Chicago White Sox slugger, first baseman/designated hitter Munetaka Murakami, has been on a tear to begin the year.

More News: Chicago White Sox return prospect to the Red Sox

Early into his big league career, Murakamai has mashed four home runs. According to MLB’s Sarah Langs, the 26-year-old’s four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player through their first eight games.

Murakami’s fourth home run came against Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Brandon Little. In the top of the sixth inning of Saturday’s game. Little threw Murakami a 1-0 sinker that ran back across the plate. Muraki didn’t miss and sent the pitch 431 feet to dead center field for a two-run homer.

Munetaka Murakami’s four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player in his first 8 career MLB games https://t.co/XYcYOjI9LT

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 4, 2026

Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery have proven to be the Chicago White Sox’s source of power

Murakami is settling into hitting at the top of the order. So far, he is the White Sox leader in home runs and RBI (seven). Shortstop Colson Montgomery is second after hitting his second home run in the same inning as Murakami.

Montgomery’s first home run was a grand slam against the Milwaukee Brewers. Little again threw a hanging sinker on a 3-1 count that Montgomery didn’t miss and deposited over the right field fence.

round trip for Colson Montgomery pic.twitter.com/tXXTsdaEwJ

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 4, 2026

The White Sox ranked 23rd in home runs last season (165). This means the White Sox will rely on Murakami (24 last season) and Montgomery (21) to continue to generate the team’s power.

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Coming off a win in their home opener, the Chicago White Sox look to win two in a row against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Anthony Kay will try to get his first win in five years while pitching for the Chicago White Sox

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Despite the game having to go into extra innings, the Chicago White Sox won their home opener 5-4. Facing the reigning American League champions, the Toronto Blue Jays, a critical bunt by outfielder Derek Hill and a single by outfielder Tristan Peters sealed the victory.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect’s performance may force a tough decision

The White Sox’s resilient win came on the heels of manager Will Venable saying his team “needed to be better.” The White Sox currently have a Major League-worst 2-5 record and had a terrible road trip (1-5) to begin the season.

TRISTAN. PETERS. pic.twitter.com/GaBlnobkNe

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 3, 2026

Sean Burke’s bounce-back performance was key for the Chicago White Sox to win

Sean Burke’s first outing against the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t go well. He allowed seven hits, four runs (three earned), walked one, and struck out five in 4.0 innings. However, Burke showed some growth pitching against the Blue Jays. Burke told reporters postgame that he’s “trying to stay on my plan.”

“I think it’s been big,” Burke said to the media postgame. “I think that this year, just trying to stay on my plan and continuing to attack hitters and not let a couple hits or whatever it might be rattle me, and just trying to continue to flood the zone and make good pitches every single time out, I think the focus component, just being super, super focused on what I want to do with each pitch, and just being intentful behind it has been helpful.”

The 26-year-old threw six strong innings, allowing one run (earned), walking none, and striking out seven. Burke pitched behind right-hander Grant Taylor, who was the opener.

Right-handers Jordan Leasure and Seranthony Dominguez and left-hander Sean Newcomb also pitched well following Burke. Combined, all three went 3.0 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs (three total), walked one, and struck out three. 

According to ESPN, Taylor is the probable pitcher for Game 2 on Saturday. Left-hander Anthony Kay will likely be the “bulk” guy. Kay is also coming off a tough outing against the Brewers — Kay went 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, two earned runs, four walks, and struck out five on 92 pitches.

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The Chicago White Sox got off to a poor start to begin the season.

More News: Chicago White Sox prospect’s performance may force a tough decision

Starting 1-5 on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Miami Marlins, manager Will Venable said his team “needs to be better.”

“However you want to characterize it, we fell short, right? And I think, you know, our message to the guys is that we need to be better,” Venable said before the home opener on Friday to 104.3 The Score.

White Sox manager Will Venable on his message after a disappointing start: “We’re moving forward.” pic.twitter.com/3n9OHfhu5k

— 104.3 The Score (@thescorechicago) April 3, 2026

The White Sox’s pitching staff pitched poorly and ranks as the worst staff in baseball (8.63 ERA). The White Sox also gave up the most earned runs in the early goings (47).

The road ahead won’t get easier for the Chicago White Sox

Despite being back home, the White Sox welcome in some tough American League East opponents. The White Sox open a three-game series on Friday versus the reigning American League Champions, the Toronto Blue Jays (4-2). The Baltimore Orioles come to town on Monday (3-3, April 6-8).

The Blue Jays’ starting rotation has been hit hard with injuries. Right-hander Cody Ponce sprained his right ACL on Monday and will miss time.
The Blue Jays were already without right-handers Trey Yasavage (right shoulder impingement), Jose Berrios (right elbow stress fracture), and Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation) to begin the year.

Maybe now that they’re back at home and the Blue Jays are down some of their better arms, the White Sox could finish the home stand at .500.

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Entering this offseason, the Chicago Cubs needed to address one aspect of their roster. Starting pitching.

More News: Chicago Cubs reportedly interested in high-profile free agent closer

The free-agent market offers a few interesting options for the Cubs to add to their rotation, but it will come down to their willingness to spend, which they don’t have a track record of doing. One name the Cubs were looking to sign was RHP Dylan Cease, who is now off the market after signing a mega free agent deal.

The Chicago Cubs miss out once again on a top free agent due to money

Adding Cease to a rotation that will feature right-handers Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon, and left-handers Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Justin Steele would have given the Cubs the ace they have lacked. However, that’s no longer a possibility after Cease signed a seven-year $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. This signing signals that the market for starting pitching could get expensive.

BREAKING The Blue Jays are signing Dylan Cease to 7-year, $210M deal per @JonHeyman pic.twitter.com/pAjX5eYYAT

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 26, 2025

Cease, who will turn 30 on Dec. 28, went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts, while striking out 215 batters in 168.0 innings.

The starting pitching market could prove to be expensive after Dylan Cease’s signing

With Cease now off the market, there’s only a handful of top starting pitchers left on the market. However, signing the other top arms on the market, like left-handers Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, could prove to be costly. Valdez and Suarez’s market values have them signing for six years and close to/if not over, $200 million, per Spotrac.

Unwilling to spend that type of money, the Cubs may look to the trade market to acquire a starter (having the prospect capital to do so) or sign either right-handers Zac Gallen or Michael King. King and Gallen are both great pitchers in their own right, but they’re more of a high-end No. 2 starter and are great No. 3 options.

Both are likely to sign a contract for around four years worth somewhere around $100 million, according to Spotrac. However, the possibility of a team overpaying and adding a fifth year and more money is a possibility.

Time will tell if the Cubs will fall back on their ways of not spending, or if they’ll open up their pocketbooks to sign someone. With the first threshold of the luxury tax set at $244 million for the 2026 season, and the Cubs unwilling to go over it, Cubs fans could be in for a quiet offseason.

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The Chicago Cubs are staring down long odds when it comes to re-signing free agent right fielder Kyle Tucker.

More News: Why the Chicago Cubs need to stay far away from incoming Japanese free agent star

By the estimates of Doug Kezirian of The Athletic, Chicago rates as a +1000 underdog to win the bidding war for the four-time All-Star.

Dodgers remain favorites to land Tucker, Cubs are heavy underdogs

More News: Chicago Cubs linked to ace-level starting pitching at GM meetings

The Los Angeles Dodgers, per Kezirian, are the favorites to land Tucker, sporting +250 odds:

“Even with winning back-to-back World Series, I would make the Dodgers the favorites as you could still see a need for them to add another outfielder. While conventional wisdom is they wouldn’t have the money to do it, as we’ve seen recently, L.A. always finds a way.”

Behind the Dodgers, the scribe ranks the New York Yankees (+325), Philadelphia Phillies (+575), San Francisco Giants (+675), and New York Mets (+650) as the other favored locations for Tucker, all ahead of the Cubs.

Dodgers souring on Kyle Tucker pickup?

Bob Nightengale of USA Today, however, has placed the Toronto Blue Jays deeply in the mix for the right fielder’s services, joining the Dodgers and Yankees as favorites.

Per Nightengale:

“They just earned an extra $50 million or so in revenue from their World Series run. They’ll put it right back into the team and could be the favorite for Kyle Tucker…

Don’t be surprised if the Blue Jays are the perfect fit.”

Meanwhile, recent reports suggest that the Dodgers may not be as deeply in pursuit of Tucker, who is expected to land a 10 or 11-year deal at $400+ million, as media has reported.

Per recent report from ESPN’s MLB insider Jeff Passan:

“The Dodgers are not inclined to go 10-plus years on Kyle Tucker.”

According to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, the Dodgers may be looking inward when it comes to filling their need for a corner outfielder, confident in the talent they currently have in their elite farm system.

Per Ardaya:

“They could also just run back what they did with their outfield last winter, seeking a stopgap option or turning to even some internal choices, according to multiple people familiar with the team’s thinking…Arguably, the four best prospects in the Dodgers’ well-regarded farm systems are all outfielders, headlined by Futures Game MVP Josue De Paula, who finished the season in Double A and is the closest of the bunch to the majors.”

Someone will pick Tucker up, but probably not the Cubs

If the Dodgers fall out of the race for the free agent Tucker, one of the other major-market bidders would surely swoop in and pick him up. After all, even the Dodgers have, their financial limitations…presumably. Recent contract projections show that some, at least within the MLB insider media community, are softening on their belief that Tucker will get elite-tier money this offseason. After his struggles and almost complete disappearance for the Cubs over the last three months of the season/postseason, his lingering calf injury, and a half-lost 2024 season before that, some questions are popping up as to whether a 10+ Tucker year deal is a responsible buy.

Whatever the case, it looks as though the Cubs may be out of the running. Even a more conservative 7-year, $245 million deal would likely too rich for Chicago’s tastes.

For now, the answer to an empty right field remains Seiya Suzuki and/or rookie Owen Caissie.

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The Chicago Cubs have had an interesting series north of the border, dropping the first game to the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1, but came back last night off a dominant pitching performance from Cade Horton and tied the series. Sadly for the Cubs, last night’s win came at a cost, with catcher Miguel Amaya getting carted off the field after awkwardly hitting first base attempting to beat out an infield hit.

The Cubs activated Amaya from the 60-day injured list before the start of the series after dealing with an oblique strain, but unfortunately will be returning to the injured list. Since Amaya will be going back on the IL, the Cubs decided to call up their top prospect, Owen Caissie, to take Amaya’s place and debut in his country.

Chicago Cubs top prospect, Owen Caissie, is batting fifth in his debut

Today is a special day for the 23-year-old native of Burlington, Canada, not only because it’s his first game in the show, but because it’s his first game debuting in front of his fellow countrymen. This moment is so special for Caissie that manager Craig Counsell decided to pencil Caissie into the fifth spot in the lineup, sandwiched between Carson Kelly and Nico Hoerner.

“Caissie Debut Day.”

Caissie Debut Day.

Watch the game live on the Marquee Sports Network App. pic.twitter.com/SDWSdfipcD

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 14, 2025

Caissie debuts after getting hot down on the farm

Caissie getting called up to the big leagues doesn’t come without merit, as he has checked off all the boxes that he needed to check off. Having one of the better seasons in his minor league career, Caissie has had the best season from a power perspective, having the highest slugging percentage of his career at .566, and tied his career high in home runs at 22 in only 93 games.

Caissie also had a great showing this summer, hitting .316 with an OPS of 1.040 in 22 games in June, improving to a .393 average and 1.107 OPS in nine games this month.

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The Chicago Cubs have been one of the healthier teams this season. They had a few injuries in the first half of the season, but have had to deal with some as of late, with the latest to go down being Michael Soroka. Soroka left his start against the Cincinnati Reds with a shoulder injury and was placed on the 15-day injured list a few days later.

Thankfully for the Cubs, they’ll get some injured players back, as most are finishing up their rehab assignments in Iowa. One player finishing up his assignment with the Iowa Cubs is Miguel Amaya, who got some exciting news regarding his oblique strain, which should help the Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs will be getting some much-needed reinforcements

The Cubs haven’t played the best baseball lately, but they will turn things around. One thing that will help the Cubs get out of this bad stretch will be when Amaya returns to the lineup. Amaya’s return should come soon, with Marquee Sports Network Report Taylor McGregor reporting that manager Craig Counsell has stated that if all goes well with Amaya’s outing tomorrow, he should return to the team when they play the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Per #Cubs Craig Counsell, assuming Miguel Amaya checks out well from his outing tomorrow he will join the team at some point in the Toronto series.”

Per #Cubs Craig Counsell, assuming Miguel Amaya checks out well from his outing tomorrow he will join the team at some point in the Toronto series.

— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) August 9, 2025

Amaya has been out with an oblique strain since April 16 and had only played in 27 games before hitting the injured list. In those 27 games, Amaya did well, hitting .280/.313/.505 for an OPS of .818.

Getting Amaya back will help the Cubs down the stretch

Before going on the injured list, Amaya had been platooning with Carson Kelly, and with both performing well at the plate, gave the Cubs one of the better catching duos to start the year. Once he returns, that platoon should return.

Reese McGuire has been filling in for Amaya and will likely be the player to get designated for assignment once he returns. McGuire has done well in his duties as the backup, hitting .238/.253/.464 for an OPS of .717 in 26 games.

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The Chicago Cubs have lived up to the hype of being one of the more active teams at the Trade Deadline, as they’ve acquired right-handers Michael Soroka and Andrew Kittredge to stabilize their pitching depth. The Cubs still have moves to make with adding another starting pitcher and a bat being the priority.

There are still options available in both departments, but the list of players available is thinning. The Cubs may need to get creative to find the right arm and bat they need, as two of their potential trade targets are off the board.

Chicago Cubs lose out on two of the top trade pieces available

The Cubs already have one of the better rosters in the National League, with their offense being the driving force, but they still could look to improve their lineup along the starting rotation. The Cubs currently have the top two candidates for the National League MVP in their lineup in Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong. The Cubs wanted to acquire All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez, but lost out when he was traded to the Seattle Mariners.

“Mariners reportedly acquire INF Eugenio Suárez from D-backs, per multiple reports including MLB’s @Feinsand.”

Mariners reportedly acquire INF Eugenio Suárez from D-backs, per multiple reports including MLB's @Feinsand. pic.twitter.com/JqvwRr9FFj

— MLB (@MLB) July 31, 2025

The Cubs also lost out on adding Shane Bieber, who would’ve given them the Ace they have been searching for since the offseason. The Cleveland Guardians decided to ship Bieber north of the border to the Toronto Blue Jays, who gave up just one prospect (Khal Stephen).

“OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired 2x All-Star, All-Star MVP, Cy Young Award Winner, Triple Crown Winner and Gold Glover Shane Bieber from the Guardians in exchange for RHP Khal Stephen.

Welcome to the Blue Jays, Biebs!”

OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired 2x All-Star, All-Star MVP, Cy Young Award Winner, Triple Crown Winner and Gold Glover Shane Bieber from the Guardians in exchange for RHP Khal Stephen.

Welcome to the Blue Jays, Biebs! pic.twitter.com/oGCTd8KCEH

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 31, 2025

Suárez, in 106 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, hit .248/.320/.576 for an OPS and OPS+ of .897 and 143, while also mashing 36 home runs. Bieber, who was coming off Tommy John surgery, was 2-0 and allowed no earned runs in 12.0 innings since returning.

The Cubs did miss out, but there’s more still available

The Cubs did miss out on acquiring Suárez and Bieber, as both would’ve made them the favorite to win the World Series, but they still have moves available. The Cubs could still look to trade for one of the Miami Marlins’ arms, with Sandy Alcántara still drawing interest, and Edward Cabrera showing some upside.

The Deadline is only hours away, and the price for high-quality arms and bats will go up as the deadline nears. Hopefully, Hoyer can find the right deal to get the Cubs where they want to go.

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Adrian Houser has been money since signing with the Chicago White Sox and could be one of their more valuable trade pieces come the July 31st Trade Deadline. Houser before yesterday’s start had a 1.60 ERA, which was the second-lowest ERA through a White Sox starter’s first eight starts since Lance Lynn had a 1.32 ERA in his first eight starts in 2021.

The White Sox are rebuilding and could use a veteran presence such as Houser, who has close to a decade of pitching experience in the big leagues. However, this is his first showing to be a dominant pitcher, as he’s had a mid-3.00s-5.00 ERA for his career, and the White Sox need younger and more controllable players.

Houser is also 32 years old and is on the other side of his career, which is why the White Sox should capitalize on his success now. Houser continued his run of success, which included an odd little mishap that helped to propel him to another quality start.

Chicago White Sox Adrian Houser’s strange mishap leads to another quality start

The Toronto Blue Jays entered yesterday’s series finale against the White Sox looking to complete the sweep and add win number 11 to their winning streak. The White Sox thankfully ended that streak when they sent their stopper to the mound in Houser, who only allowed one earned run in his seven innings of work, while striking out two and walking two.

Houser’s strong start against the Blue Jays marked his fourth consecutive quality start in a row and lowered his ERA to 1.56. Houser’s fourth quality start in a row came with an interesting twist, as when Houser came off the mound after the first inning and went into the dugout, he suddenly vomited, according to ESPN News Services. Houser commented on the oddity after the game to reporters, giving them a funny way of describing the mishap.

Housers comments to reporters post game:

“Puke and rally,” Houser told reporters after the game. “Once I get it out, it’s all good. Ready to rock and roll.”

There’s only a handful of starts left for Houser in a White Sox uniform

The Major League Baseball Draft takes place on Sunday, July 13, and once that and the All-Star break are over, teams will begin focusing on making trades. Yesterday’s start for Houser was his last start before the break, and could be his last in a White Sox uniform.

The White Sox could have Houser make one more start before trading him, to see how well he bounces back from having an extended break. The White Sox could get a decent prospect for Houser, as it’s a seller’s market, and a few teams are looking for quality starting pitchers. If the White Sox want to be more competitive in the next few seasons, landing a quality piece for Houser is a must.

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The Chicago White Sox sit just one week from the Major League Baseball Draft, where they have the tenth pick, and eight days from the MLB All-Star Game. The White Sox had a few names who had a chance to be named an All-Star, but will only have Shane Smith represent them.

The White Sox close in on the All-Star break with five more wins (30-60) than they had at this same point in 2024, where they went 25-67. The White Sox are basically “meeting expectations” as most fans would see it, with the one caveat being their young nucleus of players.

Outside of that nucleus, the White Sox have a handful of players who are “filling spots” on the roster until other prospects are ready. One of those players who is “filling a spot” was placed on the injured list, with another player getting added to “fill his spot” on the roster.

The Chicago White Sox make a couple of roster moves ahead of the Blue Jays series

The White Sox will begin a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays tonight, who are riding an eight-game winning streak and hold a three-game lead over the New York Yankees for the American League East. Ahead of the series, the White Sox made two roster moves, announcing they have placed first baseman Ryan Noda on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain and recalled infielder Tristan Gray from Charlotte.

“Prior to tonight’s game vs. Toronto, the Chicago White Sox placed first baseman Ryan Noda on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain and recalled infielder Tristan Gray from Class AAA Charlotte.”

Prior to tonight’s game vs. Toronto, the Chicago White Sox placed first baseman Ryan Noda on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain and recalled infielder Tristan Gray from Class AAA Charlotte.

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 7, 2025

Noda (29) has been one of the White Sox’s worst players since being claimed from the Boston Red Sox in June. In 16 games since joining the White Sox, Noda has hit .088/.295/.176 for an OPS of .471.

As for Gray, he had been doing well in his time with Charlotte, hitting .280/.349/.493 for an OPS of .842 in 62 games. Gray has seen some time in the big leagues, but has not seen the same success he has had in the minors, as he’s a .152 hitter in 33 big league at-bats.

How will Gray be utilized, and why didn’t the White Sox call up Tim Elko?

Bringing Gray up is somewhat perplexing, as he does not play first base. Gray is primarily a middle infielder who can also play third base. Third base is likely where Gray will play, with Miguel Vargas moving over to first base.

With the White Sox needing a first baseman, a natural move would have been to call up first baseman Tim Elko, who has lit it up at Triple-A but struggled in his time in the big leagues. Even though Elko has struggled, he is a better option than Noda and has more upside than Gray. For now, however, the White Sox will utilize Gray off the bench and at third until Noda returns.

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The Chicago White Sox have a lot of players that they should be excited about, and most of them are up in the big leagues gaining the experience they need to be successful. The newest addition to the White Sox has been flamethrower Grant Taylor, who is one of the White Sox’s top pitching prospects.

Taylor made a few brief appearances in spring training, where he proved why he would be up in the big leagues this season. Taylor didn’t make the big league roster out of the gate, and the White Sox decided to option him to Double-A, where he dominated the competition.

Once he came up to the show, Taylor continued to dominate and flash that 100mph fastball, which has gotten above 100 a few times since becoming a big leaguer. The White Sox shifted Taylor to being a reliever to conserve his innings after two straight years of injury, and he could already be on the path to be the team’s closer with the success he’s had.

Chicago White Sox rookie recorded a milestone in yesterday’s win over the Blue Jays

Taylor hasn’t been with the White Sox long, but he has settled in nicely as one of the White Sox’s best high-leverage relievers. Becoming one of their reliable arms and showing confidence in not letting the moment get too big for him. The White Sox allowed the 23-year-old Taylor to close yesterday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, recording his first Major League Save. Even better for Taylor, his fastball managed to top out at 102.2mph.

“First major league save and topped out at 102.2 mph”

First major league save and topped out at 102.2 mph @IDOT_Illinois pic.twitter.com/0hc7gmPi9w

— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) June 23, 2025

Taylor so far this season has only a small sample size worth of numbers, but he’s done well, having a 3.00 ERA in six games (one start), striking out seven batters, and having two holds and a save in six innings. Taylor has only allowed two earned runs since getting called up and has only given up one hit in his last three outings.

Another building block for the White Sox

Taylor is one of many pieces the White Sox have in their system who will be helping to make the White Sox more competitive. The White Sox could look to keep Taylor in the bullpen long term, given how well his stuff plays up, but he could also be a solid middle-of-the-rotation piece.

The White Sox still have left-handers Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith waiting in the wings, and pairing them with an electric arm like Taylor could give the White Sox one of the more exciting rotations in baseball. The White Sox decided to push right-hander Sean Burke’s start back from Tuesday to Wednesday and are opting to throw a bullpen game. Taylor could be in the mix to open that game, with the one start he’s had this season coming as an opener.

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There is one team interested in this Chicago White Sox outfielder who needs to trade for him before next season and make him one of their stars.

The Chicago White Sox have done very well this offseason at acquiring the necessary prospects back in the Garrett Crochet trade, as well as sign valuable veterans to hopefully have success this season so the White Sox can flip them at next year’s trade deadline. The Chicago White Sox have one more trade piece that this one team who is ‘very interested’ in, should consider trading for before the start of next season.

Luis Robert Jr. value on the trade market

The Chicago White Sox star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. was one of the other players this offseason other than Garrett Crochet that was drawing interest from teams. Luis Robert Jr. has shown flashes at being a potential superstar in Major League Baseball with 2023 being his best season to date in which Robert Jr. was named an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award, and finished 12th in the Most Valuable Player voting.

In 2024 Luis Robert Jr. took a semi step back with missing the first part of the season due to an injury, but still managed to play in 100 games, collect 88 hits, 19 doubles, and have 14 HRs. Still just 26-years-old Robert Jr. can still bounce back and be the player he was in 2023, he just has to show he can stay healthy.

The trade rumors surrounding Luis Robert Jr. all started off with a report stating that the Cincinnati Reds were interested in acquiring Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox, which till now has not come into being. Since then, another report surfaced that said the Toronto Blue Jays emerged to be a team that was ‘very interested’ in acquiring Luis Robert Jr.. Given the Blue Jays current situation, the Chicago White Sox should look to strike a deal while the iron is hot.

The Toronto Blue Jays situation

The Toronto Blue Jays are in a peculiar situation with so far striking out the past two offseason on the big-name free agents that they were looking to sign. The Blue Jays swung and missed on signing baseballs best player in Shohei Ohtani who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and also missed out on both outfielder Juan Soto and former Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes for this offseason.

What it appears to me is that the Toronto Blue Jays and the San Francisco Giants for their parts are the two teams being used by agents to drive up the price for their players for the actual team they want them to sign with. The Blue Jays more so with seemingly not free agent no matter how big the name is, wanting to sign with Toronto. It could have something to do with the Toronto Blue Jays not having a clear plan on what they want to do for the future and the dysfunction they have been dealing with.

The Blue Jays just settled with their superstar first basemen Vladimir Guerreo Jr. on a $28.5 million contract for this season after setting a spring training deadline for having a contract extension done which doesn’t appear likely. There’s also the possibility the Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette could be on the move losing a key piece for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays did extend a contract offer to free agent outfielder/designated hitter Anthony Santander, but so far crickets. Given their situation, the Chicago White Sox should really look to pounce and trade Luis Robert Jr. to them and get a bigger haul in return than they normally would get, given Luis Robert Jr. was injured and had a somewhat down year last season.

Why could the Toronto Blue Jays use Luis Robert Jr.?

Given their situation the only way the Toronto Blue Jays will get a star player to come over to them is going to have to be through a trade. The Blue Jays did that earlier this season with acquiring the best second basemen in Major League Baseball Andres Gimenez from the Cleveland Guardians in a blockbuster three-team trade.

With the Toronto Blue Jays almost desperate to bring in a high-value player to pair with their superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to provide protection in their lineup, as well as show that their willingness to spend and obtain talent in order to hopefully resign Guerrero Jr. to an extension. Adding Luis Robert Jr. would send that message being how talented he is.

Robert Jr. is set to make $55 million for the next three seasons with making $15 million for this season, as well as containing two team options for 2026 and 2027 worth $20 million each. With Robert Jr. still being able to bounce back to his 2023 form and being inter a team friendly deal the Toronto Blue Jays could figure to have to part with one MLB top 100 prospect and a low-level flier candidate on the lower end of their prospect list. I believe such as this would get the deal done and satisfy both teams:

The Toronto Blue Jays receive: outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

The Chicago White Sox receive: left-handed pitcher Ricky Tiedmann (No. 4 prospect) and shortstop Josh Kasevich (No. 9 prospect)

Ricky Tiedmann is a young talented lefty with a plus fastball and a plus slider with also carrying a plus changeup in his back pocket to get hitters out. The 22-year-old lefty is ready to make his debut, but having to undergo Tommy John surgery last July, Tiedmann will miss most of if not all of this season. With that being the case, it would make all the more sense for the Blue Jays to trade Ricky Tiedmann to the Chicago White Sox being he won’t give them any production for this season.

Also adding Josh Jasevich into the deal would greatly benefit the White Sox who have a need for starting shortstop. At the current moment number four overall prospect in the organization Colson Montgomery has the inside track to win the job out of spring training, but bringing in Josh Kasevich to provide competition would benefit them both. Rated as a very high contact hitter who can put the ball in play and limit his strikeouts, as well as being a solid glove defensively at shortstop, adding Kasevich could figure to break the Chicago White Sox way.

For the Chicago White Sox to get a deal like this deal would be critical for their rebuild. They not only would free themselves of Robert Jr. salary giving them room to potentially add a big-name free agent in the next few seasons to pair with their young prospects as they begin to get called up.

The post Why this one team needs to trade for this Chicago White Sox valuable component appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Toronto Blue Jays are showing strong interest in one of the Chicago White Sox outfielders.

The Chicago White Sox have a few assets left on their roster that they could look to trade, and the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be showing strong interest in their star outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

The value of Luis Robert Jr.

Since trading away their most valuable asset in Garrett Crochet earlier this offseason to the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago White Sox have been waiting to find a suitor for their second best asset in Luis Robert Jr. Robert Jr. has garnered trade interest from teams like the Cincinnati Reds, but nothing has come of those reports and Robert Jr. market remains cold.

Luis Robert Jr. has shown flashes at being a potential superstar in Major League Baseball with 2023 being his best season to date in which Robert Jr. was named an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award, and finished 12th in the Most Valuable Player voting.

In 2024 Luis Robert Jr. took a semi step back with missing the first part of the season due to an injury, but still managed to play in 100 games, collect 88 hits, 19 doubles, and have 14 HRs. Still just 26-years-old Robert Jr. can still bounce back and be the player he was in 2023, he just has to show he can stay healthy.

The Toronto Blue Jays abysmal offseason

So far, the Toronto Blue Jays have swung and missed on all the potential free agents they were said to have been ‘in’ on. They missed out on superstar Juan Soto who signed with the New York Mets as well as Corbin Burnes who signed recently with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Blue Jays did make a contract offer to All-Star outfielder Anthony Santander, but so far he hasn’t accepted.

With a potential outfield for next year of George Springer in right, Nathan Lukes in center, and Joey Loperfido in left, the Toronto Blues Jays could figure to use someone of Luis Robert Jr. talents. Robert Jr. is three and a half years young that Lukes, Robert Jr. would be a better option for the Blue Jays in center than Lukes.

What would it take for the Toronto Blue Jays to get Robert

With the Toronto Blue Jays almost desperate to bring in a high-value player to pair with their superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to provide protection in their lineup, as well as show that their willingness to spend and obtain talent in order to hopefully resign Guerrero Jr. to an extension. Adding Luis Robert Jr. would send that message being how talented he is.

Robert Jr. is set to make $55 million for the next three seasons with making $15 million for this season, as well as containing two team options for 2026 and 2027 worth $20 million each. With Robert Jr. still being able to bounce back to his 2023 form and being inter a team friendly deal the Toronto Blue Jays could figure to have to part with one MLB top 100 prospect and a low level flier candidate on the lower end of their prospect list.

For the Chicago White Sox to get a deal like this deal would be critical for their rebuild. They not only would free themselves of Robert Jr. salary giving them room to potentially add a big name free agent in the next few seasons to pair with their young prospects as they begin to get called up.

The post The Toronto Blue Jays show strong interest in White Sox outfielder appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Chicago White Sox have Promoted Chris Getz to Senior Vice President/General Manager

Whatever Jerry Reinsdorf does with his team, it appears he can’t win over the fanbase.

OFFICIAL: Chris Getz has been named senior vice president/general manager of the Chicago White Sox. pic.twitter.com/MPjlDuI7p6

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 31, 2023

The Chicago White Sox announced Thursday that they have promoted Chris Getz to Senior Vice President/General Manager. The announcement comes after the team fired former Senior VP/GM Rick Hahn and Executive VP Ken Williams last week to begin the process of cleaning house. It also confirmed earlier reports that Getz was the frontrunner for the job and the White Sox were looking to hire a new general manager from within the organization.

Originally a fourth-round draft pick of the White Sox back in 2005, Getz spent parts of seven season playing for them, the Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays from 2008-2014. He then transitioned into the front office following his playing career, joining the Royals’ front office before returning to his original team as the Player Development Director in 2017. Getz was promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2021.

Sox Fans Haven’t Taken the News Well, Sound Off on Social Media

Given the fact that Getz was an integral part of the failed rebuild under the Hahn/Williams front office, it should come as no surprise that most White Sox fans aren’t taking the news well.

What an awful move.

— Michael Crane (@MikeJCzapla) August 31, 2023

Hire the guy that has overseen one of the worst farm systems? So more of the same of what has not worked. Great I will check back in 10 to 20 years.

— Status Pay (@Status_Pay) August 31, 2023

Promoting within? pic.twitter.com/KxJKLQLqcB

— Drunk Ryan Poles (@DrunkRyanPoles) August 31, 2023

“Did you even interview anyone else from anywhere else??” one fan asked on X (f.k.a. Twitter).

Did you even interview anyone else from anywhere else?? Assuming nope because we love losing baseball here I guess

— ChiSox Billy (@OfficialBillyH) August 31, 2023

However, at least one person is applauding the hire, even going as far as recommending what Getz should do now that he’s the General Manager.

Good move. First on the agenda should be to unload Anderson, Moncada, and Grandal, and other high paid under producers. Put players on the field who WANT to play. Worked for the Rays and Orioles.

— Tom Barrister (@tombarrister) August 31, 2023

The White Sox have yet to fill the role of Executive Vice President.

The post White Sox Fans Grill Team After New General Manager Announcement appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs have a handful of important matchups going into the last two months of the season. This is a pivotal stretch that will be a strong indicator for their potential in the postseason.

The Chicago Cubs are entering the home stretch of the season with the festivities of the All-Star Break concluded and the dog days of summer upon us. The Cubs will have to continue their torrid hot-steak from a red hot July in order to keep pace with the behemoths of the National League with some remaining important matchups for the team.

The Northside will face-off against a number of bottom-feeders whose playoff aspirations have all but vanished. The Cubs will need to heavily capitalize on their strength of schedule to leverage any losses that may come against their more important matchups.

The Cubs will have five important matchups upcoming in these last two months of the season. The club will need to come out of them relatively unscathed if the team wants a shot at the NL Central division title or at the very least earn themselves a Wild Card spot.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are currently in contention for the AL East division title, sitting seven games back from the the first-place Baltimore Orioles and four games back from the second-place Tampa Bay Rays. The Blue Jays are fourteen games above .500 and have regularly faced rigorous competition the past couple years trying to make their way into the playoffs.

The Cubs will certainly be tested in one of their more important matchups by one of the best pitching staff’s in baseball, one that only grew stronger at the trade deadline with the addition of Jordan Hicks to the bullpen.

The Blue Jays have a potent lineup from top to bottom but will be missing shortstop Bo Bichette in their matchup against the Cubs. That still will not be much reprieve for the Cubbies considering the Blue Jays possess a batting order consisting of feared hitters like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Matt Chapman, George Springer and Whit Merrifield to name a few. The Cubs will have their hands full with this bunch.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers will be one the most important matchups for the Cubs with two series against the Brew Crew in this two-month stretch. The Brewers currently hold the NL Central lead over the Cincinnati Reds and the Cubs by a narrow margin. If the Cubs can successfully take these two series, their chances at the NL Central division title increase dramatically with the Brewers still viewed as the favorite.

The Brewers are 4-3 against the Cubs thus far this season. The team can more than matchup with the Brewers but the Cubs have to be mindful of former MVP Christian Yelich who has rounded back into form after a couple of tough years at the plate as well as 2021 Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes. The Brewers wield a balanced lineup top to bottom that will test the Cubs pitchers.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are another one of the important matchups for the Cubs for similar reasons to the Brewers. The Reds stand in the Cubs way currently for the final Wild Card spot in the National League and will need to surge past them for a chance at the NL Central crown. The Reds have wildly outperformed expectations this season which makes them a dangerous team to have to face later in the season.

The team doesn’t hold a glut of star-power outside of potential future Hall of Famer Joey Votto or rookie sensation Elly De La Cruz but the Reds can never be counted out of games with a number of late inning comebacks under their belts this season. The Cubs will likely have a number of close and contentious matchups with the Reds with both teams playing with house money vying and jockeying for a playoff spot in the NL.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks will still be one of the more important matchups for the Cubs late in the season despite no direct divisional implications. The D-Backs, similar to the Reds, have well outperformed pre-season expectations and will be a team to watch potentially for a late surge into a Wild Card spot.

The Diamondbacks may pose no threat to the Cubs in the Wild Card race by the time the teams square-off however. The D-Backs will have a far more imposing strength of schedule on their docket than the Cubs. The team will have important matchups against division rivals like the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres as well as the series against the Texas Rangers, Orioles and Reds.

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves, 2021 World Series champions, currently have the best record in all of the MLB this year and look to be the favorites to emerge from the National League to return to the World Series. There is no way around it, the Braves starting lineup is stacked from one to nine and own one of the better pitching rotations in baseball.

This will likely be the toughest of the Cubs most important matchups to gauge the strongest competition in their league and see if they have what it takes to compete with a potential World Series contender. The Braves boast the NL MVP favorite in Ronald Acuña Jr. and one of the NL Cy Young favorites in Spencer Strider.

That isn’t to mention the handful of All-Stars the team has on its roster. It would be an exercise in futility to cover in depth the Braves roster from head to toe. Just know that the Braves are damn good and will be a tough out for anyone. The Cubs recently took their most recent series against the Braves though so the team certainly has proof that they can be beaten.

The post Chicago Cubs Important Matchups For Remainder Of 2023 Season appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The Chicago Cubs are interested in making a playoff push with their current resurgence but is the team a prisoner of the moment and being too short-sighted? Will acquisitions at the MLB Trade Deadline make enough of a difference this year?

The Chicago Cubs are reportedly no longer planning on being sellers at the MLB Trade Deadline on August 1st but actually may be buyers to make a playoff push.

Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported on July 30th that the Cubs will not be trading Cody Bellinger at the MLB Trade Deadline.

This can't come a shock at this point. Amazing, the team made it an easier decision than anyone could have guessed (I assume). Sources: Cubs tell teams Bellinger won't be dealt https://t.co/wavoECw6Bh

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) July 30, 2023

You have to respect the team’s vigor and enthusiasm rooted in their recent hot-streak. The Cubs won seven straight games in a row until falling to the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday, taking three out of four to win the series. The only issue here is that these seven straight wins came against the Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox, teams both under .500 for the year and tremendously underachieving throughout the season.

The Cubs have won twelve of their last fifteen games with the only semi-competitive team being the Boston Red Sox. This shouldn’t be a barometer for the franchises potential success going forward into the second half of the season. The team will have a better gauge of their playoff aspirations in the coming weeks with series against the division rival Cincinnati Reds, NL East leading Atlanta Braves and AL Wild Card contender Toronto Blue Jays.

Too Hasty?

Should the Cubs really be buyers at the MLB Trade Deadline being so far away from serious contention? The team could acquire some help in the pitching rotation, bullpen and add some more reliable hitters to the lineup but can the Cubs feasibly compete with the Braves or the Los Angeles Dodgers if they manage to make it past the Wild Card Series?

Bellinger and Marcus Stroman have been names floated around throughout the season that could see departures at the MLB Trade Deadline for the Cubs. Stroman and Bellinger will both be free-agents next year which will mean if the team doesn’t trade them at the deadline, the Cubs will let them walk without acquiring any assets in return.

Stroman would be a valuable addition to any contenders rotation needing an extra veteran arm. Bellinger has been white hot in the month of July with a .404/.437/.658 slash line. Bellinger is batting .314 on the season with 15 home-runs, 46 RBI’s and a ridiculous 140 OPS+.

More than anyone, we would love to see the Cubs contend but the team should stay the course on its rebuild and deal away their expiring assets which can help them further bolster their farm system. The future is more important than the present and a hasty push for the playoffs this year may derail the progress they’ve made in recent years.

The post 2023 MLB Trade Deadline: Should The Cubs Really Be Buyers? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

After splitting the four-game series with the last place Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago Cubs really needed a series win against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Cubs took the first two games of the series on Friday and Saturday, going for the sweep on Sunday. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead but Toronto fought back to tie it, then take a 5-3 lead in the top of the tenth.

It seemed as if the Cubs would only get the series win, rather than sweep. That is until they rallied in the bottom of the tenth.

The first two batters got on and then Chicago pulled to within a run. Javier Baez struck out, but reached base as the ball got past the catcher. It was the second time that inning it happened.

And after Jason Heyward was hit by a pitch, it set the scene for Alex Avila to be the hero:

Alex Avila wins it. Baez slides home! pic.twitter.com/TLiMtZqYck

— arcusD (@_MarcusD2_) August 20, 2017

Fresh off a sweep, the Cubs will travel to Cincinnati to take on the Reds in a three-game series.

The post VIDEO: Cubs walk it off in 10th inning against Blue Jays appeared first on ChiCitySports.

We’ve already seen the Chicago Cubs linked to starters Sonny Gray and Justin Verlander but now a new name has surfaced.

The Cubs are one of a few teams that are interested in Toronto Blue Jays ace Marcus Stroman according to reports.

Baseball Insider Buster Olney appeared on Naylor and Landsberg of TSN’s 1050 in Toronto and spoke on Stroman.

Our @Buster_ESPN tells @NaylorLandsberg that Shapiro/Atkins are prepared to make a "hard right-hand turn into retooling or rebuilding"

— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) July 4, 2017

The Blue Jays are off to a poor 39-45 start and entered play on July 6 9.5 games back in the AL East. Despite being just 5 back in the Wild Card, the Blue Jays will likely sell at the deadline.

Stroman would be the hot name in any trade discussions and would improve any team’s rotation.

Olney mentioned that there are a few teams interested in Stroman including the Cubs, New York Yankees and Houston Astros. A trade for Stroman would likely include a top prospect, so the Cubs might be hesitant to include someone like Ian Happ or Eloy Jimenez.

The 26-year-old Stroman is 8-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 17 games started for the Blue Jays in 2017.

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In what would be another instance of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer getting the old band back together, reports have surfaced that the Chicago Cubs have at least a passing interest in Philadelphia Phillies closer, Jonathan Paplebon.

While no deal is close, the possibility begs the question of whether the Cubs would be wise to move on this, or if they’re simply doing their due diligence on a player the front office obviously likes (Papelbon pitched in Boston from 2005-2011). This report surfaced after the Cubs signed reliever Rafael Soriano to a minor league contract, so whatever concern the Cubs are trying to address –most obviously at closer– they’re not presuming Soriano is going to get the job done.

This, in turn, begs another question: Does Jonathon Papelbon help the Chicago Cubs?

Performance wise, Papelbon is mostly a slam dunk. Career ERA under 2.50? Check. Postseason experience? Check. Still performing at a high level? Check. Has history with Epstein and Hoyer? Check and check. Other than his fiery temperament, there’s nothing too alarming about his play on the field.

His age of 34 is mostly a non-factor (for now) given the shelf life of short relievers, as even if the Cubs were to trade for him, they wouldn’t be looking for long-term solutions necessarily, but rather someone to nail down the position for a year or two.

The primary concern from a Cubs standpoint is who exactly would the Phillies want as compensation? As previously mentioned, Papelbon is putting up some seriously quality numbers. His ERA is 1.13, he hasn’t blown a save (12-for-12), has his highest strikeout percentage in four years (29%), and is even getting more ground balls than he ever has in his career.

That’s all meant to illustrate that the Phillies won’t let him leave cheaply. So while Papelbon seems an attractive potential acquisition, how much are the Cubs willing to let go to get him? I have no idea the type of prospects the Phillies would ask for, and could reasonably expect to get.

When the San Diego Padres traded for Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel early this season, the Padres had to give up a lot. Kimbrel is in his prime years, and was signed to a long-term contract, but the Padres had to take on $53 million in salary (Kimbrel and Melvin Upton), plus surrender their top prospect, a second, less exciting prospect, and the 41st pick in the draft. The Padres top prospect was only projecting as a mid-rotation piece at best, but with less money on the table with Papelbon, even if the Cubs took all the salary, the Phillies would presumably be asking for quite a bit. We won’t even mention that Kimbrel has been an erratic addition to the Padres’ bullpen and has not found the dominance he was enjoying with the Braves.

The reported “impasse” on a possible deal with the Cubs (or Toronto Blue Jays) is that the Phillies want to eat as much of Papelbon’s $13 million salary (of which he is still owed a little over $8 million, but also has a $13 million vesting option for next season) in return for higher-level prospects. Conversely, the Cubs, who have fairly deep pockets these days with room to spend, would be willing to take on more of Papelbon’s contract in exchange for a lesser prospect(s).

Even though it’s all contingent on who the Phillies are asking for, you have to suddenly like the names being tossed around for the back of the Cubs’ bullpen. And that’s even before Neil Ramirez gets back.

Stay tuned.

The post Chicago Cubs Rumors: Jonathan Papelbon at Closer? appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Just as pessimism set in for White Sox fans after their eight game losing streak, the Pale Hose split their series with AL West powerhouse, Oakland.

However, all does not seem lost for the Sox as some people including 1983 manager, Tony LaRussa, still believe the Sox can contend this year. All that aside, the Oakland series capped off a good week for the Sox as they picked up the split and had a fairly good amateur draft in picking shortstop Tim Anderson and Durant High School pitcher, Tyler Danish.

For odds on this series, and all other MLB series going on just out this review of major odds sites for online sports betting. One of our favorites is sportsbooks like TopBet, who provide some of the best and up to date odds.

Looking forward to the series with Toronto, Chicago still does not seem to know the make-up of their own team. Are they a bunch of underachieving  superstars or are most the players destined for the dumpster? This upcoming series with Toronto, like the draft, will be crucial to see what direction the front office will want to take with this team come July.

Toronto themselves have been severely underachieving this year despite trading for the core of the 2012 Miami Marlins team. Despite the fact that the Marlins were not very good, the players that were poached from the team were the best they had to offer.

With Miami’s premium talent the Jays were supposed to overcome the powerhouses of the AL East and take the division handedly, but that has not been the case thus far. Currently, Toronto is sitting on a 27-35 record, good for eleven games back to the division leading Boston Red Sox. This clash of underperforming teams should be a nail in the coffin for one, and a wake up call for the other.

White Sox fans can only hope for the former so that the team can begin their restructuring of the minor league system and revitalization of the major league team.

RA Dickey 5-7, 4.66 ERAv Dylan Axelrod 3-4, 3.73 ERA

Chin-Ming Wang 0-0, 0.00 ERA v Jose Quintana 3-2, 3.95 ERA

Esmil Rogers 1-2, 2.60 ERA v Chris Sale 5-4, 2.68 ERA

The post Preview: Blue Jays @ White Sox appeared first on ChiCitySports.

This story is interesting because this trade would have effectively sent the White Sox into the early stages of a rebuild because at the time there was a lot of speculation surrounding Gavin Floyd as well. Had the Sox dealt Peavy, the move would have severely weakened the pitching staff, and probably would have resulted in a domino effect leading to the departure of Floyd as well.

The question that remains is: “What persuaded Rick Hahn to give the division title another go?” Hahn must have saw something to give him the confidence to the re-sign Peavy and try to compete again, but we may never know what that was. It is clear that the Sox front office was not comfortable with their chances this year, or they wouldn’t have even thought about trading the bulldog, but they took a gamble, re-signed him. At the moment the team is struggling and it seems as though Hahn should have just taken the prospects and ran. However, it is still early, so there is exponential room for improvement, but if the Sox do as bad as some think this non-trade may turn into a bigger blunder.

The post Sox, Jays were close to Peavy deal in Offseason appeared first on ChiCitySports.

The White Sox will limp out of Progressive Field with a victory in hand, but not before seeing that the team has a lot to work on if they want to contend in the AL Central. The Indians are a good team that apparently can pitch as they did not give up more than four runs to the Sox all series. However, the Indians did have an error in every game of the series which tells me that the Sox are missing chances to capitalize. Especially situations where they have found themselves with runners in scoring position. The Sox were 1-16 with runners in scoring position this series and that is what lead to such a disastrous offensive series for the team.

The first game was a pitchers duel. Justin Masterson and Jose Quintana went at it for most of the game, however, the duel between the starters ended when Quintana was lifted so Matt Thornton could start the eighth. Thornton pitched a shutout inning and then Jesse Crain was brought in for the ninth and gave up a walk off hit to former White Sox Nick Swisher. Justin Masterson however continued to bear down and was allowed to pitch all nine innings in his domination of the White Sox.

The second game saw a better offensive performance by both teams, and White Sox fans had more hope for this game with ace, Chris Sale on the mound. However, Sale completely bit the dust and gave up eight earned runs, and did not look like a pitcher White Sox fans could rely on. This was Sale’s first real rough outing of the season so I can learn to forgive, but with two hit bats men on the day I can just infer that Sale’s command was not par.

With the series now in hand for the Tribe, the White Sox really just needed to avoid a second consecutive series sweep to keep their spirits alive. Jake Peavy had a season high eleven strikeouts en route to a victory for the Sox. Addison Reed picked up his fourth save of the season and the Sox were able to avoid a sweep which was ideal considering this was their second series against an AL Central rival.

The Sox will take their 5-7 record to Toronto to face the Blue Jays for a four game set. The Sox will look to do well against their first AL East opponent and this series will also be the first the Sox will be scheduled to face White Sox fan favorite Mark Buerhle.

The post White Sox Muster Up Win in Series Loss to Tribe appeared first on ChiCitySports.