Schultz ready to continue White Sox’s successful left-handed history
The White Sox can only hope the highlight of their season isn’t limited to April 14.
But the MLB debut of 6-foot-10 left-hander and Oswego native Noah Schultz should be special.
No team has been better at developing left-handed starting pitching than the Sox. Looking at LHP WAR leaders over the past 10 years, per fangraphs.com, three of the top six began their careers on the South Side.
At the top of the list is Chris Sale, a White Sox first-round pick in 2010. He made his MLB debut a few weeks later on Aug. 6, 2010 in Baltimore, and that appearance wasn't the least bit memorable.
Sale came on in relief of John Danks, faced two batters, allowed a walk and single, then departed. Fortunately for Sale, neither runner scored, so he was spared an infinite ERA. After seven years with the White Sox and a blockbuster trade to Boston, Sale is still throwing well at 37 for Atlanta.
Jose Quintana is the fifth-most successful lefty of the past decade. He was originally an international signee of the Mets, but made his MLB debut with the White Sox on May 7, 2012.
Quintana was lights out in his debut at Cleveland. He took the mound in the third inning after Phillip Humber was rocked for 8 earned runs, and Quintana shut the door the rest of the game, allowing 1 hit in 5 ⅔ innings.
Carlos Rodon, the No. 6 lefty of the past decade, was chosen third overall in the 2014 draft — one pick before the Cubs took Kyle Schwarber. He made his debut a year later, also in relief, at home against Cleveland, giving up 2 runs in just over 2 innings.
Garrett Crochet is No. 28 on the best of the decade list, but when the time frame is shortened to 2024-26, since he became a starter, he ranks No. 3 in lefty WAR. The White Sox originally saw Crochet as a flame-throwing reliever, so he debuted with a single perfect inning on Sept. 18, 2020 in Cincinnati. No fans in the stands and Crochet had no minor league experience.
That makes the Schultz debut unique. He's the only one of these five lefties to get a starting assignment for his MLB debut, and it should draw a nice crowd at Rate Field, as long as rain doesn't become an issue.
At Oswego East High School, Schultz committed to Vanderbilt, then chose to turn pro when the White Sox made him the No. 26 overall pick in 2022.
He made cautious progress through the minors and was slowed by a knee injury. When Schultz began this season in Triple-A Charlotte, he left no doubt, posting a 1.29 ERA in three starts, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 19-2.
Schultz has drawn obvious comparisons to Randy Johnson because of his height. He probably doesn't throw as hard as Johnson. In the last start for Charlotte on April 8, Schultz' four-seam fastball averaged 95.9 miles per hour. His curveball will induce plenty of swing-and-miss.
Tuesday's game against Tampa Bay could be the start of another success story. The Sox will be hoping Schultz's career path includes South Side playoffs, rather than a trade to Boston.
Hunting for hitting
The White Sox have been astonishingly bad at the plate this season, with a lowly team batting average of .193.
Some might wonder if the scouting department went to the left-handed strategy once too often by taking pitcher Hagen Smith No. 5 overall in 2024.
The next four players chosen in that draft are all position players now in the majors: Kansas City's Jac Caglianone, St. Louis' J.J. Wetherholt, the Angels' Christian Moore, and Pittsburgh's Konnor Griffin.
Maybe the Sox could have gone offense there, but it's too soon to judge. Only one of those four position players are currently hitting above .200 (Wetherholt at .214), and there's a good chance Smith reaches the majors this season.
The Sox have the No. 12 pick from that '24 draft, outfielder Braden Montgomery. His early progress in the minors was slowed by an injury and he's still trying to find his groove at Double-A Birmingham.
So there are no easy answers to the lack of hitting. Monday's trade sending Lenyn Sosa to Toronto maybe opens a slot for Sam Antonacci to make his debut. They also have infielder William Bergolla hitting .457 in Charlotte, but he's been sidelined since colliding with Antonacci in the outfield last Thursday.