Baseball is finally back, and the Chicago White Sox will take the field to hopefully add at least ten wins to their season total this year.
The White Sox will take on Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels, with Sean Burke taking the mound for the Sox, while the Angels will throw Yusei Kikuchi for game one.
To pull off a win today against the Halos, the White Sox will have to do a couple of things to do so.
What do the Chicago White Sox need to do to get a win?
Feb 26, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) reacts after his at bat in the fourth inning during a spring training game against the San Diego Padres at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
The White Sox will look to not start the season off on the wrong foot and will look to try and take 2/3 from the Angels. For the White Sox to do that and win today, they’ll need a patient approach at the plate.
The White Sox last season were dead last in walks for the season (395) and the middle of the pack (14th) for strikeouts (1403). These two team stats helped contribute to the Sox’s grueling season, where they set the all-time loss record.
Having a patient approach against Kikuchi will help the Sox have success.
Kikuchi is a strike-thrower and fills up the zone season, posting a first-pitch strike percentage from last season of 65.5%, which is the highest for his career.
Sitting on Kikuchi’s fastball and cutter will be key, as those are the pitches he uses the most. Kikuchi throws his four-seamer 47% of the time and his cutter, which he changed from a slider after joining the Astros 24% of the time.
Kikuchi does have a curveball (17.9%) and a changeup (11.1%) that he’ll throw to give hitters another look, but he’s mainly a fastball/cutter pitcher.
The challenge will be the bullpen
If the White Sox can have a patient approach at the plate and run up Kikuchi’s pitch count, it should work in their favor to eke out a win.
The real challenge the White Sox will have will be the Angels bullpen.
The Angels have two dominant relievers, Kenley Jansen and Ben Joyce, who will get the Sox a fit.
Jansen is the active leader in saves (447) in Major League Baseball, and Joyce has one of the hardest fastballs in the game, topping at 104.5mph.
Getting out to an early lead will help the Sox not to face either Jansen or Joyce.
Baseball is back!!
Baseball is finally back on the South Side, and it’s a glorious feeling.
The White Sox will kick things off at 3:10 and hopefully get the W.
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