Game Thread: White Sox at Mariners

New month, new hopes?

The White Sox managed to score 19 runs while going 1-6 in February, just off of their 3.13 runs per game when it counted last season. So, facing a lot of minor league pitching hasn’t helped.

March is here now, though, so maybe the White Sox can come in like a lion against Seattle.

Shane Smith, who couldn’t find the plate and helped the Rangers to a nine-run first inning on Tuesday, will be first on the mound for the Sox, facing Emerson Hancock, a 2020 first-round pick who has yet to live up to that billing.

Luis Robert Jr. is again in the lineup as he continues to be auditioned for the 29 other teams; the audition hasn’t gone well, having started the spring with two hits. Missing from the lineup once again is Colson Montgomery, who had been a late scratch Thursday with back spasms the team says weren’t anything to worry about.

Michael A. Taylor, of the hitless in 2025 Taylors, was a late scratch and will be replaced in the lineup by yesterday’s game-ending pinch-hitter, Wilfred Veras.

First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Central. No local broadcast, but it’s theoretically one of the free games of the day at MLB.com via Seattle, and is also available as a Mariners radio feed.