South Side Redemption: Fixing the White Sox One Move at a Time

[XxVols98xX]

White Sox win wild 4-gamer vs Guardians (3–1) and hit the All-Star break at 40–57, CLE at 49–47.

Big picture

Two extra-inning epics (one win, one loss) sandwiched around a pair of tight, low-scoring White Sox victories.

Offense: 21 runs in 4 games, with Luis Robert Jr. and Tirso Ornelas driving the bus and Kyle Teel having a huge impact late in the set.

Pitching: Rotation showed real promise – especially Shane Smith and All-Star Mike Vasil – while the bullpen had some serious roller-coaster moments but ultimately closed out three straight one-run games.

Roster churn: Travis Jankowski released; Mike Clevinger DFA’d after getting knocked around; Brandon Eisert optioned. Tyler Schweitzer and Sean Burke come up and immediately slot into the middle-relief picture.

Honors: Mike Vasil named to his first MLB All-Star team; top prospect Hagen Smith tabbed for the Futures / Prospects Game.

Game 1 – 7/10: Sox 8, Guardians 7 (12 inn.)

Absolute marathon.

Early swings: Robert walked and scored on a Tirso Ornelas RBI double in the 1st, but Kyle Manzardo answered with a 3-run shot off Inohan Paniagua in the 3rd. Chase Meidroth’s solo homer cut it to 3–2.

Sixth-inning flip: Down 3–2, the Sox loaded the bases and Ornelas rifled an RBI single to tie it; chaos on the back end of the play brought a second run home for a 4–3 lead.

Late chaos: Penn Murfee couldn’t close it in the 8th; walks and an Angel Martinez single tied it 4–4. In extras, Cleveland took a 5–4 lead in the 10th, then a 7–5 lead in the 11th on Manzardo’s second homer of the night.

Hero time: Ornelas answered with a game-tying 2-run blast in the bottom of the 11th. In the 12th, Miguel Vargas started as the ghost runner, Kyle Teel drew an intentional walk, and Bryan Ramos shot a game-winning RBI single to right for the 8–7 walk-off.

Pitching: Paniagua (3 IP, 3 ER) left early; Shuster and Minter were good; Murfee and Wilson both gave up big extra-inning runs before Brandon Eisert finally slammed the door and picked up the win.

Notes: Benintendi left after a baserunning injury during the rain-delayed 3rd but clearly avoided anything serious since he played the rest of the series.

Game 2 – 7/11: Guardians 9, Sox 8 (10 inn.)

This one slipped through your fingers.

Back-and-forth early: Cleveland put up two in the 2nd, but Rosario and Rojas helped answer in the 3rd. By the 5th, thanks to another Benintendi gapper and a Vargas sac fly, you led 4–2.

Guardians rally: Mike Clevinger’s relief stint went sideways in the 6th as Thomas, Arias, Ingle, and Schneemann strung together hits to tie it 4–4.

Sox punch back: Eguy Rosario’s 6th-inning solo homer and a 7th-inning three-run push (Ornelas double, Benintendi walk, Quero two-run double) had you up 7–4.

Bullpen unraveling: In the 8th, Burke/Eisert/Taylor/Ellard couldn’t find the shutdown inning; walks and base hits from Arias, Ingle, Santana, Valdes, and Jones put up three and tied it again at 7–7.

Extras heartbreak: Juan Brito’s 2-run homer off Grant Taylor in the 10th made it 9–7. You did get one back on an error at first and had the bases loaded, but Stephen Ridings induced a game-ending fielder’s choice.

POG: Cooper Ingle (three hits, table-setter all night).

Injuries: CF Angel Martinez and 1B Carlos Santana both left with baserunning injuries for Cleveland.

Game 3 – 7/12: Sox 2, Guardians 1

Old-school pitching duel.

Shane Smith arrives: 5.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 K, pounding the zone and working out of traffic in the early innings.

Robert strikes first: Luis Robert Jr. jumped Bibee for a solo shot to dead center in the 2nd.

Guardians answer: Kyle Manzardo stayed hot, tying it with a solo homer in the 7th.

Teel clutch moment: In the bottom of the 7th, Kyle Teel answered immediately with a go-ahead solo homer, chasing Bibee.

Lockdown pen: Wilson bridged from mid-6th into the 8th, and Sean Burke recorded the final four outs for the save, overpowering the middle of Cleveland’s order.

You win 2–1 despite being out-hit; perfect “win anyway” kind of game.

Game 4 – 7/13: Sox 3, Guardians 1

Vasil’s All-Star statement game.

Early blemish: Daniel Schneemann tagged Mike Vasil for a solo homer in the 2nd.

Answering right away: In the 4th, after Meidroth and Ornelas reached, Eliezer Alfonzo dropped a two-out RBI single into left to tie it 1–1.

Taking the lead: In the 5th, Samuel Zavala singled, Robert walked, and with two outs Tirso Ornelas punched an RBI single through the right side for a 2–1 edge.

Insurance via chaos: In the 7th, Robert reached on a Carlos Santana error and eventually scored on a passed ball while Rosario was hitting, pushing it to 3–1.

Pitching line: Vasil (5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 7 K) was very good again, and the Ellard–Shuster–Murfee trio faced 10 batters and allowed just two hits to close it calmly.

Right after the game, Vasil is officially named to the 2025 AL All-Star team, and top prospect Hagen Smith earns a Futures Game nod – nice organizational W.

Sox takeaways

1. Rotation foundation is real

Vasil’s first half: 3.03 ERA, 19 starts, 119 IP, ERA+ ~140ish and a solid workload. He looks like a legit mid-rotation horse with room for more.

Shane Smith keeps stacking big-league outings; his mix plays against a good lineup, and he handled adversity with poise.

With Paniagua still learning and guys like Clevinger out of the picture, the path is clear for a young rotation core built around Vasil, Smith, and eventually Hagen Smith.

2. Ornelas and Robert are becoming the offensive engine

Ornelas: huge series – multiple doubles, a walk-off-forcing homer in Game 1, the go-ahead knock in Game 4, and constant traffic generated.

Robert: homers in Games 2 and 3, a 420-ft blast in Game 3, plus walks and steals. Even when he’s not driving runs he’s dictating at-bats and stressing defenses.

3. Catcher situation looks promising

Quero and Teel both had big run-producing swings (Quero’s late-inning doubles, Teel’s game-tying / go-ahead homers and clutch singles).

Defensively they handled a very busy, shuffled pitching staff through two marathon games and two tight ones – a good sign long-term.

4. Bullpen: high-leverage volatility

Murfee, Minter, Wilson, Eisert, Burke, Ellard, Taylor… they were all in this series.

You saw the full spectrum: blown saves and extra-inning rockets allowed, but also scoreless stretches to seal Games 3 and 4.

The demotion of Eisert and DFA of Clevinger, plus the promotions of Schweitzer and Burke, show you’re actively sorting out who you can trust after the break.

Guardians notes

Kyle Manzardo absolutely torched you: three homers in the set and a pile of extra-base damage, repeatedly flipping game states.

The top of their order (Valdes, Jones, Ramirez) lived on base, but your staff kept them mostly to single runs outside of the wild innings in Games 1–2.

Cleveland’s pen was just as erratic: Sewald, Herrin, Lively, and Clase all mixed shutdown frames with big blown leads.

Where this leaves you

Record: 40–57, but with a 3–1 series win against a winning club and three straight one-run games to close the “half,” the team feels more competitive than the record.

Momentum:

Vasil’s All-Star nod and Hagen Smith’s Futures selection give you a clear internal narrative: the pitching pipeline is finally taking shape.

Offensively, Ornelas/Robert/Teel/Rosario look like core pieces you can keep building around.

The bullpen is still your biggest on-field question mark, but you’re starting to separate keepers from placeholders.

[XxVols98xX]

State of the Sox: All-Star Break & Second-Half Preview (2025)

The White Sox hit the break at 40–57, fresh off an encouraging 3–1 series win over Cleveland that felt a lot better than the season line suggests. This is still a rebuilding club, but the shape of the next competitive White Sox team is starting to come into focus.

Where Things Stand

Record: 40–57, 5th in AL Central

Recent form: Took 3 of 4 from the Guardians, including back-to-back tight wins (2–1, 3–1).

Run profile: Rotation and late-inning bullpen are quietly solid; the problem is often run prevention depth and an offense that leans heavily on a few bats.

You’re not chasing 2025 contention as much as building the 2026–27 core while staying respectable and annoying contenders.

Rotation: Built Around an All-Star

Mike Vasil has officially arrived. He goes to his first All-Star Game with:

20 GS, 7–5, 2.95 ERA, ~9 K/9, legit starter-level stamina and command.

The Guardians game only reinforced it: 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 K. He’s your no-doubt rotation anchor now.

Behind him:

Davis Martin – Steady No. 3 profile: ~3.2 ERA over ~90 IP, enough swing-and-miss to live in the zone.

Shane Smith – Power lefty with double-plus fastball/slider combo, over 10 K/9 and a mid-3s ERA. That’s No. 2 upside if the changeup and control keep progressing.

Inohan Paniagua – Live arm, but command wobbles. Upside back-end starter / multi-inning weapon.

Jonathan Cannon – Rough ERA so far, but the stuff is still there. Second half is about seeing if he belongs in the 2026 rotation or shifts to a bullpen role.

Second-half rotation priorities

Protect Vasil’s innings but let him push into “workhorse” territory.

Decide whether Cannon and Paniagua are long-term starters.

Start planning when Hagen Smith will debut. He’s carving AAA with mid-90s velo, a hammer breaking ball, and starter stamina. Realistic ETA: late ’25 call-up or Opening Day ’26 rotation piece if he stays on track.

Bullpen: Transitioning but Still a Strength

You’ve deliberately moved off veteran arms:

A.J. Minter traded

Mike Clevinger released

German Márquez traded (rotation depth)

Even with that churn, the pen core is promising:

Grant Taylor – Dominant closer: 1.7-ish ERA, elite K/9, misses barrels.

Jared Shuster & Penn Murfee – High-leverage setup duo with strong strikeout-to-walk profiles.

Fraser Ellard, Brandon Eisert, Bryse Wilson, Sean Burke, Tyler Schweitzer – A mix of lefty specialists and long relief; the second half is about figuring out which of these guys are part of the “next good Sox bullpen.”

You’ve effectively cashed in veterans for upside while still having enough arms to compete nightly.

Lineup: Built Around Ornelas & Robert, Kids Filling In Around Them

The lineup has some real headliners now:

Tirso Ornelas, LF – Full-on breakout: around .404/.433/.702 (18 games) at the break. He’s the franchise bat and middle-of-the-order engine.

Luis Robert Jr. – Lower average/OBP than you’d like (~.230, OBP in the .290s), but still 14 HR, 40+ SB and plus defense in center. As the supporting cast improves, his value jumps.

Edgar Quero / Kyle Teel – Two legitimate long-term catchers. Quero’s bat-first profile and Teel’s balance/defense give you flexibility: DH one, catch one, stay healthy and fresh.

Miguel Vargas – Solid on-base plus gap power at first; fits better as a 5–6 hitter than true middle-of-order anchor.

Chase Meidroth / Eguy Rosario / Bryan Ramos / Samuel Zavala – A cluster of young position players with varying roles:

Meidroth: OBP skills and solid infield defense.

Rosario: Sneaky pop, speed, and multi-position versatility.

Ramos: Power bat that can grow into a 3B/DH thumper.

Zavala: Flashes of impact power from the corner-outfield spot; plate discipline is the next step.

William Bergolla just had his contract selected and brings: plus contact, speed, and legitimate middle-infield defense. He’s a strong candidate to claim everyday 2B or SS by the end of the season.

Second-half offensive goals

Establish everyday roles for Bergolla, Zavala, Ramos, and Rosario. By September, you want to know:

Who is the long-term 2B?

Is Bergolla a true everyday SS or a multi-positional weapon?

Decide on the Teel/Quero timeshare, leaning into matchups and keeping both bats in the lineup as often as possible.

Monitor whether Ornelas is “just” a great season or the foundation of a superstar trajectory.

Evaluate if Robert Jr. is a long-term franchise pillar or winter trade-chip if a mega-package appears.

The New Kids: Midseason Talent Infusion

Front office work around the break has clearly shifted toward youth and upside:

Yimy Tovar, 2B (from Padres)

19-year-old Venezuelan 2B, plus speed, good actions in the infield.

Contact-over-power with room to grow into 10–15 HR type.

Realistic ceiling: everyday 2B with plus defense and top-of-order OBP, or high-end utility weapon who can handle both 2B and 3B.

Carlos De La Rosa, LHP (from Yankees)

17-year-old lefty starter, already 89–91, projected into low-mid-90s.

Three-pitch mix with developing command; scouting likes his future as a rotation piece.

Long timeline, but this is the kind of arm you trade a win-now reliever (Minter) to get.

Chris Veach, RHP (from Yankees)

23-year-old reliever with a starter’s pitch mix.

If the command clicks, he’s another late-inning candidate; if not, a middle-relief depth piece.

William Bergolla, INF (contract selected)

Already mentioned, but worth repeating: his glove and on-base skills fit perfectly with the new identity — athletic, contact-oriented, and defensively capable up the middle.

Combined with Hagen Smith and Jonathan Cannon, you’ve significantly raised the ceiling of the organization without crippling the current club.

Second-Half Storylines to Watch

Can the Sox play .500 ball the rest of the way?
From 40–57, even a 38–27 finish only gets you to 78 wins, but that kind of run would validate the young core and set expectations for 2026.

Rotation of the future

Vasil is set.

Can Martin and Smith lock in as the No. 2–3?

Does Cannon recover enough to project into the ’26 rotation?

When does Hagen Smith force his way in?

Middle-infield clarity
With Rojas gone and Bergolla up plus Tovar in the pipeline, this is a key evaluation period. Ending the year with a clear Bergolla + (Rosario/Tovar/Meidroth) plan would be huge.

Which relievers stick?
Taylor/Shuster/Murfee are penciled in. The second half is tryouts for everyone else: Ellard, Eisert, Burke, Schweitzer, Wilson, Veach.

Ornelas & Robert Jr. as the Axis
If both stay healthy and productive, the lineup already has two cornerstone bats. That makes it much easier to go shopping for one big bat and one mid-rotation starter next winter instead of trying to build an entire core from scratch.

Big Picture

This isn’t a tear-it-down rebuild anymore; it’s a retool on the fly. You’ve:

Identified an ace-caliber starter (Vasil).

Unearthed a star-level bat (Ornelas).

Brought in multiple high-upside prospects (Tovar, De La Rosa, Smith, Cannon, Bergolla).

Cleaned out some veteran dead weight while keeping the bullpen functional.

The second half of 2025 is about answers, not wins: answering which of these players will be everyday contributors on a playoff-caliber team. If you can exit September feeling confident in 5–7 long-term pieces you didn’t have a year ago, this season will have been a huge success — regardless of the final record.

[XxVols98xX]

White Sox @ Pirates Series Recap (July 18–20): One statement win, two gut-punch losses

The White Sox walked out of PNC Park with a familiar feeling: a glimpse of what this roster can be, followed by two reminders of how thin the margins still are. Chicago opened the series by pummeling Pittsburgh 12–4, then dropped the next two (10–3 and 6–0) to finish 1–2 and move to 41–59, while the Pirates climbed to 49–51.

The three games, taken together, felt like a snapshot of your 2025 season to date: the youth movement can absolutely score runs in bunches… but the pitching/defense combo can still unravel fast when the walks and mistakes pile up.

Game 1 (Fri, July 18): White Sox 12, Pirates 4

Chicago’s best version showed up immediately: traffic early, damage in the middle innings, and then a knockout punch late.

Mike Vasil set the tone with 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 K and kept Pittsburgh from generating any sustained momentum. The offense did the rest with 20 hits and pressure basically every inning.

Highlights:

Kyle Teel crushed a 2-run homer in the 5th that blew the game open.

Edgar Quero racked up a big night at the plate and was right in the middle of the 5-run 5th.

Bryan Ramos delivered the loudest blow late: a 3-run homer in the 9th to turn a comfortable win into a rout.

Tirso Ornelas was everywhere (extra-base hits + constant motion on the bases), and the Sox ran wild overall.

Even when the bullpen got a little messy (Pittsburgh scratched back in the 8th), the lineup responded immediately—exactly what you want to see from a young core learning how to finish games.

Game 2 (Sat, July 19): Pirates 10, White Sox 3

This one flipped in a hurry.

Chicago actually struck first with a 1st-inning run, but Davis Martin couldn’t land the shutdown frames, and the Pirates detonated for a 5-run 3rd to take full control. Oneil Cruz was the nightmare: two homers and a constant problem every time he came up.

The Sox offense never found rhythm—just 5 hits—and most of the meaningful damage came late:

Eliezer Alfonzo hit a 2-run homer in the 9th that made the score look a little nicer than the game felt.

Notable: Bryan Reynolds left after being hit by a pitch, which was one of the only moments the Pirates’ side felt uneasy all afternoon.

Game 3 (Sun, July 20): Pirates 6, White Sox 0

If Saturday was about one brutal inning, Sunday was about missed chances and self-inflicted wounds.

Chicago managed just 3 hits and struck out 11 times, and the Pirates took advantage of free baserunners. Shane Smith battled command and paid for it: 6 walks in 4 innings, and Pittsburgh turned those extra opportunities into an early lead they never gave back.

The decisive swing was Henry Davis’ 2-run triple in the 3rd as the Pirates broke the game open, and the Sox never mounted a real threat afterward.

What it means: the blueprint is clear — so are the holes

The encouraging part: Friday’s game wasn’t a fluke aesthetically. When the lineup is built around your young bats (Teel/Quero/Meidroth/Ramos/Ornelas, with Bergolla now in the mix) and you’re creating chaos with speed, you can absolutely overwhelm teams.

The recurring problem: the other two games were classic “2025 Sox losses”:

too many free passes,

too many small mistakes that extend innings,

and not enough “Plan B” offense when the first few innings don’t go your way.

You don’t need perfection to win series—just fewer compounding errors. Pittsburgh didn’t out-talent you for three games; they out-executed you in the two you lost.

Roster churn + youth movement (Notable News/Transactions)

You weren’t just playing games this week—you were reshaping the organization:

July 18

Traded RHP Germán Márquez to San Diego for 19-year-old 2B Yimy Tovar.

Traded LHP A.J. Minter to the Yankees for 17-year-old LHP Carlos De La Rosa.

Traded SS Josh Rojas to the Yankees for 23-year-old RHP Chris Veach.

William Bergolla had his contract selected.

July 19

Traded LF Andrew Benintendi to Seattle for 25-year-old CF Blake Rambusch (Chicago retains 50% of Benintendi’s deal).

1B Ryan Galanie had his contract selected.

July 21

Braden Montgomery named South Atlantic League Player of the Week and promoted to AA Birmingham.

The message is unmistakable: this is about runway for the kids now, and about stacking upside arms/athletes behind them.

Second-half outlook (quick preview vibe)

If you’re writing the mission statement for the next 60 games, it’s this:

Let the kids play every day.

Find two starters and two relievers you can trust going into 2026.

Turn every close game into a “learning win,” not a “learning loss.” (Cleaner defense/throwing strikes.)

You already have proof-of-concept (Game 1). The second half is about making that version show up more than once per series.

[XxVols98xX]

Series Recap: White Sox at Rays (July 21–23, 2025)

Tampa Bay takes the series, 2–1. You leave St. Pete at 42–61, while the Rays move to 58–45.

Game 1 – Rays 2, White Sox 1 (7/21)

This one was a grind, and it felt winnable the whole way. Tirso Ornelas’ RBI double put you in front early, and Inohan Paniagua battled through traffic (4 BB) to keep Tampa mostly quiet over 6 innings. But a run in the 5th (helped along by a Sox error) tied it, and the Rays finally broke through late with the go-ahead RBI single in the 8th. Offensively: just 3 hits and 12 Ks—McClanahan dictated the night.

Game 2 – White Sox 4, Rays 0 (7/22)

Best all-around game of the series. You struck first immediately: Kyle Teel tripled and scored in the 1st, then Chase Meidroth launched a 2-run homer to give you breathing room. The dagger came in the 9th with a tack-on run.

The story, though, was the pitching:

Jonathan Cannon: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 6 K (worked around 4 walks)

Bullpen trio Eisert / Shuster / Burke finished the shutout

Clean, controlled, and you never let Tampa’s lineup get comfortable.

Game 3 – Rays 5, White Sox 4 (10 innings) (7/23)

A classic “so close” loss. Tampa popped you early with a 3-run 3rd, but you answered right back with a 3-run 4th (key hits from Meidroth and Ornelas, plus productive outs to cash runs). The Rays reclaimed the lead on Taylor Walls’ solo shot, then you punched back again when Edgar Quero tied it with a homer in the 8th.

Extra innings decided it:

In the 10th, you had chances (including speed pressure), but couldn’t push the ghost runner across.

Bottom 10: Walls walked it off with an RBI double to end it.

Series Themes

The kids showed up: Teel (spark plug), Meidroth (impact swing), Quero (huge HR to tie Game 3).

Pitching was good enough to take the set, but you paid for a couple late moments (Game 1’s 8th, Game 3’s extras).

Offense swung between “scrappy” and “stuck.” When you weren’t pressuring with speed/extra bases, Tampa’s arms controlled the tempo.

[XxVols98xX]

Crosstown Series Recap (July 25–27, 2025) — Cubs take it 2–1

Final records: White Sox 43–63 | Cubs 58–48

You grabbed the opener with a clean, gritty comeback… then the Cubs’ bats (and your stranded traffic) flipped the weekend.

Game 1 (Fri 7/25): White Sox 4, Cubs 3

Story: Timely 7th-inning rally + shutdown bullpen.

Davis Martin: 5 IP, 3 R, 7 K (kept it from getting away early).

7th inning = the difference:

Tirso Ornelas RBI single (and he was a menace on the bases all night)

Eliezer Alfonzo RBI single to put you ahead for good

Bullpen nails it: Eisert (W) + Murfee + Grant Taylor (SV) = 4 scoreless innings.

Highlight: Zavala OF assist throwing out a runner at home.

Game 2 (Sat 7/26): Cubs 5, White Sox 2

Story: You had chances all day (walks, traffic), but couldn’t cash in.

Ornelas stayed hot: 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Meidroth: 2-for-3, scored twice. Vargas drew 3 walks.

The killer: 10 Ks and a pile of LOB (you constantly had something going, just not the hit that breaks it open).

Cubs’ big swing: Crow-Armstrong 2-run HR in the 5th.

Porter Hodge set the tone for them: 6.1 strong, 7 K.

Game 3 (Sun 7/27): Cubs 9, White Sox 0

Story: Early avalanche, then the Cubs piled on with power.

Disaster 1st: Paniagua recorded just 2 outs and you were in a 4–0 hole immediately.

Cubs slammed the door late: Suzuki 3-run HR + Matt Shaw solo HR in a 4-run 7th.

You got baserunners (7 hits, 4 walks) but no breakthrough — 11 LOB and nothing to show for it.

Ian Happ was the headliner (Player of the Game): 3 hits, HR, 3 runs.

Series themes (good + bad)

Ornelas showed out all series (table-setting, speed, clutch contact).

Bullpen was awesome in the win, but the rotation cracks showed in the losses (especially Sunday’s short start).

Missed opportunities were the story in Games 2–3: lots of traffic, not enough damage.

Notable News/Transactions (July 28)

Trade 1 (vs Yankees): Andre Lipcius ➜ Luke Weaver, Ben Hess, Brandon Decker

Trade 2 (vs Reds): Luke Weaver ➜ Alfredo Duno

Net result: you effectively turned Lipcius into Hess + Decker + Duno.

Prospect notes:

Braden Montgomery named Southern League Player of the Week

George Wolkow promoted to A+ Winston-Salem

[XxVols98xX]

Series recap: PHI sweeps at Rate Field (July 28–30, 2025)

You ran into a contender and still made them work — but Philly took all three late. Chicago drops to 43–66, Phillies leave at 67–41. Final tally: PHI 18, CWS 9 (0–3).

Game 1 (Mon 7/28) — Phillies 5, White Sox 3

A bullpen game got through the middle innings, but the 8th inning decided it: Bohm single, then Bryce Harper 2-run HR to flip a 3–3 tie into a 5–3 Philly lead (Harper = Player of the Game).
Sox highlights:

Miguel Vargas solo HR (2nd)

Eguy Rosario RBI double (4th)

Had a real shot in the 9th: Zavala walk + Ornelas single put pressure on, but it died on a flyout.
Big note: SP Jonathan Cannon left injured early, which changed the whole script.

Game 2 (Tue 7/29) — Phillies 7, White Sox 2

This one was there for six innings: Sox led 1–0, then answered to tie 2–2… and then the 8th inning turned into an avalanche (Philly hung 5 runs on 6 hits).
Sox highlights:

Kyle Teel opened the scoring (1st) after his leadoff double.

Luis Robert Jr. RBI double to tie (6th).
Philly swing: Alec Bohm 2-run HR (6th) to take the lead before the later blow-up.

Game 3 (Wed 7/30) — Phillies 6, White Sox 4

Most competitive of the set — Sox led 2–1, tied it 3–3, then got clipped by a 2-run 7th and an insurance run in the 9th.
Sox highlights:

Eguy Rosario went nuclear: HR + 3 hits + 2 runs (Player of the Game)

Luis Robert Jr. solo HR (5th) + worked a bases-loaded walk that forced in a run (6th)

Tying run was on base in the 9th again (Rosario single + steal), but Philly shut the door.

Themes from the series

Late innings hurt: 8th inning swing (G1), 8th inning collapse (G2), 7th/9th separation (G3).

You got traffic, didn’t cash enough: lots of chances via walks/steals, but Philly’s staff/defense limited the big inning.

Roster churn showed up immediately: the bullpen needed help, and you went out and got it… but the first big spot still stung.

Notable News / Transactions

July 28

Trade (NYY): CWS sent 2B Andre Lipcius → received RHP Luke Weaver, RHP Ben Hess, RHP Brandon Decker.

Trade (CIN): flipped Luke Weaver → for C Alfredo Duno.

Prospects: LF Braden Montgomery named Southern League Player of the Week; 1B George Wolkow promoted to A+ Winston-Salem.

July 29

Trade (SD): CWS sent C Matt Thaiss → received RHP Jason Adam, RHP Miguel Mendez, RHP Carson Montgomery.

Roster move: Tyler Schweitzer optioned to AAA Charlotte.

[XxVols98xX]

Chicago White Sox Recap (March–July 2025) — “Speed, Youth, and a Rough May”

You hit August with a 43–66 record (5th in the AL Central, 14 GB) after a grind of a first four months. The shape of the season is pretty clear: a decent April, a brutal May that buried the standings, then a steadier June/July where the club started looking more like the version you’re building.

Month-by-month results

March: 2–2 — steady start out of the gate

April: 11–15 — competitive stretches, but inconsistent

May: 6–22 — the season’s turning point (and the crater)

June: 12–14 — stabilized, played closer to .500

July: 12–13 — again near-.500, but finished with a skid

Overall: 43–66, including 2–8 in the last 10 and a 5-game losing streak to close the month.

Team identity (what you are right now)
You run… a lot

This team’s loudest strength is elite baserunning:

283 stolen bases (1st in AL)

Luis Robert Jr. has 54 steals (league-leading pace in your standings view)
Even in losses, you’re manufacturing pressure—getting into scoring position without needing extra-base hits.

But the power just isn’t there (yet)

Offense is “get on base, then scrape” more than “slug and separate”:

Batting AVG: .240 (9th in AL)

OBP: .316 (5th)

SLG: .372 (14th)

HR: 96 (15th)

You’re drawing walks (380, tied 2nd) but also striking out a ton (894, 5th). So you can create traffic—just not consistently cash it in with damage.

Core pieces + standouts
The lineup has a real young spine

Chase Meidroth has basically become the everyday engine: .253 AVG / .378 OBP, 61 BB, 23 SB.

Edgar Quero looks like a legit bat at catcher: .263/.354/.407.

Kyle Teel is already contributing (and running), even if the slash is still settling.

Miguel Vargas leads the team in HR (16) but the average is light (.226).

Eguy Rosario has been a big positive overall (power + speed + impact).

The star remains Luis Robert Jr.

Even with the team struggling, he’s the tone-setter:

.240 AVG, 15 HR, 64 RBI, 54 SB
That’s a “do everything” season on a last-place team—and it’s been the clearest identity marker you’ve got.

Pitching: real bright spots, but too many free bases

Team pitching/defense profile is the main reason the climb back never really started:

Team ERA: 4.62 (13th in AL)

Runs allowed: 545 (14th)

Walks allowed: 429 (15th)

The good news: you’ve found arms to build around

Mike Vasil has pitched like a true #1: 8–5, 2.91 ERA, 126.2 IP.

Shane Smith / Davis Martin have kept you in games more often than not (mid-to-high 3s ERA range).

Grant Taylor has looked like a closer: 8 SV, 1.82 ERA.

The bad news: the floor games pile up

When you’re giving away baserunners (staff-wide walk issues) and the offense isn’t slugging, a lot of nights turn into “one bad inning = done.”

Defense snapshot

Overall defensive efficiency is mid-pack, but the “feel” is uneven:

Meidroth: 14 errors at SS (high workload, growing pains)

Robert in CF is steady/impactful defensively
It’s not a disaster unit—just not clean enough to support a pitching staff that already hands out walks.

The July gut-punch: swept by Philadelphia at home

You closed July with a 3-game sweep by the Phillies, and it was the kind of series that underlines the gap between contender and rebuild-in-progress.

Game 1 (7/28): PHI 5, CWS 3

You got a Vargas HR early and battled, but PHI landed the knockout: Bryce Harper 2-run HR in the 8th.

Big note: SP Jonathan Cannon was injured while pitching, forcing coverage.

Game 2 (7/29): PHI 7, CWS 2

Early lead (Teel sets the tone), you even tied it in the 6th, then PHI exploded for 5 in the 8th and broke it open.

Game 3 (7/30): PHI 6, CWS 4

Best fight of the series: Eguy Rosario HR, Robert HR, Sox briefly grabbed momentum… but PHI answered late and salted it with a 9th-inning insurance run.

That sweep is what pushed your mark to 43–66, while Philly rolled on at 67–41.

Deadline mindset: you added a real bullpen name

Right in the middle of the series (7/29), you made your clearest “we still have a plan” move:

Trade with Padres:

CWS sent: minor league C Matt Thaiss

CWS received: RHP Jason Adam, plus minor league RHP Miguel Mendez and Carson Montgomery

Corresponding move: Tyler Schweitzer optioned to AAA

Adam gives you a veteran lever (even if the season line is noisy), and the extra arms fit the broader build—especially with how often bullpen innings have decided games.

Big picture takeaway (March–July)

This wasn’t a straight-line season—it was two seasons in one:

Pre-May: competitive enough to imagine a path

May: the collapse that ended any “this year” hopes

June–July: the foundation months—young players taking real roles, Vasil/Taylor emerging, and the roster identity (speed + OBP pressure) becoming obvious

[XxVols98xX]

Series recap: White Sox at Angels (Aug 1–3, 2025)

You took 2 of 3 in Anaheim, but it ended with a gut-punch. After the series you’re 45–67, while the Angels sit 56–57.

Game 1 (Fri 8/1) — CWS 14, LAA 5

A complete offensive avalanche.

8-run 5th inning flipped the game on its head, highlighted by Bryan Ramos’ grand slam.

When the Angels clawed back in the 7th, you immediately counterpunched with a 5-run 8th, capped by Kyle Teel’s grand slam.

Shane Smith gave you 6 innings, 2 ER, and the lineup did the rest (14 runs on 15 hits).

Note: Angels RP Charlie Morton left injured while pitching.

Game 2 (Sat 8/2) — CWS 8, LAA 1

Your cleanest win of the set.

Chase Meidroth started it with a 2-run HR in the 3rd.

The 5-run 4th blew it open (including a big Zavala triple and some chaos on the bases).

Inohan Paniagua was excellent: 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 K.

Game 3 (Sun 8/3) — LAA 8, CWS 7 (11)

A roller coaster that slipped away late.

You jumped ahead early on HRs from Luis Robert Jr., Miguel Vargas, and Ramos.

The Angels answered with big swings (notably Trout and O’Hoppe) and kept trading blows.

You tied it in the 9th (the Bergolla double + steal + tag sequence), but couldn’t cash in the ghost-runner chances.

Bottom 11: Nicky Lopez walked it off with a single.

Biggest storyline

Bryan Ramos is red-hot — and it’s getting league recognition. He was named AL Player of the Week (12-for-26, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R), and he was a driving force all series (grand slam Friday, huge extra-base damage all weekend).

Where it leaves you

Even at 45–67, this series felt like a snapshot of the direction: the young core (Teel/Meidroth/Quero/Ramos/Vargas) can absolutely overwhelm teams when the bats sync up.

Next up

Off day Monday, then at Seattle (Gilbert → Miller → Fujinami).

[XxVols98xX]

Series Recap: White Sox swept in Seattle (Aug 5–7, 2025)

Chicago dropped all three at T-Mobile Park, with the story of the series being missed chances early and Seattle landing the late/decisive blows. The Sox left Seattle 45–70 after being outscored 19–9.

Game 1 (Aug 5) — Mariners 3, White Sox 2

Chicago finally broke through in the 7th, plating two (RBI single by Ryan Galanie, then Eguy Rosario drew a bases-loaded walk). Mike Vasil was excellent: 6.0 IP, 0 R, 8 K.

But it unraveled in the 8th: Seattle put three on, and Julio Rodríguez crushed a 3-run homer to flip it. The Sox went quietly in the 9th.

Turning point: J-Rod’s 3-run shot in the 8th erased a 2–0 lead instantly.

Game 2 (Aug 6) — Mariners 11, White Sox 4

Seattle blew it open early with a 5-run 2nd off Davis Martin, then added a backbreaker in the 4th when Luke Raley hit a grand slam during another big inning. Seattle piled up 12 hits.

Chicago’s highlights were mostly long balls: Chase Meidroth, Tirso Ornelas, and Samuel Zavala all homered, but the game was out of reach early.

Note: Seattle RF Ben Gamel left injured running the bases (per game notes).

Game 3 (Aug 7) — Mariners 5, White Sox 3

This one was the frustrating “right there” loss. The Sox scratched out a run in the 3rd (Rosario single + aggressive baserunning), but Seattle responded and kept inching away. Chicago had a massive missed opportunity in the 5th: three straight walks loaded the bases with one out, and the Sox came away with nothing.

Late life gave it drama: Bryan Ramos homered in the 8th, and Ornelas went deep in the 9th to pull within 5–3. Chicago then put runners on again, but stranded the tying threat.

Turning point: Bases-loaded, 1-out in the 5th with no runs — that was the moment to grab the game.

Series themes

Late leverage swung hard to Seattle: Game 1 (8th inning HR) and Game 3 (couldn’t finish the comeback).

Homers showed up, but not enough traffic: Meidroth/Ornelas/Zavala/Ramos provided pop; the big innings didn’t.

Seattle punished mistakes/opportunities: big innings in Games 2–3, plus timely extra-base hits.

[XxVols98xX]

Guardians @ White Sox (3 games) — Sox take the series, 2–1

You came in sitting at 45–70, Cleveland at 57–58… and somehow it ended with the Sox ripping the rug out twice and walking away 47–71 while the Guardians stumbled to 58–60.

If you’re looking for a “season’s lost” vibe, this series didn’t get the memo.

Series snapshot

Theme: Speed + chaos + one absolutely nuclear inning
Finals:

G1 (Fri 8/8): L, 7–3

G2 (Sun 8/10): W, 4–1

G3 (Sun 8/10): W, 7–6 (walk-off)

Game 1 — Cleveland 7, Chicago 3

Chicago actually struck first: Kyle Teel opened the game with a hit, swiped a bag, and came home on a fielder’s choice. For a minute it felt like you might grind Ortiz into a long night.

Then Cleveland hit the gas.

Steven Kwan tied it with a solo shot, then the 4th inning turned into a horror movie:

traffic + an error + a couple of ropes… and José Ramírez emptied the bases with a grand slam.

The Sox didn’t fold — they punched back in the 6th, with Samuel Zavala’s double cutting it to 7–3 and giving the crowd a pulse.

But late, Sewald/Clase slammed the door.

Takeaway: You competed, but Cleveland’s stars did star things… and the one inning got away.

Game 2 — White Sox 4, Cleveland 1

This one was the “hangaround-and-strike” blueprint.

Edgar Quero jumped Jakob Junis early with a 1st-inning homer to put Chicago up 1–0.

Cleveland answered with Manzardo’s HR, and it’s 1–1… until the Sox manufactured a whole rally out of fumes in the 5th:

walks

Vargas being a menace on the bases

a wild pitch

and then Teel ripped a clutch single that cashed in multiple runners and flipped the game.

On the mound, it was a relay race that actually worked:

Cannon got you started, Shuster bridged, and Fraser Ellard brought the finishing kick — high-leverage outs, big strikeouts, no drama.

Takeaway: When the offense can’t stack hits, you manufacture. This was a grown-up win.

Game 3 — White Sox 7, Cleveland 6 (walk-off)

This was the kind of game you’ll reference in September even if the standings don’t care.

The opening haymakers

Teel set the tone immediately: single + steals 2nd and 3rd, then scores on a Vargas double.

Bryan Ramos followed with a solo homer.

And then the 3rd inning happened:

traffic, pressure, one mistake…

Luis Robert Jr. grand slam.

6–0 Sox, Rate Field buzzing like it’s April.

The Guardians’ comeback (because of course)

Cleveland chipped, then surged. Runs came with:

stolen bases

balls in play finding grass

and a few defensive cracks that let momentum breathe.

By the 7th, it was 6–6, with a rain delay in the middle of the mess just to maximize the chaos.

The ninth-inning heist + dagger

Facing Emmanuel Clase, you didn’t “rally” so much as steal the game:

William Bergolla comes in and reaches on an error…

then he goes full chaos goblin: steals 2nd, steals 3rd.

Kyle Teel ends it with a walk-off double.

Takeaway: That’s not just a win — that’s an identity game for a young core.

Stock Up / Stock Down
📈 Stock Up

Kyle Teel — Table-setter, base thief, and the walk-off swing. That’s a fantasy-friendly combo (runs + speed + clutch contact).
Luis Robert Jr. — Grand slam headline, but also the reminder: when he’s locked in, he can tilt a week by himself.
Edgar Quero — Big moments (HR in Game 2), steady presence all series. The bat is playing.
Bryan Ramos — Loud contact shows up again (HR in G3). Power is looking more “bankable.”
Fraser Ellard — Real bullpen value: strikeouts, leverage, and a clean save-type performance.

📉 Stock Down

Inohan Paniagua — Cleveland punished mistakes early; the start turned into survival mode fast.
Team defense — Too many freebies across the set (and Cleveland happily cashed them). This was the difference between “tight series” and “comfortable series.”
Jason Adam (G3) — The bridge got wobbly during the comeback window; still plenty to like long-term, but that outing stung.

News / Transactions

Aug. 11, 2025: Top prospect LF Colson Montgomery promoted to AAA Charlotte.
That’s the kind of move that usually means “we want him facing better pitching now.” If he holds his own for a few weeks, the late-season MLB door starts cracking open.

[XxVols98xX]

Tigers @ White Sox — Series Recap (2 of 3, but way more entertaining)

Final tally: Detroit takes the series 2–1.
Your Sox leave it at 48–73, Tigers move to 57–66.

If you like emotional whiplash, late-inning chaos, and just enough hope to keep you watching? Buddy… this set had it.

Series Snapshot: “So close… until it wasn’t”

Game 1 (L, 5–4): dug a hole early, almost stole it late, ran out of runway.

Game 2 (W, 7–5): got punched in the mouth, then hit the “5-run 8th” button like it was a cheat code.

Game 3 (L, 6–5): jumped out front, watched it flip, then rallied again… and still ended with the tying run stuck in your throat.

Game 1 — Detroit 5, Chicago 4 (Aug 11)

This one started with the baseball gods doing that thing where they microwave your mistakes.

Detroit scored in the 1st on a Keith double + wild pitch + passed ball combo meal. Then:

Kerry Carpenter and Zach McKinstry both went yard.

Davis Martin took the L after 5 IP with damage coming in chunks.

But you didn’t fold:

Miguel Vargas homered to keep it breathing.

And the 8th inning nearly flipped the whole table: Edgar Quero launched a 2-run shot, and suddenly it was a one-run game with nerves everywhere.

Detroit slammed the door and you’re left staring at the “what if” screen.

Vibe: We didn’t play well… but we absolutely made them sweat.

Game 2 — Chicago 7, Detroit 5 (Aug 12)

Detroit came out throwing haymakers:

3-run 1st

Riley Greene 2-run HR in the 2nd
Blink and it’s 5–0.

Then the kids started building the comeback brick by brick:

Kyle Teel put you on the board with a bomb.

You scratched another run in the 5th.

And then… the 8th inning happened.

The 5-run 8th: pure chaos, pure fun

It was steals, singles, pressure, and defensive cracks:

Zavala walk + steal

Rosario single + steal

Teel RBI single

Quero RBI (productive out)

Bergolla reaches on an error (the inning refuses to die)

Wild pitch run

Ornelas RBI single

Ramos RBI single

That’s a lineup with pulse. Not consistent yet, but dangerous when the other team gives you oxygen.

Bullpen held:

Burke got the W

Ellard locked down the save

But… huge note: Chase Meidroth left after getting injured in a collision at a base. That’s the kind of “not on my bingo card” moment that can ripple through the roster fast.

Game 3 — Detroit 6, Chicago 5 (Aug 13)

You came out hot and for a minute it felt like the script finally flipped.

1st inning: immediate fireworks

Quero led off with a homer (because why wait?)

Ramos doubled in two more
Boom: 3–0 Sox, and Rate Field is alive.

Then Detroit started turning the screws:

they tied it up

edged ahead

and by the 8th it’s 6–3 and feeling like a “nice effort” loss.

Bottom 8: one last punch

You clawed back again:

Rosario sparks it (walk, steal, score)

Alfonzo and Bergolla deliver big swings to drag it to 6–5

…and then the baseball gut-punch:
Bottom 9, Quero single (again), pinch runner on… and it ends with a GIDP that basically unplugged the stadium.

Vibe: Two comebacks in one game… and still a loss. Brutal.

What this series actually told us
1) The “core youth” is starting to feel real

Not perfect. Not stable. But Teel / Quero / Ramos / Ornelas / Bergolla are showing the outlines of something you can build around.

2) Late-game identity = chaos merchant

You’re not winning clean right now. You’re winning with pressure, running, and making teams execute for 27 outs.
And in a rebuild year? That’s honestly a great trait to develop.

3) Pitching is still the nightly roulette wheel

Early deficits are killing you. The bullpen is doing triage too often, and one bad inning turns into “play perfect baseball to come back.”

Stock Up / Stock Down
📈 Stock Up

Kyle Teel (C) – Homers, doubles, steals, constant involvement.
Edgar Quero (DH) – Loud contact + clutch moments (Game 1 & Game 3 especially). Feels like a bat that will force lineup decisions.
Bryan Ramos (3B) – Consistent extra-base threat, big 1st inning in Game 3, keeps showing “middle-of-order” flashes.
William Bergolla (SS) – Not just “a guy.” He’s impacting innings with tough ABs + timely contact, and he was directly in the middle of the Game 2/3 rallies.
Samuel Zavala (RF) – Didn’t light up the box score, but the walks/steals pressure mattered in the comeback engine.

📉 Stock Down

Chase Meidroth (SS) – Not performance-based: injury flag. Any missed time matters for development and your lineup stability.
Inohan Paniagua (SP) – Two rough showings recently (and this one got away fast). Might still be a piece, but the floor games are loud.
Shane Smith (SP) – Early avalanche (5 ER in 2.1). Hard to evaluate long-term off one start, but it reinforces the “need more starting pitching” theme.

Quick hits & storylines to carry forward

Two one-run losses in the series. That’s pain now, but it’s also the kind of thing that flips first when a young team turns the corner.

Your comeback profile is legit. Teams can’t relax against you late.

Keep an eye on how you cover Meidroth’s innings if he misses time—those reps matter.

[XxVols98xX]

White Sox @ Royals (Aug 15–17) — One step forward, two haymakers back

Welp… Kauffman Stadium was not kind. The Sox walk out of Kansas City 1-2, and the overall picture stays the same: the record’s ugly (49-75), but the games aren’t always boring — sometimes they’re downright chaotic.

KC finishes the series 63-61, still playing meaningful baseball, and they absolutely played like it.

Game 1 — Friday (L, 8-1): Death by the middle innings

This one was the classic “hang around… and then suddenly you’re not.”
For a few innings it felt like we might steal one, but Kansas City started stacking crooked numbers in the 4th, 5th, and 6th, and by the time we looked up, it was a runway game.

The Sox offense never really found the gear it needed. Miguel Vargas accounted for most of the damage with an RBI double, Edgar Quero kept fighting for hits, but it was a long night where every small rally ended with a whimper.

If you’ve watched this club all year, you know the script: you don’t have to lose fast, but you do have to lose eventually.

Game 2 — Saturday (L, 13-10): The game where baseball stopped making sense

Okay, this was the kind of game you can’t stop watching… even when it’s hurting you.

Chicago put up 10 runs and 15 hits. That should win. That’s a “post about it on the forum” kind of night.

Except… the Royals dropped an 8-run 2nd inning on our pitching staff like a piano falling out a window. Just an inning that never ended. Single, double, chaos, more chaos, and suddenly you’re sitting there thinking, “So we’re really doing this again?”

To the Sox credit, they didn’t fold.

The moment that made it feel real again: Ryan Galanie unloading a GRAND SLAM — the kind of swing that makes you believe, if only for a minute, that you’re about to write a very different recap. And we did claw all the way back to 10-10.

…and then KC did what good teams do: answered, took the lead back, and shut the door.

This one stung, because it was one of those rare nights where the offense screamed “WE’RE HERE,” and the game still slipped through the cracks.

Game 3 — Sunday (W, 4-2): A rare, clean win

After two games of getting punched in the mouth, the Sox finally gave one back.

This one felt controlled. Not perfect, not dominant — just competent baseball, which honestly counts as a luxury around here.

Edgar Quero set the tone with a 2-run bomb, and then the big separator came later when Luis Robert Jr. ripped a 2-run double to pad the lead and quiet the crowd.

And the best part? The pitching and bullpen actually held together long enough for the win to feel inevitable instead of accidental.

A series loss still hurts, but avoiding the sweep matters — if for no other reason than keeping the morale from dropping into the Earth’s core.

Notable News / Transactions (Aug 18, 2025): The future gets louder

And then — finally — a little “why we’re doing this” moment:

Top prospect SP Christian Oppor promoted to A+ Winston-Salem

Top prospect C Alfredo Duno promoted to A+ Winston-Salem

If the big-league club is going to keep living in the storm this year, at least the pipeline is starting to flash some lightning. Oppor and Duno getting bumped up together is the kind of small organizational win that makes the rebuild feel like it’s actually moving.

[XxVols98xX]

🧹 Series Recap: White Sox sweep the Braves in Atlanta (3-0)

Coming into Truist Park I was just hoping we’d look competitive. Instead, the Sox walked out with a full-on sweep — 11-4, 7-1, 7-6 — and the standings moved with it: Chicago up to 52-75, Atlanta down to 60-68.

Over three games the offense didn’t just show up… it showed off: 25 runs, a pile of extra-base hits, and a home run parade that basically never stopped.

Game 1 (Aug 18): Sox 11, Braves 4

This one started as “oh great, Chris Sale” and quickly turned into “somebody check his pulse.”

The big inning was the 5-run 5th, and from there it was batting practice with purpose.

Ryan Galanie was the headline: 2 homers + 4 RBI and basically refused to let the game stay close.

Lenyn Sosa and Bryan Ramos also went deep in that same “blink and you’ll miss it” stretch.

Shane Smith held up his end: not flawless, but enough to let the offense pile on.

Also: Acuña got dinged up running the bases and left early… which felt like it might matter. (Spoiler: it mattered later in a different way.)

Game 2 (Aug 19): Sox 7, Braves 1

After the slugfest, I expected a hangover. Instead: calm, clinical, and mean.

Inohan Paniagua gave me exactly what I needed: a steady start and kept us out of trouble.

The lineup did the rest, with Tirso Ornelas and Eguy Rosario supplying the thunder.

Most satisfying part? The bullpen slammed the door like we were late for a flight.

This is the kind of win bad teams don’t get. We got it anyway.

Game 3 (Aug 20): Sox 7, Braves 6

This was the “hold onto your drink” finale.

Atlanta landed punches early (yes, Acuña was back and yes, he was a problem), and for a minute it felt like the sweep was about to slip. Then the kids and the pen said: nah.

🔥 Quero / Teel moment

If you’re looking for the “future is here” snapshot, it was this game.

Kyle Teel kept setting the table and pressuring the defense.

And then in the 9th… Edgar Quero launches the go-ahead homer. Huge swing. Huge moment.

🚪 And the unsung hero: Grant Taylor

While all that was happening, Grant Taylor came out of the pen and turned into an absolute cheat code:

3.2 scoreless innings

0 hits

6 K
That’s a series-swinging performance.

Series themes

Bullpen dominance: across the sweep the pen basically allowed nothing when it mattered.

Power everywhere: Galanie/Sosa/Ramos/Ornelas/Rosario/Vargas/Quero… pick your poison.

Quero + Teel feels like “the plan” starting to look real in the box score, not just the scouting report.

Three stars of the series ⭐

Ryan Galanie — tone-setter in Game 1, carried the loudest bat

Grant Taylor — the sweep doesn’t happen without that Game 3 bridge/close

Edgar Quero — the 9th inning blast is the picture you hang on the wall

[XxVols98xX]

Series Recap: Twins @ White Sox (Sox go 1–2)

Coming in, this felt like a “hang around and steal one” type of weekend… and that’s basically what it was. The Sox flashed some real fight (and the kids showed up), but Minnesota won the two games that turned into late-inning coin flips.

After the series: White Sox 53–77, Twins 66–65
Final: Twins take it 2 games to 1

Also on the housekeeping side: RP Tyler Gilbert was released (Aug 18).

Game 1 (Fri, 8/22): Twins 4, Sox 3

This one was a slow burn that turned into a gut punch.

Minnesota scratched early, the Sox kept it close, and then the game finally woke up late:

Luis Robert Jr. tied it with a solo HR in the 6th.

The 7th inning turned into the “okay, we’re alive” moment — Quero and Teel helped spark the response as the Sox clawed back and made it a real game.

And then… the 9th happened. Twins manufactured the go-ahead run, and the Sox couldn’t answer in the bottom half. One of those “we were right there” losses.

Player of the Game: Bailey Ober (MIN)

Game 2 (Sat, 8/23): Twins 6, Sox 4

This was the emotional roller coaster.

The Sox got the early highlight:

Tirso Ornelas went yard (and kept looking like he belongs in the middle of the order).

But the real story was how this thing slipped away:

Sox carried a lead into the late innings… and then Minnesota dropped a 3-run 8th on us.

The Twins piled on in the 9th, and suddenly it’s “down big” instead of “tight game.”

To their credit, the Sox made it spicy at the end:

Bases loaded, late rally energy, and Chase Meidroth delivered a 2-RBI single to make it interesting…

…but it still finished as another “if we get one more break” kind of night.

Player of the Game: Davis Martin (CWS)

Game 3 (Sun, 8/24): Sox 5, Twins 3

Needed this one badly — and they actually finished the job.

Minnesota jumped out early 2–0 in the 1st, and it had the feel of “oh no, not again.” Then the Sox flipped the entire day in one inning:

The Swing Inning: 4th

A full-on 4-run response (doubles flying everywhere):

Bryan Ramos came through with a big 2-run double

Eguy Rosario added another RBI knock

Suddenly it’s 4–2 Sox and Rate Field had a pulse again

From there:

Shane Smith gave you exactly what you need from a starter in that spot: 6 innings, 9 Ks, battled through some traffic, and held the line.

Sox tacked on insurance in the 8th (huge because Minnesota always seems to threaten late).

Grant Taylor slammed the door for the save.

This was the template game: take the punch early, respond with crooked numbers, and don’t let the bullpen turn it into chaos.

Player of the Game: Shane Smith (CWS)

Series Takeaways (the “why you keep reading” part)

Quero/Teel are a real storyline. Even when the results weren’t perfect, those at-bats matter — and the big moments (especially in the middle/late innings) keep showing up around them.

Late innings are still the separator. Game 1 and Game 2 were both within reach, and Minnesota just executed cleaner when the game got tight.

Ornelas is turning into a problem (in a good way). Big hits, loud contact, and he’s not playing scared.

[XxVols98xX]

Royals at White Sox (Aug 25–27, 2025)

Final: White Sox sweep (3–0)
Your record: 56–77 (up from 53–77 entering the set)
Royals: 67–67 (down to dead-even .500)

Kansas City came in trying to stay afloat. They left Rate Field with their bullpen leaking, their lineup muted, and their once-comfy cushion turned into a .500 sigh. This wasn’t a “we stole one” series — this was Chicago landing three different kinds of wins: an extra-innings gut-check, a lead-swing slugfest, and a straight-up curb stomp.

Series score: White Sox 23, Royals 13
Series mood: Finally… WE are the problem.

Game 1 — White Sox 7, Royals 6 (11 innings)
“The walkoff that looked like nothing… and meant everything.”

This was the kind of game that tries to break you. You had power early (two huge swings in the 2nd), built a real lead, then watched KC detonate a 3-run shot in the 7th to erase it and drag the whole thing into chaos.

And then the ending: peak dynasty-mode drama.

In the 11th, with the ghost runner and pressure cooking, Edgar Quero puts the ball in play and it turns into a walk-off infield single. Not a majestic bomb. Not a gapper. Just the baseball gods rewarding contact and nerve.

Big moments

Back-to-back jacks in the 2nd (Ramos + Rosario) to flip the game instantly.

Vargas homer later to keep the gas down.

Quero walkoff to finish the job.

The “this matters later” note: You didn’t just win — you proved you can take a punch, wobble, and still close the door. That’s a culture win in dynasty mode.

Game 2 — White Sox 9, Royals 6
“Luis Robert Jr. took over the series and didn’t ask permission.”

KC tried the classic script: hang around, take a lead, force you into your middle relief. It worked… until it didn’t.

Then Luis Robert Jr. turned into a one-man weather event:

2-run HR (3rd)

solo HR (6th)

constant pressure the moment he came up

KC’s big surge (including a 3-run HR in the 6th) should’ve swung the game. Instead, you answered right back — and then you broke them with a 7th inning built on walks, traffic, and timely contact.

Big moments

Robert’s two-homer night was the headline.

Lenyn Sosa with a massive swing in the 7th to push you back in front.

Bryan Ramos added late thunder (insurance HR) to slam the lid.

This one felt like the turning point of the whole set: not just winning — winning while trading haymakers.

Game 3 — White Sox 7, Royals 1
“Five runs in the 1st. Rate Field exhaled. KC never recovered.”

You didn’t “start fast.” You started like you were offended KC showed up.

The 1st inning was a parade: singles, a walk, extra bases, and five runs before anyone could settle in. From there, Mike Vasil did exactly what a dynasty manager dreams about: calm, clean, efficient innings with the offense already spotting him a runway.

KC’s lone highlight was a Pasquantino solo HR. Everything else was Chicago controlling pace and adding on.

Big moments

5-run 1st inning: immediate knockout blow.

Vasil steady through 6.

Samuel Zavala HR late: the “and we’re not done” stamp.

Series Themes
1) The lineup wasn’t just hot — it was dangerous

You hit 7 homers in three games and still got plenty of runs without needing only bombs. That’s the good version of this offense: power plus pressure.

2) You won the stress test

Game 1 is the one that usually flips a series the wrong way. Instead it became the tone-setter.

3) The Royals got dragged into YOUR kind of games

KC tried to play “stable contender baseball.” You made it messy, loud, and uncomfortable — and they folded.

[XxVols98xX]

🧨 Bronx Boys vs. South Side Babies: Sox take 3 of 4 from the Yankees (and make it loud)

The Yankees rolled into Rate Field at 69-65 looking like they were about to cruise through a “get-right” series.

Instead, they left Chicago 69-68, staring at dents in the armor… and a White Sox club that’s still buried in the standings but suddenly looks like it has a pulse and a future.

Series result: White Sox 3, Yankees 1
Runs: Sox 27, Yankees 19
New record: White Sox 59-78 (11 GB, 5th)

Game 1 — 8/28: Yankees 4, White Sox 3 (the rain-delay gut punch)

This one was a slow-burn headache. New York jumped the Sox early (3-run 3rd), and even after the Sox clawed back to 3-3—thanks to a Bryan Ramos blast and a Miguel Vargas 2-run double—Chicago couldn’t land the finishing blow.

The dagger: pinch-hit Everson Pereira double in the 8th, then the sac fly that made it 4-3.
You had the tying runs in reach late, but the Yankees bullpen (Minter/Williams) slammed the door.

Notables

Ramos HR (12): the kid is not afraid of anybody.

Vargas 2 RBI double to erase the deficit.

45-minute rain delay because of course there was.

Game 2 — 8/29: White Sox 8, Yankees 7 (10) (ABSOLUTE CINEMA)

This was the kind of game you remember three in-game years later.

The Yankees came out swinging: Austin Wells 3-run bomb in the 1st and it’s 3-0, instant “here we go again” vibes.

Except… the Sox lineup spent the rest of the night throwing haymakers.

Ramos 2-run HR (13) + Vargas solo HR (22) flipped the script.

The Sox piled up 17 hits (SEVENTEEN).

The Yankees tied it in the 9th… because drama is mandatory.

And then the 10th happened:

Pereira hit a 2-run HR for NY to put them up.

Sox answer with a 3-run walkoff rally capped by Eliezer Alfonzo’s bases-clearing double.

Final: 8-7 Sox, and Rate Field gets to pretend it’s October for a minute.

Game 3 — 8/30: White Sox 7, Yankees 2 (Paniagua shoved, Ornelas cooked)

This was the cleanest win of the series: early runs, steady pitching, no panic.

Inohan Paniagua went 6.1 and gave the Yankees basically nothing to breathe on. Meanwhile Tirso Ornelas turned into an RBI vending machine: 3-for-4, 4 RBI.

The only dark cloud: Chase Meidroth injured running the bases. Brutal timing with September right here.

Game 4 — 8/31: White Sox 9, Yankees 6 (Zavala pressed the Big Red Button)

This game had one moment where the entire series snapped into place:

Samuel Zavala grand slam.

Five-run 5th inning. Yankees were trying to hold onto momentum… and Zavala detonated it.

Chicago kept pouring it on in the 6th (helped by Yankees sloppiness), and even though New York made noise late, the Sox held on.

Notables

Zavala: 6 RBI (yes, SIX)

Jonathan Cannon with 6.1 strong

Yankees committed 2 errors and paid for both

Also: RP Sean Burke got hurt while pitching, because this series couldn’t just end normally.

🔥 Org/League Notes (the “Dynasty Report” juice)
Bryan Ramos is collecting hardware now

On Sept 1st, the news feed basically turned into the Bryan Ramos fan club:

AL Player of the Week (last week: .360, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R)

AL Batter of the Month (the just-finished month: .318, 10 HR, 27 RBI, 23 R)

Season check: .284 / .329 OBP / .528 SLG, 13 HR, 41 RBI.
He’s 23. He’s cheap. And he’s acting like a franchise cornerstone.

George Wolkow: fast-track alert 🚀

1B George Wolkow got South Atlantic Player of the Week and earned a promotion to AA Birmingham.
Weekly line: .348 with 5 HR and 10 RBI.

That’s the kind of “oh… he’s that guy” week that forces your hand.

September roster expansion: reinforcements arrive

With rosters moving 26 → 28:

RP Tyler Schweitzer recalled

Top prospect Colson Montgomery gets his contract selected

This is exactly what September should be in a dynasty save: let the kids breathe MLB air and see who belongs.

🚑 Injury watch

SS Chase Meidroth (injured running bases, 8/30)

RP Sean Burke (injured pitching, 8/31)

Two names you really didn’t want showing up in that news ticker right now. Hoping it’s short-term stuff.

Final takeaway

Yeah, the record is still ugly. But taking 3 of 4 from the Yankees with Ramos wearing a cape and the kids throwing punches?

Next stop: at Minnesota.
Let’s see if this was a one-week heater… or the start of something that actually matters.

[XxVols98xX]

Chicago White Sox — 2025 March–August Recap

September 1st check-in: 59–78 (.431), 5th in the AL Central, 11 GB.

The big picture

This season has basically been two stories at once:

An offense that can score (and run wild)

A pitching staff that’s spent most of the year trying to stop the bleeding

By Sept. 1, the Sox sit 59–78, and while the overall record isn’t pretty, the last two months finally looked like a team finding its identity.

Month-by-month: how we got here

Team split page with the monthly arcs (rough May, strong August).

March (2–2): Small sample, but it didn’t feel like the season was doomed out of the gate.

April (11–15): Competitive enough to keep hope alive, but the cracks started forming.

May (6–22): The season’s sinkhole. Too many short starts + not enough shutdown relief = games getting away fast.

June (12–14): Stabilized. Still losing, but not getting run off the field nightly.

July (12–13): Slightly under .500, but the big deal was Bryan Ramos turning into a headline (more below).

August (16–12): The best month of the season. Not perfect, but finally a stretch where the Sox consistently played their brand of baseball.

Team identity: on-base + chaos on the bases

Team ranks snapshot — the offense has carried the “fun” parts of this year.

The lineup has been a problem for opponents in two ways:

Getting on base

Turning every single into a scoring chance with speed + pressure

The clearest “this is who we are” stat is stolen bases (best in baseball) and base running value (best in baseball). The Sox aren’t a top-tier slugging team, but they do create runs.

The lineup: who drove the bus

Caption: Position-player stat table—core pieces and where the production came from.

Bryan Ramos — July belonged to him

Ramos takes home AL Player of the Week + AL Batter of the Month (July).

Ramos didn’t just have a nice month—he had a signature month: .318 with 10 HR, 27 RBI, 23 R in July, then stacked weekly hardware on top of it. On the year he’s sitting around .284 with 13 HR and 41 RBI in 60 games. That’s a real building block.

Tirso Ornelas + Kyle Teel set the table

Ornelas has been a revelation near the top (hitting .315), and Teel has held his own while providing stability and on-base skills. When those two are functioning, the offense looks like it has a plan every night.

Miguel Vargas brings the thunder

The average is what it is, but the impact isn’t: 22 HR and counting. When the Sox do win slugfests, Vargas is usually part of the reason.

Luis Robert Jr. = power + speed, every day

Robert’s line is basically “imperfect, dangerous”: big strikeout totals, but also 21 HR, 82 RBI, and he’s been a steals machine. Even when the team scuffles, Robert forces the other club to play honest.

Chase Meidroth: glue guy… and then bad luck

Meidroth has been a high-contact, high-OBP type who keeps innings alive—plus he’s been right in the middle of the team’s running game. Unfortunately…

The late-August Yankees series: chaos, fireworks, and injuries

Aug 30 — Sox 7, Yankees 2.

Aug 30: White Sox 7, Yankees 2

Inohan Paniagua dealt (6.1 IP, 1 ER)

Tirso Ornelas drove in four (massive swing early)

Luis Robert Jr. went deep

Bad news: SS Chase Meidroth was injured running the bases.

Aug 31 — Sox 9, Yankees 6.

Aug 31: White Sox 9, Yankees 6
This game was the perfect summary of the 2025 Sox experience:

The offense exploded (Samuel Zavala grand slam, 6 RBI day)

The Yankees mounted a late push

The Sox still held on

Bad news (again): RP Sean Burke left with an injury.

Even with the injuries, taking that kind of series and finishing August 16–12 is the loudest sign yet that the team’s core is starting to take shape.

Pitching: the season-long problem (with a few bright spots)

Staff performance page—good names at the top, too much damage overall.

The ace: Mike Vasil

Vasil has been the stopper: 3.06 ERA and 150 IP. When he starts, you feel like you’ve got a real shot.

The Ks: Shane Smith

Smith has missed bats (team K leader), but the overall run prevention hasn’t matched the stuff every time out.

The bullpen: Grant Taylor has nailed the 9th

If there’s one place the pitching staff has been reliably strong, it’s the closer role. Grant Taylor has been a weapon (low ERA, double-digit saves). The middle innings have been the roller coaster.

Prospect/roster news: the org is moving

Sept 1 transactions—Wolkow up to AA; Montgomery up; roster expands.

George Wolkow: SAL Player of the Week → promoted to AA Birmingham

Colson Montgomery: contract selected with roster expansion

Tyler Schweitzer: recalled as the roster opens to 28

That’s real “timeline” stuff—this is the front office telling you the second half is about building toward 2026.

The takeaway heading into September

The record is what it is, but the direction finally feels clearer:

What’s working

On-base pressure + elite base running

Ramos looking like a foundational bat

Vasil/Taylor giving the staff a real backbone

What has to improve

Anything resembling consistent starting pitching behind Vasil

The middle-relief bridge (too many games turning into track meets)

Defensive sloppiness (especially when you’re already fighting run prevention)

[XxVols98xX]

Series recap (4 games @ Minnesota)

You walked out of Target Field with a 2–2 split, moving your club to 61–80. The Twins held serve in the bigger picture at 72–69, and the series had a very “September baseball” feel: three tight games, then one avalanche inning that decided the finale.

Total runs: Twins 18, White Sox 9 — Minnesota did most of their damage in two huge swings (Rodriguez’s HR in Game 2, and the 7-run 2nd in Game 4).

Game 1 — White Sox 2, Twins 1 (9/1)

Tone-setter. You jumped on Bailey Ober immediately: Quero double → Vargas single → Montgomery walk → Rosario double and it was 2–0 before Minnesota could settle in.
From there it was a bullpen-script win:

Mike Vasil: 6.1 IP, 1 ER, calm traffic management.

Bridge work did its job, and Grant Taylor slammed the door.

Quiet subplot: aggressive baserunning was a mixed bag (a steal for Robert, but also a couple big outs on the bases that kept the score from getting padded).

Game 2 — Twins 7, White Sox 4 (9/2)

This one hurt because you earned the lead and still watched it flip.

Your offense clawed back from an early 0–3 hole, then took a 4–3 lead (big hits sprinkled through the middle; you got production from multiple spots).

The turning point was Emmanuel Rodriguez: a 3-run homer that snapped Minnesota ahead for good, and the Twins kept adding.

Notable note: Harrison Bader was injured by a pitch (Twins side), which changed some of their late-game alignment.

Game 3 — White Sox 2, Twins 1 (9/3)

Best “complete” win of the set. You did just enough early, then won the margins.

The decisive blow: Colson Montgomery’s solo HR (6th) to break the 1–1 tie.

Your staff pieced it together and protected every inch late — another night where the bullpen plan worked.

Wild layer of chaos:

Pablo López injured while pitching

Shane Smith injured while pitching

And Kyle Teel struck out 5 times (tying the AL regular-season record in this universe). Brutal box score… but you still took the game.

Game 4 — Twins 9, White Sox 1 (9/4)

The whole game was essentially decided by one inning:

You scored first (early RBI sequence, 1–0 Sox), and then…

Minnesota detonated a 7-run 2nd inning, turning it into survival mode immediately.

Minnesota tacked on with another Rodriguez blast later — he was the biggest “series problem” for you when it mattered.

Also: Mark Mathias left after being hit by a pitch (Twins), another injury note in a series full of them.

Themes that defined the set

When your pitching stayed out of the crooked inning, you won. Games 1 and 3 were textbook: early lead + contained damage + clean finish.

One guy torched you at the worst times: Emmanuel Rodriguez’s big swings directly decided two games.

Your offense was “situational” but not explosive. You didn’t get many innings where you stacked extra-base hits together — Minnesota did.

News / Transactions impact

RP Sean Burke to the 15-day IL with a rotator cuff strain — expected to miss the rest of the season. That’s a real gut-punch for late-inning stability and workload management down the stretch.

RP Jarold Rosado had his contract selected — and the profile screams “fresh-arm leverage option”: 95–97 mph power pitcher with a big curveball and high work ethic. Even if he’s not instantly a shutdown guy, just having another capable bullpen body matters a ton with Burke out.

[XxVols98xX]

Alright—3 games in Detroit, and you leave Comerica with a 1–2 series loss, finishing the set at 62–82 while the Tigers sit 66–78.

Game 1 (9/5) – Tigers 1, White Sox 0

A classic “one mistake” game. Jonathan Cannon went the distance (8 IP) and kept you in it, but Detroit scratched the only run on Andy Ibáñez’s solo HR. Offensively, you just never got traction—2 hits total—and Sawyer Gipson-Long carved through the lineup for six scoreless.

Theme: Great start, zero support.

Game 2 (9/6) – Tigers 10, White Sox 8

This one was chaos in the best and worst ways. You tagged Skubal and actually pushed to 8 runs on 13 hits, with a bunch of traffic all night (and Montgomery living on base). But the game flipped in two places:

Detroit’s 5-run 3rd (sparked by speed + pressure + the Baez 3-run HR)

The 8th inning, when Detroit pushed across two more to break the deadlock and finally create separation.

Also: 2 Sox errors didn’t help in a game where every extra out mattered.

Theme: You scored enough to win… but couldn’t finish innings cleanly.

Game 3 (9/7) – White Sox 6, Tigers 5 (10)

Best response you could’ve asked for after Saturday: fight, counterpunch, survive.

You built a lead with a 3-run 5th, got to 4–2, then the bullpen hit the wall in the 3-run Detroit 8th to fall behind. The moment of the day was Eguy Rosario’s game-tying solo shot in the 9th—huge swing, huge timing.

In extras, you played the runner perfectly:

Productive outs early in the 10th to move the ghost runner up

Ryan Galanie’s RBI double to grab the lead

Then Grant Taylor slammed the door in the bottom half.

Theme: Bend, don’t break—and finally steal one late.

Series takeaways

The pitching competed, but the margin for error was tiny. Cannon gave you a winning effort in Game 1; Game 3 was winnable until that 8th.

Defense + bullpen were the swing factors. Saturday’s 2 errors and the late runs allowed in Games 2–3 decided the set.

Rosario was the “big moment” guy. Between the constant pressure and that 9th-inning HR Sunday, he felt like the heartbeat of the comeback win.

Bad news note: Miguel Vargas left Game 3 injured running the bases—that’s the kind of thing that can sting beyond one series.

[XxVols98xX]

White Sox sweep the Rays in Chicago — three games, three different kinds of chaos (and a whole lot of grit)

Coming in, this felt like it could get ugly: Tampa Bay rolled into Rate Field at 79–64, fighting for October, while the Sox were sitting at 62–82 just trying to stack good days. Instead, the South Side flipped the script and took all three — a sweep that pushes your club to 65–82 and hands the Rays three straight dents (79–67).

It wasn’t a “bash your brains in” sweep, either. This one was built the fun way: late-inning drama, big swings in tight spots, and pitching that refused to crack.

Game 1 (Sept. 9): White Sox 2, Rays 1 — walk-off vibes at Rate Field

This one was tense basically from the second inning on.

Tampa struck first, piecing together traffic and grabbing a 1–0 lead, but the Sox answered right back with small-ball energy: a couple of key knocks and a sac fly to square it at 1–1.

And then it turned into a grind. Taj Bradley was nasty for most of the night, and the Sox had to earn every inch. But in the bottom of the 9th, Tirso Ornelas lit the fuse — ripping a leadoff double, then going full menace on the bases to put himself 90 feet away.

That set the stage for the moment: Lenyn Sosa comes up as a pinch hitter and ends it with the walk-off single. 2–1 Sox, crowd happy, Rays annoyed, and the Sox bullpen/late-game execution gets the gold star.

Tone-setter: Ornelas creating the winning run with pure pressure, and Sosa delivering the final punch.

Game 2 (Sept. 10): White Sox 6, Rays 3 — early fireworks, then the bullpen slams the door

If Game 1 was a slow burn, Game 2 came out swinging.

The Sox jumped out early — including a Lenyn Sosa two-run homer in the first — and kept adding on with pressure baseball (walks, stolen bases, balls put in play). The lead grew to 4–0, and it felt like the Sox were about to cruise.

Then Tampa reminded everyone why they’re in the playoff picture: a three-run shot by Danny Jansen made it a game in a hurry.

But here’s the difference in this series: every time the Rays leaned in, the Sox leaned back harder.

The Sox answered with another run, and then the pitching finished the job — especially Brandon Eisert, who was flat-out electric out of the pen (a pile of strikeouts, no breathing room). And once it got to the ninth, Grant Taylor handled business to lock down the save.

Swing of the game: Tampa’s 3-run blast made it spicy — the Sox response + the bullpen made it over.

Game 3 (Sept. 11): White Sox 1, Rays 0 — Cannon outduels McClanahan in a straight-up thriller

This was the “baseball sickos” special — two legit starters throwing darts and daring somebody to blink.

Jonathan Cannon was unbelievable: 8 shutout innings, no free passes, and he kept Tampa living in that miserable zone where they’re constantly one hit away… and never get it.

Across from him, Shane McClanahan was just as sharp — which is why the game came down to one swing:

Bottom of the 5th, Luis Robert Jr. launches a solo homer (absolute no-doubt energy), and suddenly that was the whole game. Tampa had chances — including a huge midgame jam where Cannon had to navigate serious traffic — but the Sox pitching never gave up the back-breaker.

Then Taylor hit the ninth and finished the sweep like a closer who knew the moment.

Headline moment: Robert’s homer, Cannon’s escape artistry, and the staff completing a shutout of a playoff contender.

Series takeaways

You won this series on the mound. Holding a lineup like Tampa to 4 total runs in three games is loud, no matter what the standings say.

Late-game execution was the separator. The Rays had more than enough opportunities — the Sox just consistently made the “next pitch” and the “next play.”

Sosa was the heartbeat of the series. Big homer, huge at-bats, and the walk-off in Game 1 — he felt like the guy Tampa couldn’t get away from.

Cannon’s Game 3 was a statement. Eight scoreless against that lineup in that kind of game? That’s the kind of start that sticks in your head.

If you want, tell me how you want to title these recaps (straight newsy, spicy/funny, or “forum-post hype”), and I’ll format the next one exactly the same every time.