The Chicago White Sox exhibited the traits of the group many predicted they may very well be whereas profitable two of three video games towards the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park of their first sequence after the All-Star break.
Unfortunately for Sox, most of the points which have led them to their present place within the standings popped up whereas shedding 5 of six towards the New York Mets at Citi Field and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
The Sox return dwelling Tuesday to host the City Series towards the Cubs. They’ll head into that matchup a season-high 19 video games beneath .500 at 41-60 and 12 video games out of first place within the American League Central.
Instead of discussing strikes to place themselves for making a run within the stretch drive, many of the latest nationwide buzz surrounding the membership has centered on which Sox veterans may very well be on totally different groups by the Aug. 1 commerce deadline.
Manager Pedro Grifol had a exact abstract of the place the Sox stood forward of Saturday’s sport towards the Twins.
“We have to play better baseball,” Grifol mentioned.
The Sox have been 17 beneath .500 as they ready for his or her a centesimal sport of the season that night time, which Grifol mentioned was “unacceptable” and “isn’t going to cut it.”
“We have to tighten things up,” Grifol mentioned. “We have to put things together on both sides of the ball.”
Grifol mentioned there was so much he didn’t like and a few issues he does like.
“I like the fight we’ve shown,” Grifol mentioned. “The (at-bats) once we’re down. I like the best way our beginning pitching eats innings. There’s a number of issues I like. I don’t like our psychological lapses, our base operating must be higher. Our inconsistency in self-discipline on the plate must be higher.
“There’s always room for development, there’s always room to get better. And we talk about that all the time as a staff. And it’s just not them, it’s us too, me included. Listen, I need to be better too. We all need to be better. This is not going to cut it.”
What labored in Atlanta? It began with the approaches on the plate, just like the third inning on July 15.
Spencer Strider had struck out 5 of the primary six batters of the sport. Sharp singles by Zach Remillard and Oscar Colás set the tone for the third, with Andrew Benintendi driving in a run with a bloop single to left and Luis Robert Jr. bringing dwelling two extra runs with a bloop double.
It carried over the following day with a four-run second inning that includes a stroll, 4 singles and a two-run dwelling run by Jake Burger.
That sort of execution was lacking later within the journey. The Sox went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring place in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Twins and have been 2-for-13 with RISP throughout Sunday’s 5-4 loss in 12 innings.
The Sox went 0-for-5 whereas failing to attain within the ultimate two further innings of Sunday’s sport, with Remillard credited for a sacrifice when he determined to bunt with one out within the twelfth.
There have been additionally lapses defensively, like Friday towards the Twins when Elvis Andrus couldn’t maintain on to Benintendi’s throw from left area to second on what would have been a certain out. Alex Kirilloff adopted with a house run and the Sox have been in a two-run gap within the first. Later on, Remillard couldn’t make a catch on a fly ball to proper area with two outs within the seventh. Kirilloff made them pay once more with a two-run double.
Sunday, Colás couldn’t keep on his ft whereas monitoring down a fly ball in shallow proper area within the tenth. Joey Gallo tagged up from third and raced dwelling to even the rating.
A one-out stroll within the eighth inning Saturday and a leadoff stroll within the ninth Sunday sparked rallies for the Twins. A wild pitch within the tenth put the Sox able to should convey the infield in. The pop-up to shallow proper adopted.
Those small particulars hold including as much as painful outcomes for the Sox.
The mindset after 100-plus video games, Benintendi mentioned Saturday, is “just keep playing hard.”
“It’s easy to look at the standings and think that you’re out of it and everything like that,” Benintendi mentioned after the 3-2 loss. “But you just got to keep your head, keep working and show up every day ready to play, and chips will fall where they may.”
It’s additionally how gamers like Lucas Giolito have approached the commerce deadline. He’s one of many gamers regularly talked about in commerce hypothesis.
“I’m cool with it,” Giolito mentioned when requested /after Sunday’s sport/ how he’s processed all of it. “Whatever occurs, occurs. It’s not likely on the forefront of my thoughts relating to after I’m right here and I’m on the brink of pitch and I’m going out and pitch.
“I’m just going to do my job just like any other year, any other day. That’s it. That’s my mentality. See what happens.”
Teams across the majors are additionally ready to see what occurs subsequent for the Sox.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com