14-game losing streak. They’re on pace to tie the 1962 Mets for most losses in modern history, and they will likely trade some of their best players before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Kansas City Royals (57-49) vs. Chicago White Sox (27-81) at Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, IL
Royals: 4.62 runs scored/game (11th in MLB), 3.95 runs allowed/game (5th)
White Sox: 3.06 runs scored/game (30th), 5.07 runs allowed/game (29th)
The White Sox are 17-37 at home this year, and have only won four home series all year. The Royals have taken nine of ten from them this year, including two of three in Chicago back in mid-April.
White Sox hitters are dead last in baseball in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Only the Nationals have hit fewer home runs, only the Marlins walk less. Andrew Benintendi has been a free agent disaster - he has the third-lowest WAR of any position player in baseball. Eloy Jiménez has declined significantly, having not homered since May 14 and posting a groundball rate over 60 percent.
Former Royals infielder Nicky Lopez has the second-lowest hard-hit rate in baseball. Gavin Sheets is hitting .140/.170/.175 in 17 games this month. Paul DeJong is fourth among all shortstops with 18 home runs, although he has moved over to third to make room for rookie Brooks Baldwin.
The White Sox will throw the exact same three pitchers the Royals faced when they came to Kansas City earlier this month.
Chris Flexen has given up ten runs and seven walks in his last two starts, failing to get out of the fifth inning in either. The White Sox have lost 14 consecutive times when he starts. He has the third-lowest strikeout rate among starters with at least 100 innings. Lefties are hitting .272/.330/.561 against him, and 12 of the 18 home runs he has allowed have come to lefties.
Rookies Jonathan Cannon gave up four runs in six innings with no walks against the Royals earlier this month. He has pitched much better at home than on the road, with a 3.24 ERA in Chicago, with opponents hitting .242/.279/.391 against him. Cannon relies heavily on a sinker and sweeper, mixing in a cutter, change, and four-seamer, with a groundball rate of 47.9 percent.
Drew Thorpe tossed six shutout innings against the Royals earlier this month, but followed it up by giving up eight runs while recording just two outs against the Mariners his last time out. He throws a change up 34.6 percent of the time, and opponents are hitting just .167 against it with a 40 percent whiff rate.
The White Sox have the third-worst bullpen ERA at 4.69. They have struck out a fair amount of hitters, but have the highest walk rate. Closer Michael Kopech has converted just 9 of 14 save opportunities and is tied for the sixth-most home runs allowed by a reliever. His 98.5 mph fastball is one of the fastest in baseball, but he has a very high walk rate. Lefty Jared Shuster has the eighth-lowest strikeout rate of any qualified reliever and has given up 12 runs in 10 2⁄3 innings this month.
The Royals will face some talented young starting pitchers this series, but a sweep should be expected at this point. The White Sox have a terrible lineup, an awful bullpen, and show very little fight. The Royals have dominated the White Sox so far this year, but they need to keep it up to stay in contention.