Noah Schultz gave the White Sox exactly the kind of outing that can change a conversation, just not the one that changed the result. Chicago got a strong enough night from its pitching to hang around, but the offense never found a way through in a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
Jordan Hicks set the tone early by breezing through a 1-2-3 first inning on eight pitches, extending his scoreless streak to 15 innings while looking sharp from the jump. Schultz then handled the bulk of the work, and for the third time in his career, he went at least five innings while allowing one run or fewer.
This one was cleaner from Schultz than what the White Sox had seen before. He didn’t walk a batter, stayed in control for most of the afternoon, and limited the Rays to three hits and four strikeouts.
The only real trouble came in the fifth, when Tampa Bay strung together two hits and turned them into the game’s lone run. Schultz was getting soft contact and ground balls all game, and with the trade deadline approaching, he may have done enough to put himself in line for another start.
Will Venable went to Seranthony Dominguez after Schultz had worked five innings on 67 pitches, and the former closer responded with a perfect frame, striking out two. Dominguez has been building momentum lately, too.
Over his last seven games, he owns a 1.59 ERA with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Trevor Richards kept the Rays from adding on in the eighth, but the White Sox offense never gave the pitching staff any breathing room.
That was the brutal part. After Friday’s 6-1 win, when Chicago launched four home runs, the bats went quiet in a big way.
The White Sox finished with five hits, matching Tampa Bay, but the gap was obvious in the strikeout column: 16 punchouts in 31 at-bats. They had just one chance with runners in scoring position and couldn’t cash it in.
Drew Rasmussen was the reason the Rays could protect that slim edge. He fired six scoreless innings, struck out 10, walked one and allowed four hits.
A 1-0 loss is always a gut punch, and the White Sox will need to shake it off quickly. Sunday’s rubber match is next, with Anthony Kay set to face Rays starter Griffin Jax. In 28 games, including 17 starts, Jax has posted a 3.74 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 86.2 innings, and his stuff has led to plenty of chase and whiff.
Kay, meanwhile, went more than five innings for the second time since June 1 in his last outing. He has a 3.51 ERA over his last seven starts, but Chicago needs more length from him and much better support from the lineup if it wants to take the series.
In Other News...
White Sox Bullpen Help Is Here But The Deadline Debate Isnt Over
The White Sox kept working the bullpen market by adding another veteran arm from outside the organization, this time in a deal with the Mets. New York sent Huascar Brazobn to Chicago for Double-A pitcher Gabe Davis and Triple-A pitcher Zach Franklin, continuing a deadline stretch that has already brought more turnover to the relief mix after the club moved Seranthony Domnguez and added Luis Castillo.
Brazobn gives Chicago another experienced option as the front office tries to stabilize the back end and sort out what this staff looks like over the final stretch. The move also underscores that the deadline conversation is not finished, because the White Sox have already shown a willingness to keep adjusting the bullpen while weighing how much more help still needs to come in. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Deadline Moves Leave One Big Question About This Roster
The White Sox spent the run-up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline trying to patch together a roster that still had clear needs, and they came away with a mix of pitching help and depth additions. Chicago landed right-handed reliever Huascar Brazobn from the Mets, added catcher Eric Haase on a minor-league deal, and also made a move for right-handed starter Jos Urquidy from Pittsburgh. The club even worked in a separate deal involving Castillo as it continued searching for answers on the mound.
What made the deadline haul interesting was not just who arrived, but how the White Sox chose to handle their new pieces. The front office clearly aimed to reinforce both the bullpen and the rotation, but the roster shuffle left one lingering question about how much immediate help these moves really provide. For a team still trying to stabilize its pitching staff, the bigger issue now is whether these additions are meant to plug holes right away or simply create more options for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Just Made An Outfield Move Fans Will Debate
The White Sox have spent much of this season searching for ways to tighten up a shaky outfield picture, and the latest move is a clear sign they are prioritizing defense. Brenton Doyle arrives from Colorado with a reputation as one of the games best glove-first center fielders, backed by a pair of Gold Glove awards and club control that runs through 2029, giving Chicago more than just a short-term fix.
The fit, though, is not going to be debated only on the basis of range and arm strength. Doyles recent offensive struggles are part of the calculation, and they will keep the conversation pointed at whether the White Sox are betting on his defense to carry enough weight while they try to extract more at the plate. For a club trying to reshape its roster with an eye on stability, this is exactly the kind of move that can look smart in one season and be questioned in the next. [Read more 🡒]