Luis Robert Jr. #88 of the Chicago White Sox chases down an RBI double off the wall by Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on April 5, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)
Reed Hoffmann/Getty
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This is the fight to avoid the distinction of who might be the worst of the AL Central.
For the White Sox, it has become a fight to stay healthy, one week into the season.
On the same day Eloy Jimenez landed on the injured list with an adductor strain, All-Star center fielder Luis Robert suffered an apparent leg injury running out a double in the ninth inning of a 2-1 loss that dropped the Sox to 1-6.
In the most winnable division in baseball, the White Sox find themselves losing more than anyone else.
As bad as the Sox were last season, 61-101 for their worst record since 1970, the Royals were even worse with 106 losses. But as the Royals were seen during the offseason as the most improved team in the American League, the Sox trimmed payroll to $132 million (18th in the majors per Spotrac, still higher than the Royals at $116 million), completely overhauled their starting rotation and did little in the offseason to upgrade their roster.
After Friday’s loss to the 4-4 Royals, the Sox are 0-5 in the division. A week’s worth of games is a small sample size, but they only support what many pessimistically thought of the Sox to begin with.
Voice edit Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green here: “The [White Sox] are who we thought they were.”
Or so it appears that way. It’s early. But a lineup already lacking punch lost its cleanup hitter, Eloy Jimenez, to the injured list Friday with his latest injury only three games into the season, and entered Friday having scored 12 runs, its lowest in the first six games since the 1969 Sox who went 68-94.
While few of the team’s supporters can reasonably hope for contender-quality performance, it shouldn’t be too much to expect something more than division-basement material. But seven games and six losses in against the Royals, that’s where we’re at.
The Sox had four hits, including Gavin Sheets’ first homer extending his on-base streak to eight. MJ Melendez’ RBI single against Michael Kopech broke a 1-all tie.
Defense, improved “baseball IQ” and clubhouse culture were said to be spruced up, but nothing was done to bolster an offense that ranked last in the majors in runs last season, and it’s showing. The Sox have scored 13 runs, their lowest in 54 years at this point of the season.
“I like the way we’re competing,” manager Pedro Grifol said, striking a positive chord before the game. “I like the way these guys are together in here. They want to win. They prepare to win, we’ve played six games we’ve been in five of them with a chance to win.”
Friday’s was another, but MJ Melendez’ RBI single against Michael Kopech in the eighth provided a fourth loss by one run. Adding to the loss, right-hander John Brebbia exited with a recurrence of the right calf injury that sidelined him during spring training.
“We have to find ways to close games out, to get that big hit, get that big shutdown inning and feel what it’s like to win,” Grifol said. “So there’s another level we have to get to. We’re talking about it, they feel it.”
The Sox were 7-21 in Grifol’s first 28 career games as a manager last season, and it would take a 7-15 stretch against the Royals, Guardians, Reds and Phillies to avoid that.
“Primarily I’ve been really happy with the pitching,” general manager Chris Getz said Thursday.
“There’s been a lot of positive takeaways from our initial play. We could very easily have more wins than one and we just need to stay the course with our approach.”
It’s only two starts but Garrett Crochet (1.38 ERA) has pitched like an All-Star, Michael Soroka (4.91) looked more capable of recapturing glimpses of his All-Star ability in his second start Thursday and Erick Fedde has a 2.70 ERA after pitching five-plus innings of one-run ball in his second start Friday. Michael Kopech, delivering 100-mph pitches with regularity out of the bullpen, will be given a chance to be a closer.
Meanwhile, the Royals starting pitchers have posted an ERA under 1.50 in their first eight games, a rate that won’t be sustained but bodes well for the next 154.
“I’m not sure that’s something we’re too concerned about right now,” Crochet said of the team’s poor start. “I don’t want to say ‘it’s early’ because every game counts, but [we’ve played most games close]. We have to just keep preparing and approach each day like it’s a new day.”