The Chicago White Sox walked into the break with a statement win and a clean sweep of the Sacramento Athletics, rolling to a 9-1 victory that pushed them to 50 wins on the season and kept them tied with the Cleveland Guardians atop the AL Central.
This one was over fast. Chicago blew the game open with six runs in the first inning against A’s starter J.T.
Ginn, starting with Sam Antonacci’s third leadoff homer in the last 22 days and then getting the big swing from Braden Montgomery, whose three-run blast came six hitters later. The Sox added three more in the fifth and spent the rest of the afternoon cruising toward the finish line.
The result capped a first half that has changed the feel around the club. Chicago’s trip to Sacramento in mid-April was one of the early turning points, even if nobody knew it then.
The Sox arrived there after being swept at home by the Tampa Bay Rays and sitting at 6-13 with a minus-40 run differential. They left with a 9-2 win at Sutter Home Park and a series victory, and the rest of the half followed that spark.
Since that rough 19-game start, the White Sox have gone 44-32, a 93-win pace, with a plus-75 run differential that ranks in the top 10 in the majors. It’s not being sold as some untouchable juggernaut, but it does look real, and it looks good enough to matter.
Noah Schultz gave the Sox exactly the kind of first-half closing effort they needed. The July heat had the ball carrying, and Schultz was tested early when Shea Langeliers hammered a 105 mph shot for a brief 1-0 Athletics lead. Schultz had also allowed at least three earned runs in six straight starts, so there was reason for concern when the outing began.
He settled in quickly. Schultz worked five innings on just 74 pitches, allowed only two other hits, and did not issue a walk, which was only the second time that has happened in his 11 outings. The approach was different, too: a season-low 10% sinkers, more changeups to right-handed hitters, and continued success with his sweeper against both sides.
Chicago’s offense kept piling on the damage behind the early homers and a pair of multi-hit days from Miguel Vargas and Kyle Teel. Teel’s two-run single in the first inning bridged the gap between the Antonacci and Montgomery homers, and Montgomery later added an RBI single in the fifth.
Vargas also doubled for his 20th of the season, making him the sixth Sox player to reach 20 homers and 20 doubles before the break. Colson Montgomery finished 1-for-4.
The lineup’s All-Star core was a big part of the afternoon, even if not every bat stayed hot. Munetaka Murakami and Tristan Peters combined to go 1-for-7, while Peters also drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. The final Chicago run came on a wild pitch.
There was also a clear reminder of the Garrett Crochet trade throughout the box score. Teel and Montgomery accounted for six of the nine runs, and Chase Meidroth chipped in with strong work at second base despite going 0-for-4.
The bullpen handled the rest without much fuss. Jordan Hicks struck out the side in his inning after Schultz, continuing a sharp run since his latest IL activation.
Over his last seven appearances, Hicks has faced 27 hitters, struck out 15, and allowed just two hits and one walk. His fastball velocity is still sitting about 2 mph higher than it was before the injury.
Seranthony Domínguez followed with a 1-2-3 inning, and Tyler Schweitzer allowed a hit in each of his two innings, though it hardly changed the feel of the day.
The first half ended with the Sox on top of the division and heading into the All-Star break with momentum. Munetaka Murakami will take part in the Home Run Derby at 7 p.m. CT on Netflix, with Vargas and Peters set for the All-Star Game on Tuesday on Fox.
In Other News...
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The timing should offer some relief around the organization, too, because the initial recovery window had suggested a shorter absence before the setback lingered longer than expected. Carlsons first game back does not answer every question about how quickly hell recapture his rhythm, but it does get him moving in the right direction again, which is exactly what the White Sox needed to see after a frustrating stretch on the injury front. [Read more 🡒]
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Volchkos appeal starts with the pitch mix, especially a slider that stands out and a fastball that can miss bats. The stuff is there to imagine a real impact arm down the line, but the White Sox are also buying into a pitcher who still has to prove he can consistently throw strikes. For a club looking for more than safe, low-ceiling picks, this was the kind of swing fans had been waiting to see. [Read more 🡒]
Why White Sox Fans Will Judge This No. 1 Pick Hard
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For Chicago, though, the fit is only part of why this selection will be watched so closely. The organization has made clear what kind of player it values, and Cholowsky checks those boxes, but No. 1 picks are judged on more than philosophy. White Sox fans will want to know not just whether he looks like the right choice on paper, but whether he can quickly turn that promise into the kind of cornerstone production that makes a franchise-altering pick feel obvious in hindsight. [Read more 🡒]