White Sox aim to match 2024 win total in series opener at Angels
Of course, Chicago's 41-121 finish last season featured the most losses in modern major league history. The White Sox finished an eye-popping 51 1/2 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central.
Chicago, with a 40-69 record, will open a six-game road trip with a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels.
The White Sox's record includes an impressive 8-4 run since the All-Star break that featured a three-game series sweep of the Pirates in Pittsburgh and winning two of three games from both Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. The lone series the White Sox lost came against the crosstown rival Cubs.
Still, the rebuilding project is going well enough that Chicago didn't trade 2023 All-Star outfielder Luis Robert Jr. at Thursday's deadline, as many had expected. Although the White Sox did ship starter Adrian Houser, who was 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 11 starts, to Tampa Bay at the deadline for infielder Curtis Mead. Outfielder Austin Slater went to the Yankees for pitching prospect Gage Ziehl on Wednesday.
"We didn't match up, but I'm really excited having Luis Robert in the lineup tomorrow," Chicago vice president and general manager Chris Getz told the Chicago Sun-Times. "We really value having Luis Robert being part of this."
"There's a lot of noise out there throughout the year, certainly the (trade) deadline is a distraction, and these guys have done a great job of staying focused," manager Will Venable said following a 9-3 victory over the Phillies on Wednesday.
Four of the White Sox top young prospects -- catcher/designated hitter Kyle Teel, catcher Edgar Quero, and infielders Colson Montgomery and Miguel Vargas -- homered in the win. Vargas and Overo both hit three-run shots to highlight a seven-run seventh inning to break the game open. Robert Jr., who has a 1.094 OPS since the All-Star break, went 3-for-4 with a stolen base and a run and also made several key defensive plays.
"We have a lot of talent, but we also have a lot of fight," the 23-year-old Teel said.
Chicago hasn't announced a starter for Friday night's opener, but All-Star right-hander Shane Smith (3-7, 4.26 ERA), out since July 17 with a left ankle sprain, is expected to be activated on Friday.
Los Angeles also held on to its key pieces -- including reliever Kenley Jansen, outfielder Taylor Ward, third baseman Yoan Moncada and left-handed starter Tyler Anderson -- at the trade deadline.
The Angels, who took two of three games from the Texas Rangers before the deadline, are just 4 1/2 games out of the final wild-card spot in the American League.
"We're obviously really competitive," Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. "I wanted to keep this group together."
Anderson (2-6, 4.41 ERA), who is 0-2 with an 8.50 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox, will start Friday's opener for the Angels. He is 0-6 in 17 starts since winning his last game on April 18 against San Francisco.
Outfielder Mike Trout, the lone remaining player from the last Angels team to make the playoffs, in 2014, needs just three more home runs to become the 59th player in major league history to reach 400 for his career. He is batting .235 with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs this season.
"I've been saying this since Day One, we've got a tight group in here," Trout told MLB.com. "We play for each other. There's been some good games, some bad games, but we turn the page quick, and we pull for each other."
Los Angeles opened the season at Chicago and won the final two games of the three-game series.
--Field Level Media
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