Here's the catch: Sox need more from Flowers, Soto

The White Sox have never asked Tyler Flowers to contend for the American League batting title.

They just want their No. 1 catcher to hit in the .250 neighborhood and contribute 15 home runs and 50 RBI, like he did last season.

So far, it hasn't happened.

Heading into Thursday night's game against the Indians, Flowers was batting .205 with 1 home run and 7 RBI.

"It's a tough position to be offensive at," said White Sox manager Robin Ventura. "There have been very few guys in the game that can do it. It's a position that beats you up and you get tired. There's a lot of reasons for it."

Ventura has a valid point on the difficulty of finding good-hitting catchers. In the American League, Oakland's Stephen Vogt, Toronto's Russell Martin and Kansas City's Salvador Perez are the only regulars that have been offensive threats this season.

Still, the White Sox need to get more from Flowers and backup Geovany Soto or a change is likely coming.

"We know those guys, Geo and Tyler, that they can be better and they can hit better and they can produce better," Ventura said. "We're waiting for them to turn around just like the rest of our offense to hit its stride.

"You need more out of everything. It's got its own complications and demands and catching is always going to have them, getting foul tips and catching every day. It's a tougher position than most because of the demands that go into it."

Chemistry test:

Even though the White Sox have significantly cooled after winning six in a row to move a game over .500, the team chemistry has steadily improved.

"It's evolved," Robin Ventura said. "It's a good group. They get along, they get on each other. I enjoy seeing it. I think they pull for each other. Winning helps, the last stretch on the road trip helps, but you like the way it's headed."

Winning always helps everything, and the Sox simply haven't had enough success in the standings over the first quarter of the season.

They still struggle to score runs, play solid defense and run the bases on a consistent basis.

"We have to keep working," first baseman Jose Abreu said through an interpreter. "We have to do more things to become a better team. We have enough room right now to continue getting better and we have to continue to work because I think we have all the elements, all the players, to compete and compete beyond 162 games."