2 Numbers That Tell the Whole Story for the Chicago White Sox
In this story:
The Chicago White Sox will head out West after another frustrating series sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays. Their 6-13 record now has them alone at the bottom of the MLB standings, which we all know is a frustratingly familiar place for them to be.
To be clear, it hasn't been all bad for this young group, especially over the last couple of weeks. But if the Sox want to turn their season around and finally take a step forward, it's going to have to take a far more balanced effort. Let's go over two stats – one positive, one negative – that represent exactly where things stand for this group heading into late-April.
3.49 ERA
Over the team's last 13 games, where the Sox have accumulated five of their six victories, easily the biggest improvement has come on the mound. Their 3.49 ERA surprisingly sits 8th-highest in baseball.
Now, has their bullpen still managed to crumble in later innings? Yes, and the latest example came on Thursday afternoon when Seranthony Dominguez forked over the lead in the top of the ninth. But this team's starting unit deserves a tip of the cap. Adjustments have been made in recent weeks, which have included moving Opening Day starter Shane Smith to Triple-A and calling up top pitching prospect Noah Schultz.
Likewise, Anthony Kay and Davis Martin have both been rock solid thus far. The former currently holds a 2.06 ERA in his first season with the organization and has offered more velocity than some expected. Meanwhile, Martin's experience and versatility have stood out on a young team, and his walk rate is currently a career low.
The fact that Will Venable has also leaned on Grant Taylor as an opener also sure hasn't hurt. The flamethrowing bullpen arm has yet to give up a single earned run in any of his starts. In fact, the only run that has been charged to Taylor this season came on Thursday in a relief appearance.
To be sure, it's not like this White Sox unit has been stacking strikeouts or even significantly reducing their walks. They have actually recorded the ninth-fewest strikeouts and the seventh-most walks during these past 15 days. But their pitchers have repeatedly found a way to work themselves out of jams and have forced their fair share of groundouts.
We have reason to believe that this pitching production should only improve as the weeks go by. Not only will guys settle further into their roles, but the Sox have already shown they are willing to start calling up their best prospects. Schultz will likely be only the first of several top-tier arms that are called up from Triple-A this season. Hagen Smith and Tanner McDougal are both starting-caliber youngsters who should have a debut on the horizon.
With that said, the progress this group is making on the mound isn't going to matter as much if their teammates can start to make some noise at the plate.
.599 OPS
The Chicago White Sox can't seem to find an answer in the batter's box. To begin the season, it felt like power could become their identity. Munetaka Murakami was making MLB history with his consecutive long balls, while guys like Austin Hays, Everson Pereira, and Colson Montgomery were making some hard contact.
Nevertheless, as the season has gone on, the Sox have only looked colder at the plate. They hold a league-low .599 OPS over the last 15 days. It's honestly hard to pinpoint one specific problem. Believe it or not, they have actually hovered around league average in both Ks and walks over these last couple of weeks. The issue really seems to vary from game to game, with weak contact being the main constant. Their exit velocity has ranked second-worst in baseball this season behind only the Seattle Mariners.
White Sox Players Ranked By Batting Average (April 17th)
Everson Pereira – .304
Derek Hill – .286
Tanner Murray – .263
Chase Meidroth – .222
Austin Hays – .219
Tristan Peters – .214
Reese McGuire – .200
Colson Montgomery – .172
Luisangel Acuña – .170
Munetaka Murakami – .167
Andrew Benintendi – .167
Edgar Quero – .159
Miguel Vargas – .159
Sam Antonacci – .143
The good news is that Pereira returned to the lineup this week and has already provided a spark. While struggling in his previous two MLB stops in New York and Tampa Bay, Pereira has looked a lot more comfortable in a Sox uniform. Chase Meidroth also managed to end the Rays series on a high note with three hits in the last two games.
Still, two players can't fix this problem. Something is going to have to change about this group's approach at the plate, or manager Will Venable will have to consider some rather significant shake-up to the lineup and roster.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
Follow Schuster_Elias