The White Sox are walking into Games 1 and 2 of the ALDS with a tough assignment on both sides of the ball. Cleveland is lining up its best arms in Parker Messick and Gavin Williams, which means Chicago’s offense has to be ready from the first pitch. At the same time, the Sox need their own pitching to hold up against a Guardians lineup that won’t make anything easy.
Hagen Smith is set to start Game 1, and Noah Schultz plus Grant Taylor are expected to get involved at some point. The problem for Chicago is that both Schultz and Taylor have been hit hard by Cleveland this season.
Taylor owns two saves, but he’s also 0-3 with a 9.45 ERA against the Guardians. Schultz hasn’t been much better at 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA.
If the Sox are going to get through this series, those two will need to look like completely different pitchers than they have in previous matchups with Cleveland.
That puts a premium on the bullpen arms that have actually handled the Guardians well. Chicago does have a few, and Cleveland will have to solve them if they get the ball in this series.
Bryan Hudson sits at the top of that list. He has faced the Guardians five times this season and hasn’t allowed a run.
His WHIP is an even 1.00, and he has punched out six while walking only one. If the White Sox want to get creative, there’s even an argument that he should be the closer in this series, even though he didn’t pitch in the Wild Card series.
If Chicago goes with another bullpen game or uses an opener - which it almost certainly will - Erick Fedde should be the bulk pitcher. He is 1-0 against Cleveland this season with a 2.61 ERA, and it would be surprising if Will Venable didn’t use him.
Sean Newcomb is the other name worth watching. His recent form has been shaky, so there’s reason to hesitate, but his numbers against the Guardians are strong enough to matter.
He posted a 3.24 ERA versus Cleveland, and his eight appearances against them are the most of any pitcher on the staff. He also has one loss to the Guardians this season, but this could be a chance for Newcomb to find the level that made him dependable earlier in the year.
In Other News...
White Sox Booth Suddenly Faces Real Uncertainty Beyond This Postseason
The White Sox have a little more than a postseason run to worry about when it comes to the broadcast booth. John Schriffens contract has expired, and there have been no recent renewal talks, leaving the clubs play-by-play chair in an unexpectedly unsettled spot as Chicago tries to keep its attention on October baseball.
Mike McCarthy and CHSN are reportedly exploring potential replacements, which adds another layer of uncertainty to a setup that had seemed stable enough heading into the stretch run. The team has stayed quiet beyond saying its focus remains on the postseason, but the situation suggests the booth could look very different once this run is over. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Are Betting Game 2 On A Risky Pitching Formula
The White Sox are sticking with the kind of pitching plan that can make a postseason series feel like it is being managed on a knifes edge. For Game 2 of the American League Division Series, left-hander Anthony Kay is set to open ahead of right-hander Sean Burke, a setup that manager Will Venable has already confirmed as part of Chicagos approach.
It is the sort of decision that keeps every inning tied to the next one, especially with other arms such as Grant Taylor and Hagen Smith available if needed in shorter bursts. Burke, who had a strong regular season and is now coming off his first postseason start, said he is prepared to help in whatever role the White Sox need as they try to keep the series moving their way. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Fans Have One Prospect Worth Watching Closely Sunday
The Arizona Fall League has become a familiar late-season stop for evaluators looking to get one more read on some of the games better young talent, and Sundays slate has plenty of names worth tracking across Scottsdale, Glendale, Peoria, Mesa, Salt River and Surprise. For White Sox fans, the most relevant watch point is Caleb Bonemer, who is part of a group that also includes prospects such as Zyhir Hope, Nathan Flewelling, Chase Harlan, Ike Irish, Arjun Nimmala, Dax Kilby, Demetrio Crisantes, Sebastian Walcott, Aidan Miller and Angeibel Gomez.
With games streaming on MLB.com and MLB.TV, the setup offers an easy chance to check in on how these prospects are handling another level of competition, especially on a day when rankings and recent achievements are likely to be a big part of the conversation. The White Sox do not have the deepest AFL footprint in the spotlight, but Bonemer gives their followers one player to keep close tabs on while the rest of the leagues top young names fill out the board around him. [Read more 🡒]