The Yankees just wrapped up a two-game series against the Cubs on Chicago’s north side, and now they move down to the south side for a four-game set against the Cubs. Chicago week continues with the team’s first non-interleague series in two weeks. Hooray for the DH.
What Have They Done Lately?
The White Sox dropped last night’s game to the Royals but still took two of three in the series. They have lost eight of their last 13 games and are 23-25 with a -11 run differential overall. That leaves them in fourth place in the top heavy AL Central.
Offense
After a scorching hot start to the season, the White Sox have slowed down offensively in recent weeks, but they still sport a team 101 wRC+ and an average of 4.88 runs per game. The Yankees catch a big break because 1B Jose Abreu (140 wRC+) was just placed on the 15-day DL with an ankle problem. He leads baseball with 15 homers. The Yankees will miss Abreu this week after missing Ryan Braun against the Brewers and Josh Hamilton against the Angels. Lucky. The ChiSox also lost OF Avisail Garcia (128 wRC+) to a season-ending shoulder injury a few weeks ago.
Even without Abreu, the White Sox still have a premier power hitter in 1B Adam Dunn (143 wRC+). SS Alexei Ramirez (126 wRC+), 3B Conor Gillaspie (128 wRC+), C Tyler Flowers (113 wRC+), and OF Dayan Viciedo (123 wRC+) have all been very good as well. Gillaspie missed some time with an injury earlier this year. All four of those guys were pretty bad just last season, so they’ve turned it around in a big way early on. 1B Paul Konerko (48 wRC+) is a shell of his former self and started the year on the bench, though Abreu’s injury has pushed him into the lineup full-time at the moment.
2B Gordon Beckham (98 wRC+) has been okay this year, though neither IF Marcus Semien (66 wRC+) nor UTIL Leury Garcia (63 wRC+) has done much with the bat. OF Adam Eaton (92 wRC+) now hits leadoff after OF Alejandro De Aza (41 wRC+) hit in that spot the last few seasons. OF Moises Sierra (22 wRC+) was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays a few weeks ago to help cover for Garcia’s injury. Backup C Adrian Nieto (107 wRC+) is a Rule 5 Draft pick who made the jump from High-A this year. The White Sox can still hit a little, but there’s no doubt the Yankees catch a break by missing Abreu.
Pitching Matchups (Pitcher GIFS is down temporarily)
Thursday: RHP David Phelps (vs. CWS) vs. LHP Chris Sale (vs. NYY)
Chris Sale, 25, will be activated off the 15-day DL later today and make this start. He missed a little more than a month with a flexor strain in his elbow. I guess we can’t complain with Abreu on the shelf. Sale had a 2.30 ERA (2.32 FIP) in 27.1 innings with an excellent strikeout rate (9.55 K/9 and 27.9 K%), an excellent walk rate (2.30 BB/9 and 6.7 BB%), and an excellent home run rate (0.33 HR/9 and 4.2% HR/FB) before getting hurt. He gets a good amount of grounders (45.5%) and demolishes lefties (.063 wOBA). Righties (.262 wOBA) are a little more successful. A low-to-mid-90s two-seam fastball sets up his upper-70s slider and low-80s changeup. There is always a little uncertainty when a pitcher makes his first start off the DL — Sale did strike out eleven in four shutout innings in his only rehab start — but when healthy, Sale is one of the five best pitchers in all of baseball. He’s a monster.
Friday: RHP Hiroki Kuroda (vs. CWS) vs. LHP John Danks (vs. NYY)
You might remember a few years ago that most of his here at RAB talked constantly about trading for the 29-year-old Danks. Then he tore his shoulder capsule and everything changed. The southpaw has a 5.64 ERA (5.10 FIP) in nine starts and 52.2 innings this year with mediocre to bad peripherals: 7.01 K/9 (17.3 K%), 4.44 BB/9 (10.9 BB%), 1.37 HR/9 (10.8% HR/FB), and 37.7% grounders. Both righties (.375 wOBA) and lefties (.340 wOBA) have had their way with him. Danks throws his two and four-seam fastballs in the mid-to-upper-80s post-torn capsule with his cutter a few ticks below that. An upper-70s changeup is his top secondary pitch, though he will throw a handful low-70s curveballs per start as well. Danks was very good a few years ago, but the shoulder injury changes everything. He’s replacement level now.
Saturday: LHP Vidal Nuno (No vs. CWS) vs. RHP Scott Carroll (No vs. NYY)
Carroll, 29, spent parts of eight seasons in the minors before getting his first call to the big leagues earlier this month. His first two starts were very good (two runs in 7.1 innings, two runs in six innings), but the last three have been disasters (six runs in four innings twice, six runs in five innings the other). Carroll has a 6.49 ERA (5.48 FIP) in 26.1 innings with the same number of walks as strikeouts (3.08 per nine and 6.9%). He has gotten ground balls (51.0%), given up some homers (1.03 HR/9 and 9.7% HR/FB), and been smacked around by both righties (.379 wOBA) and lefties (.453 wOBA). Carroll does throw five pitches and they’re pretty much the exact five pitches you’d expect a career minor league journeyman to throw: upper-80s two and four-seamers, low-80s changeups, low-80s sliders, and mid-70s curves. This is essentially a matchup of seventh or eighth starters.
Sunday: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (No vs. CWS) vs. RHP Andre Rienzo (vs. NYY)
The ChiSox have really had to dip into their farm system for arms due to injuries this year, a rarity for them. They’ve consistently been the healthiest team in baseball over the last few seasons. Unlike Carroll, the 25-year-old Rienzo is one of the team’s better prospects, and so far this season he has a 4.00 ERA (5.56 FIP) in 36 innings. The peripherals — 6.25 K/9 (16.0 K%), 4.00 BB/9 (10.3 BB%), 1.50 HR/9 (13.3% HR/FB), and 40.5% — aren’t anything special, and lefties (.347 wOBA) have hit him harder than righties (.270 wOBA). Rienzo throws three fastballs in the upper-80s (two-seamer, four-seamer, cutter) as well as an upper-70s curveball, plus he’ll mix in a few low-80s changeups. I’ve gotta say, these are some interesting pitching matchups this week. Not all of them in a good way either.
Bullpen Status
ChiSox manager and former Yankees third baseman Robin Ventura just lost closer RHP Matt Lindstrom (4.70 FIP) for several months with a severe ankle injury. I’m not sure who will step into the ninth inning, but it won’t be ex-Mets closer RHP Frank Francisco (9.88 FIP); Dan Hayes says he will be designated for assignment today to clear a roster spot for Sale. RHP Ronald Belisario (2.91 FIP) and LHP Scott Downs (3.46 FIP) have been handling setup duties.
RHP Jake Petricka (3.95 FIP), RHP Zach Putnam (2.91 FIP), RHP Daniel Webb (4.27 FIP), and former Yankee RHP Hector Noesi (4.19 FIP) are also in the bullpen. Noesi has a 6.21 ERA in 162.1 innings since being traded away. I have no idea what happened there. He was pretty good in 2011. Blame the Mariners, I guess. RHP Javy Guerra is Chicago’s roster but has not yet pitched. Check out our Bullpen Workload page for the status of the Yankees’ bullpen, then check out South Side Sox for everything you need to know about the ChiSox.
Pitching Matchups Update: According to Jackson Alexander, Carroll has been moved to the bullpen now that Sale is back. Sale with start tonight, Noesi tomorrow, Danks on Saturday, and Rienzo on Sunday.
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