It’s a start: Mistakes help spoil Schultz debut with White Sox
Most everyone thought Noah Schultz was done for the night after completing the fourth inning at 79 pitches.
But White Sox manager Will Venable added a nice touch. He sent Schultz back out to face one batter in the fifth. The 6-foot-10 left-hander struck out Jonathan Aranda, survived a Tampa Bay challenge, and left the mound to a loud ovation from the relatively meager crowd at Rate Field of 14,648.
Schultz went 4 ⅓ innings, throwing 82 pitches, in his MLB debut. He allowed 3 hits, 3 earned runs, 4 walks and struck out four. His pitch mix, according to StatCast was 29 sinker, 19 cutter, 19 four-seam, 10 sweeper, 5 slider.
The Sox trailed 4-3 when Schultz left the mound, then the Rays tacked on runs against relievers and won the game 8-5 on Tuesday. The Sox scored on a 3-run homer by Everson Pereira, who came off the injured list before the game, and Munetaka Murakami's fifth homer of the season in the ninth.
Obviously, the dominant news from the White Sox perspective was the debut of a potentially dominant left-handed pitcher. Schultz was the team's first-round draft pick (No. 26 overall) in 2022 out of Oswego East High School.
“It was incredible,” Schultz said. “Such a surreal experience, such great fans out there. It was really awesome except for the outcome.”
Velocity was no issue Tuesday, as Schultz hit 98 miles per hour or above five times. But Schultz was largely a victim of his own mistakes.
At Triple-A Charlotte, he built a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 19-2. In the first inning of this game, with a large crowd of friends, family and former teammates watching from the stands, he recorded the first out on a fly ball, then walked the next two batters.
When Schultz went to 2-0 on the next hitter, Ryan Vilade, catcher Edgar Quero tried to help out the rookie by challenging the call, but it failed. Vilade then dumped a soft line drive over third base for an RBI double.
Ben Williamson followed with a safety squeeze bunt and Schultz made the wrong choice by throwing home. The ball bounced past Quero for an error as both runners scored.
“There were definitely nerves in the first inning, and nerves the whole time,” Schultz said. “After the first inning. I kind of learned to breathe and got some nice words from some guys in the dugout to calm down, that helped settle me down.”
Schultz finished the first inning with his first career strikeout. After a 33-pitch opening inning, Schultz needed just 11 pitches to retire the Rays in order in the second. In the third, another walk came around to score on Williamson's double.
“I definitely didn't have my best slider tonight, so that was stuff I learned after the first inning,” Schultz said. “Just had to use the other pitches. Happy I have those whenever I need. Definitely a lot of stuff to work on.”
Venable thought there was plenty of promise in Schultz' first outing. His next start will most likely be on the road, either in Sacramento against the Athletics on Sunday or next Tuesday at Arizona.
“I thought it was overall really good,” Venable said. “Understandably, the first inning there sped up on him a little bit, I think. Wasn't in the zone like we saw later in the game, but did a nice job settling down, and gave us a chance to stay in the ballgame.”
There was rain in the forecast, which threatened to cut this initial outing short. But it never arrived. The game time temperature was a pleasant 77 degrees with the wind blowing in from right field.
General manager Chris Getz said before the game he understands the Schultz comparisons to Randy Johnson. Another 6-foot-10 lefty, Johnson spent 22 seasons in the big leagues after breaking in with Montreal at 25, and won the Cy Young Award five times.
“I think that would be natural, considering it's been a fairly small population of pitchers of that height,” Getz said. “It's a fun comparison, but I think when you're talking about a young player just getting into the big leagues, let him carve his own path.”
A couple of personnel notes — Getz said catcher Kyle Teel, who pulled a hamstring in the World Baseball Classic, will leave for a rehab assignment in a “week or so.” Getz also mentioned there are no plans to turn frequent opener Grant Taylor into a regular starter. Taylor completed 2 innings to open Sunday's win at Kansas City.
With Lenyn Sosa traded to Toronto, Colson Montgomery was designated hitter Tuesday for the first time in his career. Luisangel Acuna played shortstop and Derek Hill started in center field.