The White Sox are in a spot most fans would have happily signed up for three weeks ago: with enough cushion that a playoff berth feels nearly inevitable. But that comfort came with a sharp jolt Thursday night, when Sean Burke endured the shortest outing of his career in a 9-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Burke was gone after just 1 1/3 innings. The first seven batters he faced all reached base, he matched a career high by allowing seven runs, and five of the eight hits against him went for doubles. Pittsburgh piled up 18 hits in all, turning the game into a rough night for a Chicago staff already carrying plenty of mileage.
The outing felt like a bad one waiting to happen, even with Burke getting two extra days off beforehand. His previous start, against the Houston Astros, was a sharp one - 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the club now sitting 1.5 games behind the Sox for the No. 2 seed in the AL playoffs.
But the three starts before that told a different story. In two of them, he didn’t get past 4 1/3 innings, and in two he gave up four runs and at least five hits.
This is still only Burke’s second full season, but he has already sailed past his previous career high in innings. The sense is that he may be running on fumes, though that’s hardly unique on this roster. Several Sox pitchers are being pushed deep into unfamiliar territory, and now every stumble gets magnified because it’s happening in the middle of a pennant race the team wasn’t supposed to be part of.
The loss also got a little heavier when the Cleveland Guardians beat the Baltimore Orioles and trimmed the AL Central gap to two games. Cleveland can’t catch or tie the Sox before this weekend’s games, but if the Guardians beat the Orioles again and the White Sox get swept by the Pirates, Chicago’s lead would shrink to half a game.
There is a strange twist to all of it: the Guardians might end up being the thing that snaps the Sox back into focus. Chicago has been excellent inside the division, going 27-15 against AL Central opponents, but it has gone 48-53 against everyone else.
That makes this weekend trip to face the St. Louis Cardinals even more interesting, with St.
Louis still chasing its own playoff hopes.
So yes, one day is off the schedule. The problem is how many are still left.
In Other News...
Pirates Bullpen Plan Just Got More Interesting Before Cubs Series
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There is some roster movement around the edges, too, with Ryan OHearn starting a minor league rehab assignment and expected back soon. On the pitching side, Isaac Mattson landed on the injured list, Brandon Eisert was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, and the next few days will give the Pirates a better sense of how much they can ask from a reshuffled relief group before the Cubs series arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Skenes Is Suddenly Giving Pirates Fans A Different Kind Of Concern
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The velocity trend is the part that matters most for Pittsburgh now. Skenes has reached 98 mph in three straight starts for the first time since June, but his recent averages have still been his lowest of the season, a reminder that his late-year workload is being watched closely. He has a few outings left before the Pirates and their ace have to sort out whether the dip is just a temporary fade or something that will require real adjustments to his approach. [Read more 🡒]
Bubba Chandlers Fastball Is Starting To Look Like The Real Deal
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Since Aug. 3, Chandler has made seven starts with a 3.38 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 37 1/3 innings, a stretch that has only strengthened the sense that his stuff is translating. For Pittsburgh, the appeal goes beyond one strong outing, because the recent run is starting to look less like a flash and more like the early shape of a pitcher who could become a major-league force. [Read more 🡒]