A dismal Sunday afternoon ended a nasty week for the Chicago Cubs and White Sox.
The Cubs’ promising start in April has hit a road block in Might, whereas the Sox keep in a free fall after sequence losses to the Kansas Metropolis Royals and Houston Astros.
Each Monday all by the season, Tribune baseball writers will current an exchange on what occurred — and what’s ahead for the Cubs and Sox.
Liam Hendriks getting nearer
Liam Hendriks’ return to the Sox appears imminent, though supervisor Pedro Grifol wouldn’t give a date sooner than Hendriks’ look Sunday with Triple-A Charlotte.
“We’ll discuss to him after and see the place we go from there,” Grifol talked about Sunday morning.
Hendriks struck out the one batter he confronted in a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Durham Bulls.
Hendriks talked about he initially consider to return to Chicago on Sunday and be ready for the sequence that begins Tuesday in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians. He allowed 4 runs on two residence runs in two-thirds of an inning in his earlier outing Thursday, and he talked about he didn’t “need to be a burden” on the group by returning sooner than he was ready.
The Knights have liked having Hendriks throughout the clubhouse for his character and his penchant for getting the clubhouse unfold.
“It’s superior being round Liam, it’s simply tremendous inspiring,” talked about Jake Burger, who returned to the Sox on Saturday from his private rehab stint. ”Each time I see him in the marketplace and focus on to him throughout the clubhouse, it’s superior to talk to him. And the spreads are pretty good down there, too, courtesy of him and (Garrett) Crochet. … (Friday) it was a extraordinarily good meals truck with a scorching rooster sandwich.”
The Sox perception Hendriks to be reliable in regards to the place he’s.
“Self-evaluation is a extremely huge a part of this sport, and he’s a extremely good self-evaluator,” Grifol talked about. “Not solely do I recognize it, I like it as a result of I believe the intuition is at all times to get again as shortly as potential. And his intuition and his data is ‘I’ve obtained to get again once I’m able to get again and ensure I’m capable of contribute to what we need to accomplish right here.’”
Christopher Morel flexing power
Christopher Morel simply isn’t hitting any low price footage.
Morel has picked up the place he left off in Triple A, hitting three residence runs in his first 5 video video games given that Cubs recalled him from Iowa. His solo homer throughout the fifth inning Sunday landed throughout the second deck in left self-discipline. The monstrous 461-foot shot tied Patrick Knowledge (June 21, 2022) for the longest residence run by a Cub since Willson Contreras hit one 464 toes on July 29, 2021.
All three of Morel’s residence runs have gone on the very least 400 toes.
“He’s obtained some some fast-twitch fibers that not all of us have,” talked about Dansby Swanson, who hit behind Morel on Sunday. “It’s fairly cool when he connects like that.”
When second baseman Nico Hoerner returns from the injured document, which can very effectively be as shortly as Friday in Philadelphia, the Cubs ought to uncover a choice to get Morel frequent at-bats. That might indicate he’ll get nearly all of his begins as a result of the designated hitter because of they appear lukewarm to having fun with him at third base, preferring his comfortability up the middle.
Discovering strategies to keep up Morel throughout the lineup would possibly come on the expense of Nick Madrigal and Trey Mancini till they work in Mancini at first base to current Matt Mervis a break in opposition to highly effective left-handers.
Week ahead: Cubs
The Cubs shall be challenged to point out spherical their powerful start to the nine-game journey after the pitching workers surrendered 27 runs throughout the final two video video games in opposition to the Minnesota Twins.
The Astros and Philadelphia Phillies lineups acquired’t be any easier. And a scuffling Cubs offense shall be examined by Astros starters Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier to begin the sequence in Houston.
The Cubs get what might very effectively be a much-needed day without work to regroup Thursday sooner than taking up the reigning Nationwide League champion Phillies, in opposition to whom they went 6-0 remaining 12 months.
A large question: Can right-hander Jameson Taillon set the tone Monday in Houston? He hasn’t appeared sharp in two begins since coming off the IL and was restricted by a pitch rely. The Cubs desire a highly effective outing from him, partly to keep away from losing a bullpen that wished to cowl 8⅓ innings the ultimate two video video games.
- Monday: at Astros, 7:10 p.m., Marquee
- Tuesday: at Astros, 7:10 p.m., Marquee, TBS
- Wednesday: at Astros, 7:10 p.m., Marquee
- Thursday: off
- Friday: at Phillies, 6:05 p.m., Marquee
- Saturday: at Phillies, 3:05 p.m., Marquee
- Sunday: at Phillies, 12:35 p.m., Marquee
Week ahead: White Sox
The Sox get a much-anticipated day without work Monday sooner than ending the homestand with a pair of three-game sequence in opposition to division foes, the Guardians and Royals.
The defending American League Central champion Guardians have underachieved all season. They entered Sunday hitting .228 and ranked third-to-last throughout the majors in runs scored (138). Shane Bieber will match up in opposition to Lance Lynn in Tuesday’s opener.
The rebuilding Royals took three of 4 from the Sox remaining week at Kauffman Stadium nonetheless have the third-worst ERA throughout the majors at 5.44, merely above the Sox (5.50). Veteran Zack Greinke is scheduled to face Dylan Stop on Friday.
- Monday: off
- Tuesday: vs. Guardians, 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Wednesday: vs. Guardians, 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Thursday: vs. Guardians, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Friday: vs. Royals, 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Saturday: vs. Royals, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Sunday: vs. Royals, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
What we’re learning this morning
This week in Chicago baseball
Might 15, 1996: White Sox’s Tony Phillips punches a Brewers fan
It turned out a fan heckled Tony Phillips, allegedly making disparaging remarks about his mother. After listening to it for only a few innings, Phillips took points into his private palms and eradicated himself from the game after the very best of the sixth to confront the fan.
Sox third baseman Robin Ventura didn’t want to go into the concourse whereas in uniform and requested power coach Steve Odgers to adjust to Phillips and stop him from getting into into trouble.
“By that point it was too late,” Ventura talked about. “He already took off.”
Phillips stood beneath the left-field stands and known as out to the 23-year-old Wisconsin man, motioning for him to return again down to talk. Surprisingly, the fan complied. After a fast dialogue, the fan shoved Phillips and promptly was clocked twice.
Might 16, 1996: Sammy Sosa turns into the first Cub to hit two homers in an inning
He hit them in an eight-run seventh at Wrigley Subject in the midst of the Cubs’ 13-1 win over the Astros.
“Proper now, I’m simply feeling good up there,” Sosa knowledgeable the Tribune. Earlier than the feat, the slugger had six residence runs in his remaining six video video games and 15 throughout the first 41 video video games, elevating his batting frequent to .251 and important the group with 33 RBIs.
Might 16, 2000: Dodgers go into Wrigley crowd after a fan ran off with Chad Kreuter’s cap
“Some man apparently hit Chad within the head and took his hat or a part of his helmet,” Dodgers bullpen coach Rick Dempsey talked about. “He went to retrieve it and that was it. I obtained midway up (within the part) and was smothered.”
As soon as Kreuter went after the fan, the lower area seats behind the Dodgers bullpen resembled a rugby scrum higher than a baseball sport. Followers swarmed the players and fairly a number of punches have been thrown whereas bystanders tried to maneuver to safety.
As soon as the Dodgers on the sphere grew to develop into acutely aware of the altercation, they raced to the bullpen to assist.
“A few of our guys have been so deep within the stands that I used to be watching to verify no person obtained damage,” Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley talked about. “Safety had issues underneath management after which one of many followers threw one other punch.”
“It obtained ugly,” Dempsey talked about. “At one level I obtained pinned over a chair and couldn’t transfer. I used to be simply holding one man’s arm as a result of he seemed like he was going to hit one in every of our gamers.”
The game was delayed for 9 minutes. The Dodgers went on to win 6-5.
Might 17, 1979: Cubs lose to Phillies 23-22 at Wrigley Subject
The Cubs observed the Phillies a 7-0 lead, then tied the game at 22-22 throughout the eighth, solely to lose on Mike Schmidt’s Tenth-inning residence run off Bruce Sutter. Invoice Buckner had a grand slam and seven RBIs for the Cubs.
Maybe primarily probably the most excellent stat from the game was that, no matter scoring a combined 45 runs on 50 hits, along with 11 residence runs, the Cubs and Phillies struck out solely 11 events in 109 at-bats. Cubs hitters had solely 4 strikeouts in 56 at-bats
The Cubs and Phillies combined to go 17-for-44 (.386) with runners in scoring place, and 11 pitchers have been employed.
Might 17, 2019: Kris Bryant hits three homers in consecutive innings for the Cubs
He was merely the twelfth participant to tug off the unusual feat and the second to take motion throughout the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. He went 4-for-6 and drove in 5 runs throughout the 14-6 win over the Nationals.
Might 18, 1933: The primary All-Star Recreation is launched at Comiskey Park
The July 6 sport was carried out as part of the Chicago World’s Honest celebration. The thought for the All-Star Recreation, “The Recreation of the Century”? That obtained right here from Tribune sports activities actions editor Arch Ward.
“A wise inspiration within the Tribune’s sporting division will give Chicago as an incident of the Honest, the baseball sport of all time,” the paper reported on Might 23, 1933. “The baseball managements might have discovered 1,000,000 explanation why it couldn’t be carried out however discovered each cause why it must be.”
By Ward’s design, the lineups for the game have been established by a democratic course of. The Tribune requested readers to vote for his or her favorite players, and 47 papers quickly adopted swimsuit.
The American League, bolstered by Babe Ruth’s two-run homer, beat the Nationwide League 4-2.
Might 18, 1990: Ryne Sandberg’s errorless-games streak ends after 123 video video games and 584 chances
After the 7-0 win over the Astros, any individual requested the Cubs second baseman which of the streak’s performs stood out. Sandberg didn’t hesitate.
“Simply this final one,” he talked about. “It’s the one one I can take into consideration proper now.”
Joe Morgan of the Reds held the sooner report of 91 video video games.
Might 20, 2006: A.J. Pierzynski and Michael Barrett wrestle all through a Cubs-Sox sport
White Sox baserunner Pierzynski’s shoulder block into Cubs catcher Barrett spawned a second-inning, bench-clearing brouhaha at residence plate.
The wrestle boiled over into one different wrestle that led to 4 ejections at U.S. Mobile Subject.
Pierzynski talked about he was merely trying to realize and Barrett was in his technique. Barrett grabbing Pierzynski and landing a tricky correct cross was an apparent misunderstanding.
“I hit Michael (who was blocking house plate) and I obtained up and my helmet was proper behind him,” Pierzynski talked about. “I went to get my helmet and the following factor I do know I’m in a bear hug and he stated, ‘I didn’t have the ball, b—-.’ The subsequent factor I do know I obtained punched.”
The Sox wound up beating the Cubs 7-0.
Quotable
“They’re a superb low-ball-hitting workforce as a bunch and that’s the place he lives, so that you’ve obtained much less margin for error when the 2 strengths line up a bit of bit. And so they obtained one of the best of him right this moment.” — Cubs supervisor David Ross on the Twins tagging Marcus Stroman for six runs in 2⅔ innings in Sunday’s 16-3 loss
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