August 31st, 2024
Scott Merkin
@scottmerkinCHICAGO -- Let’s have a little fun with numbers in relation to the 2024 White Sox.
Fun isn’t exactly the word most associated with the current version of the South Siders, who lost their eighth straight by virtue of a 5-1 setback to the Mets Friday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. So let’s simply take a look behind a few numbers.
60, 70
When Jacob Amaya started at shortstop and hit ninth on Friday, he became the 60th player to suit up for the White Sox this season. That single-season franchise record breaks down at 31 pitchers and 29 position players.
“There’s going to be turnover,” White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “We had a lot of guys moving at the Deadline, guys get hurt, bringing young guys up. It’s part of the game.”
First baseman Andrew Vaughn played in his team-best 125th game Friday, finishing 0-for-4. Right-hander John Brebbia tops the staff with 54 appearances, but the engaging reliever was released on Thursday after being designated for assignment on Tuesday.
And how does 70 work into the equation? When Bryan Shaw agreed upon a Minor League contact with a non-roster invite to Major League Spring Training, the White Sox had 70 players in camp. Rebuilds tend to lend themselves to opportunity, with 10 individuals from the White Sox system making their debuts in 2024.
Maybe that number should be its own category?
8 2/3
Jonathan Cannon is one of those 10 big league newcomers, and it was June 18 at home against Houston when the right-hander came within one out of throwing a shutout. The rookie has not been quite as sharp over his past four starts, yielding 17 earned runs on 12 walks against 15 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings.
On Friday, Cannon gave up four runs over five innings. He issued four free passes, with the most damaging coming on four straight pitches to Pete Alonso with two outs in the third. Jesse Winker followed with a run-scoring double and J.D. Martinez’s two-run home run gave the Mets (71-64) a 4-1 lead.
“It’s more of getting into bad counts, falling behind a lot of guys, walking a lot of guys,” Cannon said. “I feel like [that's] kind of my M.O., when I came up and in the Minor Leagues, was just throwing strikes, and I’ve been getting myself into bad spots.”
81
Of the last 96 hits for the White Sox, 81 have been singles, as Andrew Benintendi’s run-scoring double in the first stood as the team’s only extra-base hit of its five knocks on Friday. The squad is not exactly blessed with an abundance of team speed, but even if it was, it’s difficult to put together big innings without a little of that big power.
Mets pitchers retired 21 of the final 22 White Sox hitters, with Gavin Sheets’ sixth inning single the lone blemish.
“You can look at that one of two ways: 21 of 22 retired, but I saw five hits go right at guys,” Sizemore said. “It’s just the way the ball is going for us. We are not getting the hit when we need it. We are hitting it right at them when we do have a good at-bat.
“We’ll be back tomorrow and [will] keep putting together good at-bats and hopefully we can score some more runs. You are going to have those nights.”
106
The inevitable is staring the White Sox right in the face. At 31-105, their next setback matches the 1970 squad’s franchise record of 106 losses. If they lose Saturday against old friend Jose Quintana, they will hit that mark before September begins.
Of course, the 1962 Mets’ 120 losses and the 119 for the 2003 Tigers also loom on the horizon. But even with an 0-88 record when trailing after eight innings, the White Sox never believe defeat is incoming.
“A hundred percent,” Cannon said. “Down in the ninth inning, we all think someone’s going to get the big hit. We believe in each other, which I think is big and will pay off in the long run. But yeah, it has been tough.”
“I guess it's part of the process long term for them, and it's one of those things where it's good for certain guys on that team,” Martinez said. “It gives them an opportunity to go out there and play every day, maybe earn a spot on that team or impress other teams. But it sucks coming to the park every day.”
