Chase Meidroth Has Career Night As Chicago White Sox Extend Win Streak

TAMPA, Fla. –– Chase Meidroth began July on a 5-for-40 (.125) stretch going into the All-Star break. Going back even further to June 5, the rookie's batting average had fallen from .312 in his first 40 games to .243 at the break.

"I attribute it a lot to just the grind," White Sox manager WIll Venable said Monday. "And I think he's trying to figure out –– just as Vargy, same as a lot of these guys –– how to navigate a Major League season and navigate those ups and downs. You're not gonna feel good, you're gonna be tired, and you have to deal with that. So I think that rest over the break served him well, and then, as I've mentioned before, you know, that's my job to just make sure that we're able to maintain those energy levels."

Over the last week, Meidroth made a few mechanical changes with the White Sox hitting coaches and said he feels really good now. That was certainly the case in an 8-3 win over the Rays on Monday, as Meidroth had the first four-hit game of his career.

Finishing 4-for-5 with a run scored, it marked his first game with multiple extra-base hits, and he became the sixth White Sox rookie in team history with a three-double game and first since Harold Baines on April 20, 1980.

"Obviously it feels good. But you know, four wins in a row scoring eight or more feels a lot better," Meidroth said postgame.

Part of the White Sox game plan against Rays starter Shane Baz was to be aggressive against fastballs early in the count. Chase Meidroth put that to action in the game's second at-bat, driving a second-pitch fastball to the opposite field for a double.

Baz tried to adjust against Meidroth as the game went on, but the White Sox rookie shortstop proved to be a tough out all night. Meidroth connected with an elevated cutter from Baz in his second at-bat, serving it to left field for a line drive single.

Baz tried a bit of everything the next time he faced Meidroth, tossing four knuckle curves, three cutters, two fastballs and a changeup as part of a 10-pitch at-bat. Meidroth fouled off six pitches before grounding out to shortstop to end the inning. Still, the lengthy plate appearance helped drive up Baz's pitch count and wear him down during a rough outing with four innings and eight earned runs.

Meidroth capped off his big night with a pair of doubles against the Rays bullpen. The first came on a first-pitch fastball from Mason Englert, and he turned on an inside slider from Garrett Cleavinger his next time up.

"Just hit something in the heart of the plate. I think that's always the approach," Meidroth said. "But I can't say enough, one through nine. That's a really good arm over there, and one through nine we had really good, quality at-bats the entire day. So that was awesome."

Since returning from the All-Star break, Meidroth is 7-for-20, good for a .350 batting average. With a few adjustments and extra time off to rejuvenate his body, he's eager for a big second half.

"It was a good break. But I was itching the entire time to get back here," Meidroth said. "And finish out these last few games on a strong note."

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