Tyler Alexander Continues Strong Run With White Sox Against Former Team

CHICAGO –– Ever since Tyler Alexander arrived at Rate Field mid-game in an Uber, he's been a valuable and versatile piece for the White Sox pitching staff.

On Monday, he tossed 4.1 scoreless innings against the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. The veteran left-hander provided another 4.1-inning shutout in his previous appearance against the playoff-bound Seattle Mariners. Those outings came at a vital time, as the White Sox rotation has been shorthanded after the trade deadline, injuries and poor performance.

"Tyler was outstanding. Another outing where we need coverage. We needed someone to step up and give us quality," White Sox manager Will Venable said Monday. "And again, he stepped up and did that for us. He was outstanding."

Following back-to-back stellar outings, Alexander's ERA across 41.2 innings with the White Sox dropped 2.59 to go along with a 1.05 WHIP. Both statistics represent career-bests across Alexander's seven-year MLB career, though the sample size is smaller compared to three seasons with 100-plus innings.

Through the highs and lows, Alexander has learned to keep a level head and not get too caught up in statistics.

“I’ve had stretches throughout my career that have been really good. I’ve had stretches that have been awful,” Alexander said on July 23 in Tampa, Fla. “… I don’t know my numbers now. I don’t know what they were then. I sort of close my eyes and keep going.”

Alexander may not know it, but he's third among White Sox pitchers with 1.3 wins above replacement, per Baseball Reference, behind traded starter Adrian Houser (3.0 in 68.2 innings) and fellow long reliever Mike Vasil (2.3 in 75.2 innings). Who predicted that –– for any of the three pitchers –– going into the year?

Alexander was available to the White Sox after being designated for assignment, then released by the Milwaukee Brewers. To begin the season, he posted a 6.19 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in 36.1 innings. The White Sox signed Alexander to a one-year, $760,000 contract on June 8, at the time replacing injured left-hander Jared Shuster and taking the 40-man roster spot of left-hander Fraser Ellard, who was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

While it isn't a blockbuster move that greatly changes the trajectory of the season or makes the White Sox contenders in 2025, it represents an undoubtedly positive, under-the-radar move by general manager Chris Getz.

"It's been incredibly valuable to get that guy midseason," Venable said. "To add him to the bullpen, a guy with experience, a guy that know what he's doing out there and is able to perform at the level he's performing. It's a huge pickup for us."

Following his White Sox debut on June 8, Alexander said postgame he signed with the team at noon, then took an hour-and-a-half Uber ride to Chicago. He arrived at Rate Field around 1:30 p.m. CT, after the 1:10 p.m. game against the Kansas City Royals had already begun. Despite a chaotic morning, he still managed to pitch three innings with one earned run.

"Just tried to keep a level head and not freak out too much,” Alexander said after that outing.

Since then, Alexander has been used as starter, long reliever and has even finished out four games. Recently he's been working on establishing a consistent sweeper to pair with his changeup, which he believes has been better this season. He doesn't blow hitters away with a fastball that averages 90.6 mph, so it's important for him to be able to use a five-pitch repertoire to keep hitters guessing.

His 24 sweepers thrown Monday accounted for 36.9% of his pitches, a significant uptick from the 20% season-long sweeper usage rate. He likes to throw the sweeper back door to righties and spin it away as part of his primary attack against lefties. He's learned to manipulate it to different parts of the zone based on the situation, which has made it even more effective.

Alexander put that plan to action in his first at-bat on Monday, striking out the left-handed hitting Zach McKinstry looking with a sweeper.

"Getting to face lefties is fun. It's also a little bit weird because I don't get to face them all the time, so it's not uncomfortable but it's uncommon," Alexander said. "But good hitters, I still need to execute good pitches even though it's left on left and everyone expects a lefty to get lefties out, it's not always the case."

Monday's outing was also special for Alexander because it came against his former team. The Tigers drafted Alexander in the 23rd round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school and again in the second round of the 2015 draft out of TCU. He came up through the minors in the Tigers organization and made his MLB debut in 2019 with Detroit, where he played through the 2023 season.

Alexander remains good friends with several Tigers players and coaches –– many of whom will attend his wedding in the offseason –– though he was sad he didn't face his good friend Jake Rogers during Monday's game.

From the way he pitched to the stakes against his old teammates, it made for a memorable night.

"There's always a little extra want to pitch well against a former team," Alexander said. "I thought I threw well. It's a team that probably game planned for me really well, they know me really well. So it feels good pitching well against a team that knows you and knows what you're gonna do and you still do well. ... But still gonna face them again maybe this year, so can't get too cocky."

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