Severe storms in the Chicago area Thursday led to the postponement of the Chicago White Sox’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field. This allowed the White Sox to maintain a half-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central. The game is rescheduled for August 20 at 1:10 p.m. The Sox won their two games against the Braves, who currently hold the best record in MLB with a 45-23 standing.
Braden Montgomery’s walk-off home run in his major-league debut secured a 6-5, 10-inning victory in the series opener. The Sox followed up with a 2-1 win on the next night, overtaking the Guardians in the standings.
Challenges continue as the two-time-defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers visit Chicago for a three-game series starting Friday. The Sox have adjusted their pitching rotation, with Anthony Kay starting on Friday, Sean Burke on Saturday, and Erick Fedde on Sunday. Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani might not pitch in this series, as his participation is uncertain due to left knee inflammation sustained in Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remains hopeful that Ohtani will be ready for Friday night.
Takeaways from the Sox-Braves Series
1. Back in Form
White Sox starter Davis Martin high-fived teammates after pitching six scoreless innings on June 10 against the Braves. Martin, who shares the major-league lead for wins with nine, managed to outpitch 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale. Following a rough outing against Minnesota on June 2 where he allowed six runs, Martin was given extra rest, a strategy that paid off. He felt rejuvenated and delivered a strong performance against the Braves.
Manager Will Venable praised Martin for attacking the strike zone effectively. Martin expressed pride in facing off against Sale and acknowledged the team’s successful culture as key to their current standing.
2. Trade, Part I
Derek Hill played a crucial role with an RBI single in Wednesday’s game but was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies the following day. The trade involved Hill being exchanged for minor-league players Dylan Campbell and Jose Colmenares, along with $250,000 in international pool money. Hill had a batting average of .213 with four home runs and eight RBIs in 50 games this season.
Venable commended Hill for his contributions and highlighted the interest he garnered from other teams. The Sox activated outfielder Everson Pereira to fill Hill’s roster spot. Pereira, who previously spent time on the injured list, had shown promise with a batting average of .250 in 18 games.
3. Trade, Part II
Besides trading Hill, the Sox made another strategic move by acquiring outfielder Nolan Jones from the Guardians for $250,000 in international bonus money. Jones had been batting .275 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in Triple-A Columbus. Drafted by the Guardians in 2016, Jones returned to them after a stint with the Colorado Rockies and is expected to contribute to the Sox lineup.
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Associated Press contributed to this report.