The Cubs offense came alive on their quick three-game trip to Philadelphia, where they recorded 30 hits and 21 runs in the final two games to secure the series victory.
They return to Wrigley Field this weekend to face the reeling New York Mets, losers of eight consecutive games, before four more against the Phillies.
The Sox begin a three-game series against the Athletics on Friday in West Sacramento, Calif. The Sox lost two of three during their first visit to Sutter Health Park last season.
Every Friday during the regular season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and White Sox.
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Cubs and Alex Bregman unfazed by third baseman’s slow start
Bregman isn’t the type of hitter who frequently hits ground balls.
So when the Cubs third baseman is hitting the ball on the ground at such a high frequency — his 47.5 GB% is nearly 12% higher than his career average — something is off with Bregman’s bat path. Bregman and the Cubs aren’t worried about his slow start turning into something more than that. He working through the tweaks in his swing to create the type of contact he’s known to consistently create.
Despite Bregman’s .243 average and .659 OPS, he’s still seeing the ball well. His 10.7 BB% is a slight tick up from his walk rate last season, and he’s still finding ways to contribute, including a three-hit game Tuesday as part of a current six-game hitting streak.
“You saw at the end of spring training, he was locked in, everything was high in the air pull side,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Wednesday. “We haven’t seen that, mostly ground balls or line drives, but he’ll get there. And because of the contact rate, he’s going to make things happen. You’ve obviously got a case of guys in scoring position when the strikeouts are not really part of the equation. It allows some hits in those moments, and he’ll get going. I mean, Lord knows he’s working on it constantly.”
Slugger Munetaka Murakami focused on the ‘ongoing process of preparation’
Murakami didn’t press while going through a 1-for-23 stretch entering Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Sox first baseman walked his first two plate appearances Tuesday at Rate Field. After flying out in his next two trips to the plate, Murakami launched a two-run home run — his team-leading fifth of the season — in the ninth inning.
“Results don’t really come easily, I really understand that,” Murakami said through an interpreter after the 8-5 loss. “It’s about being really patient and really grinding every single day.
“I’m just really happy that the result came up (Tuesday), but it’s an ongoing process of preparation and getting up at bat.”
Noah Schultz’s arrival in the majors a ‘big day’ for the Chicago White Sox, GM Chris Getz says
Murakami followed up the home run by going 1-for-2 with two walks Wednesday, then went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in a 5-3 loss Thursday. He has a .167/.346/.417 slash line with five home runs and nine RBIs, with 26 strikeouts and 17 walks through his first 19 major-league games. Murakami had eight walks and 10 strikeouts during his 1-for-23 slump.
He’s putting the work in to make adjustments when needed.
“The pitchers have come out with a different variety of pitches obviously from the first series and now,” Murakami said. “But again, it’s about getting used to it. I’m seeing a lot of pitches right now, getting used to it and getting that preparation is my first priority.”
Murakami remained positive after going 0-for-12 with five walks during a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium, noting that he hit some balls hard and had good exit velocities. And on Tuesday, Murakami joined Gavin Sheets (2021), Nicky Delmonico (2017) and Zeke Bonura (1934) as the only Sox players in franchise history with five home runs in their first 17 career games.
Number of the week: 6-foot-10
With his MLB debut Tuesday, Sox left-hander Noah Schultz matched Andrew Sisco as the second-tallest pitcher in franchise history behind 6-11 Jon Rauch, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Week ahead: Cubs
- Friday: vs. Mets, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Saturday: vs. Mets, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Sunday: vs. Mets, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Monday: vs. Phillies, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Tuesday: vs. Phillies, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Wednesday: vs. Phillies, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Thursday: vs. Phillies, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
Cubs reliever Ryan Rolison had known only the Colorado Rockies organization when he went through three teams in the offseason, ultimately landing with the Chicago Cubs through waivers in January.
Rolison, 27, felt grateful for the fresh start and was willing to break things down from the ground up to take the next step in his career. That meant some notable overhauls during spring training, with manager Craig Counsell acknowledging the Cubs had thrown a lot at the left-hander, requiring time at Triple-A Iowa to continue working through the adjustments.
“To go over all the stuff that they think that I’m good at and what they can help me with, it was an awesome experience,” Rolison told the Tribune on Tuesday. “I haven’t really had something like that in my career, to be able to sit down and them to pump confidence in what I can be.
“It was very easy to buy in, like, Day 1 them sitting down with me for over an hour just going over what I can become, and I have all the tools to be that. And they pumped a ton of confidence in me, which I needed, and showed me different things that I can do, and I can succeed at this level.”
The Cubs worked with Rolison in spring training to add a two-seam fastball to throw to left-handed hitters in an effort to create more ground balls and taught him a sweeper grip because of how well he always has been able to spin the baseball. Rolison said he feels good about where his sweeper is at and is feeling confident in all his pitches.
The Cubs’ decision to call up Rolison was in part because of their limited options on the 40-man roster due to injuries. He wants to make the most of the opportunity and looked good in his Cubs debut Tuesday against the Phillies when he tossed one shutout inning.
Rolison reached the majors for the first time in his career last season with the Rockies, posting a 7.02 ERA in 42 1/3 innings (31 games). He acknowledged the “100%” mental boost of getting away from pitching in the hitter-friendly Coors Field, where most of his rough outings occurred.
“Obviously everybody knows about the elevation, how big the field is — it’s a tough place to pitch and to have success as a long guy out of the pen,” Rolison said. “So I’m happy to be here.”
Week ahead: White Sox
- Friday: at Athletics, 8:40 p.m., CHSN
- Saturday: at Athletics, 3:05 p.m., CHSN
- Sunday: at Athletics, 3:05 p.m., CHSN
- Monday: off
- Tuesday: at Diamondbacks, 8:40 p.m., CHSN
- Wednesday: at Diamondbacks, 8:40 p.m., CHSN
- Thursday: at Diamondbacks, 2:40 p.m., CHSN
Infielder/outfielder Sam Antonacci watched Schultz’s major-league debut against the Rays on television.
The next day, Antonacci joined the Sox for his debut.
Antonacci said Schultz’s message before Wednesday’s game was: “It’s the same game and to be who I am and continue the way I play the game.”
Antonacci was excited to be part of the next wave of Sox prospects to reach the majors, following the likes of pitcher Grant Taylor, shortstop Colson Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero last season and Schultz this week.
“It’s really exciting,” manager Will Venable said Wednesday. “No. 1 for the organization, as we’re trying to continue to get better and move forward, having these young guys come up who are obviously a big part of it. At the same time, they’re coming up because we think they can help us and give us a better opportunity every night to go out and win a ballgame.
“We’re hoping that these guys can provide that and we’re confident that they can, so that’s exciting too.”
Antonacci, 23, said “it’s awesome to think about” growing with the group.
“Honestly, I’m able to wear this White Sox jersey, if it’s for a day or if it’s for the next 10 years, I’m going to go out there and give it all I’ve got,” Antonacci said.
What we’re reading today
- 3 takeaways as White Sox suffer series sweep, including a bullpen collapse and a challenging afternoon
- 3 takeaways from the Cubs’ series win, including Nico Hoerner raking and Shota Imanaga dealing
- Longtime Chicago White Sox anthem singer hospitalized after collapsing before game at Rate Field
- Cubs reliever Porter Hodge to undergo season-ending UCL surgery, another injury blow to pitching staff
- Column: Rebuilds come and go, but White Sox fans still relish moments like Noah Schultz’s debut
- Cubs reliever Ethan Roberts goes on the IL after a freak workout accident: ‘It’s bad timing’
- Noah Schultz’s arrival in the majors a ‘big day’ for White Sox, GM Chris Getz says
- Column: Regime change in our sports teams is a rarity. Why? A brief history of the Chicago Way.
- White Sox trade infielder Lenyn Sosa to Toronto Blue Jays for minor-league outfielder Jordan Rich
Quotable
“His contact ability, in an era where there’s so many strikeouts, is really a huge plus. And I think you see it against bullpen guys, he comes in, the guy’s throwing 99, 100 against him, and he’s gonna put the ball in play. He’s gonna make something happen.” — Hoyer on second baseman Nico Hoerner
