Six Pack of Stats: Guardians 7, White Sox 6
You knew we’d kick this new SSS era off with a loss!
Give the White Sox credit: They fought back to tie the Guardians, on the road, and have played the best team in the AL tough all year.
Except at the end, as Michael Kopech tripped to advance a runner, and worse, Luis Robert Jr. let the winning run score on a sacrifice fly, without a throw home.
OK, can we stop giving the White Sox credit now?
Top Play
As is often the case with a walk-off, Bo Naylor hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth for 42.3% WPA, and the win.
Top Performer
Luis Robert Jr. was a force in the losing effort, going 2-for-4 with a homer, four RBIs, and 45.4% WPA. (WPA doesn’t take defense into account, or non-plays, which is luck for La Pantera tonight.)
Hardest Hit
Eloy Jiménez singled to left in the eighth at 109.6 mph.
Weakest Contact
Tyler Freeman tapped what amounted to a sac bunt with an excuse-me ground out to Andrew Vaughn for the first out of the ninth at 37.2 mph. It advanced the leadoff man to second base and set the stage for a walk-off loss for the White Sox.
Luckiest Hit
Nicky Lopez’s single in the seventh had eyes — or, at least, a .130 xBA.
Toughest Out
Korey Lee hit a screaming meemie to short in the third inning: 105.4 mph and a .690 xBA. Hang wif ’em, KLee.
Longest Hit
Andrew Vaughn extended his hot June with a first-inning homer of 417 feet, long enough to be out in 29 MLB ballparks and far enough to hold up all game as the top clout.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 24-63, worst 87-game start in White Sox history (3 1⁄2 games ahead of the next-worst, 1948 White Sox) and tied for 17th-worst start all-time
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -163, tied for 43rd-worst 87-game start in MLB history
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 45-117 (.276)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 2 games behind
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 4 games behind
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 11 games ahead
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 7 1⁄2 games ahead
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 8 games behind
*record adjusted to a 162-game season
Glossary
CSW called strikes plus whiffs
Hard-hit is any ball off the bat at 95 mph or more
LI measures pressure per play
pLI measures total pressure faced in-game
Whiff a swing-and-miss
WPA win probability added measures contributions to the win
xBA expected batting average