White Sox Maintain Lead Despite Storms and Roster Changes
Severe storms in the Chicago area on Thursday helped the White Sox maintain their position in first place. The Sox kept their half-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central after their game against the Atlanta Braves was postponed. The missed game will be rescheduled for 1:10 p.m. on August 20.
Currently, the White Sox hold a record of 36-31. They won their previous two games against the Braves, a team with an impressive 45-23 record, making them the best in Major League Baseball. A walk-off home run by Braden Montgomery in his major-league debut led to a 6-5, 10-inning victory in the series opener on Tuesday. The next night, they secured a 2-1 win to surpass the Guardians.
The White Sox now face a tough challenge with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two-time-defending World Series champions, visiting for a three-game series starting Friday. In preparation, the Sox adjusted their rotation. Anthony Kay will start on Friday, followed by Sean Burke on Saturday, and Erick Fedde on Sunday. Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was not scheduled to pitch due to a recent knee issue but was expected to play.
Three Takeaways from the Sox-Braves Series
Back in Form
White Sox starter Davis Martin showcased his skills against the Braves. He threw six shutout innings on Wednesday, outdueling Chris Sale, a former NL Cy Young Award winner. This performance tied Martin with other top pitchers in the league with nine wins.
Martin struggled in his previous outing on June 2 against the Twins but returned strong after a seven-day rest. “Physically, I was exhausted,” he said. “The rest was huge. The ball came out of my hand normal, and I felt like myself again.” Manager Will Venable praised Martin’s ability to dominate the zone.
Martin expressed his excitement about defeating Sale and being part of a successful team: “We are doing things right. Our culture is in the right spot.” The Sox have about 95 games left and aim to maintain their momentum.
Trade, Part I
Outfielder Derek Hill played a key role in the 2-1 victory on Wednesday but was traded the following day. The Sox dealt Hill to the Philadelphia Phillies for minor-league players and $250,000 in international pool money. Hill hit .213 with four home runs and eight RBIs this season.
Manager Venable praised Hill’s contributions but acknowledged the roster crunch led to the trade. To replace Hill, the Sox activated outfielder Everson Pereira from the injured list. Pereira hit .250 with three home runs earlier this season.
Trade, Part II
The Sox continued their roster adjustments by trading with the Guardians for outfielder Nolan Jones. In exchange, the Sox gave $250,000 in international bonus money. Jones, who played for Triple-A Columbus, was hitting .275 with eight home runs at the time of the trade.
Jones had previously played for the Colorado Rockies and showed promise during his 2023 season with 20 home runs.
Reporter Jeff Vorva and the Associated Press contributed to this article.