[jksander]

September 1, 2025: We’re waiting to make any September call-ups until we’re sure we won’t be bringing back Otto Lopez and Chaise Meidroth off the IL (decisions that should be made within the next few days. Noah Schultz (6-4, 3.16 ERA, 82.2 IP, 81 K’s, 1.00 WHIP) pitched game one of the four-game Twins series, facing Chris Paddack (8-6, 3.93 ERA, 128.1 IP, 113 K’s, 1.20 WHIP). Brandon Valenzuela hit a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to put us into the lead, and in the top of the fifth we added on with an RBI single by Joey Gallo, an RBI triple from Andre Lupcius and a sac-fly by Valenzuela to give us a solid 5-0 lead! Gallo hit a two-run homer in the sixth and Valenzuela hit an RBI single as the game became a blowout, but a bases-loaded wild pitch got the Twins on the board in the bottom of the sixth on two outs. With bullpen arms warming, Matt Wellner hit a two-run triple, and then Royce Lewis hit an RBI single to add on as the Twins suddenly were back in this one, trailing 8-4. Noah Syndergaard took over to get that final out, successfully ending the frame with our lead still safe. They got a run back with two outs in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a sac-fly by Austin Meadows, but Andre Lipcius hit a two-run slam out of left in the top of the eighth to get us back some momentum as we increased the lead to five runs. Martin Perez made quick work of them in the bottom of the eighth, but he loaded the bases without an out in the ninth, forcing us to go to Bazardo out of the bullpen. A sac-fly on one out by Willi Castro got the Twins to within four with runners on first and second, and Bazardo plunked Meadows on the shoulder to reload the bags ... but a pop-fly to short ended this one as a 10-6 win for our White Sox. Schultz pitched 5.2 innings and allowed six hits, two walks and struck out four while letting them score the four runs that started the whole Twins comeback attempt ... he still got out of it with a win, and we outhit Minnesota 16-9, led by Lipcius in the DH spot, who hit three times and walked once, scoring four times and driving in three while missing out on a cycle by just a base hit. Bazardo earned a save, his ninth, by coming in with the bases loaded and avoiding a complete nuclear meltdown.

September 2, 2025: Ryan Weber (6-8, 4.15 ERA, 130.0 IP, 75 K’s, 1.29 WHIP) pitched against Zach Elfin (0-3, 7.66 ERA, 24.2 IP, 19 K’s, 1.46 WHIP) in game two, and the Twins broke it open in the bottom of the third with an RBI single by Austin Meadows to take the game’s first lead. With two outs they got an RBI double from Matt Wallner, and Wallner scored moments later off a single by Emmanuel Rodriguez, digging us a 3-0 hole in the blink of an eye. Shane Smith took over in the fifth inning, but it was already over we just didn’t know it yet. Minnesota stumped us from there, winning 5-1 as they evened the series and kept control on first place in the AL Central. Weber took the loss and fell to 6-9, allowing five hits, a walk and three runs in his four innings, and the Twins outhit us 11-6. Yordys Valdes led the offense with two hits and an RBI.

Otto Lopez returns to our lineup ahead of tomorrow’s game, but he’ll be playing a backup role to Brooks Lee for the remainder of the season. No word yet on Meidroth, who would take our 28th roster spot if he returns.

September 3, 2025: Sean Burke (6-13, 4.86 ERA, 126.0 IP, 138 K’s, 1.42 WHIP) pitched against Bailey Ober (9-7, 3.93 ERA, 132.2 IP, 144 K’s, 1.22 WHIP) in game three, and we took an early lead with an RBI double by Miguel Vargas in the top of the first. But Minnesota answered quickly with a two-run homer by Byron Buxton in the bottom of the inning, though the game at least stayed close from there. Burke got us through the sixth inning without further scoring, and in the top of the seventh we tied the score off a Michael A. Taylor RBI single, getting us into the stretch tied 2-2. Julian Merryweather took over in the bottom of the inning, and with two outs he gave up a hit into left by Carlos Correa that scored three for the Twins and put this one to bed. They’d hold on to that lead, beating us 5-2 in what had been a hard-fought close battle until that inning. Each team hit seven times, and Merryweather took the loss, falling to 0-3 with a two hit, one walk, three run stretch in the seventh and eighth. Brooks Lee led our offense with two hits and a run scored.

Chase Meidroth will come off the IL and return to the leadoff spot in our lineup, as our starting third baseman, effective in time for tomorrow’s game four against the Twins in Minneapolis.
 
September 4, 2025: Brandon Pfaadt (9-12, 4.27 ERA, 166.2 IP, 170 K’s, 1.21 WHIP) pitched against Joe Ryan (11-8, 3.94 ERA, 148.1 IP, 193 K’s, 1.08 WHIP) in our last game of the year against the Twins. We broke the stalemate with an RBI single by Brandon Valenzuela in the top of the sixth inning, and Martin Perez took the ball in the sixth as we hoped to keep the lead on a soggy night in the Twin Cities. Penn Murfee got us through the seveenth, but Syndergaard was not so lucky, loading the bases in the eighth and giving it all back with a two-run single by Willi Castro. He got the outs we needed to get into the top of the ninth, but he’d blown all our momentum, and Chase Meidroth grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end this one as a 2-1 loss. Syndergaard blew his third save and fell to 6-6, allowing four hits, a walk and two runs in his inning, striking out a pair. They outhit us 7-6, Valenzuela leading the way with two hits and an RBI for us.