Chicago White Sox close out homestand with another dud
Whether it's early in the season, midway through or nearing the end, the numbers rarely lie.
Heading into Wednesday's game against Tampa Bay, the harsh truth reflected poorly on the White Sox's pitching staff.
The Sox had a 6.72 ERA, the highest in the major leagues, and the starters and bullpen shared equal blame.
After a 9-1 loss to the Rays at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox's team ERA rose to 6.94.
On their opening six-game homestand, Sox starters logged just 24⅓ innings and gave up 37 earned runs on 44 hits and 21 walks.
"There's no way of saying it other than we haven't done very well, period, the rotation or relief," manager Rick Renteria said after the Sox lost their fifth straight.
Reynaldo Lopez was the latest starter to put a heavy load on the bullpen. The right-hander stumbled through his third start in as many tries, pitching 4⅓ innings and allowing 8 runs on 10 hits and 4 walks.
On the young season, Lopez (0-2) has given up 18 earned runs on 22 hits and 12 walks in 13⅓ innings.
"They have been three bad outings," Lopez said through a translator. "There's no other way to say it. It's frustrating because you know that you need to do better and you want to do better, not just for yourself but for your team and especially for the bullpen."
Lopez has looked noticeably uncomfortable in the cold weather that has accompanied the start of the season, but he said that's not the biggest issue.
"I have been checking the video from last year, for the good stretches I had and, yes, I can say that the problem right now is in the mechanics," Lopez said. "Just little things I need to adjust, little things I need to be more consistent with. That has been the problem."
The White Sox have fallen behind early in every game of the losing streak, and that has put stress on the offense.
It happened again Wednesday when Tampa Bay jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning following a 1:39 rain/sleet delay.
The Sox managed just 6 hits against Rays starter Tyler Glasnow and reliever Jalen Beeks, and they didn't score until the ninth inning.
"(Glasnow) executed all of his pitches," said Eloy Jimenez, who recorded his first career extra-base hit, a double in the ninth. "It was his day. He made all the good pitches. We were swinging at balls in the dirt. You need to take your hat off and give it to him."