From Homer to Horror: Takeaways From White Sox Record-Setting Opening Day Loss
Former Milwaukee Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker famously joked in the movie Major League, “A lot of people say you can tell how the season’s going to go by the first hitter of the year.”
By that measure, the Chicago White Sox looked poised to win the World Series after Chase Meidroth opened the season by launching a 417-foot home run off Jacob Misiorowski, immediately setting an early tone against the Milwaukee Brewers ace.
But what began as a promising start for the White Sox quickly turned into a record-setting embarrassment. Misioriwski silenced the White Sox bats for the rest of the day, racking up 11 strikeouts in the process. By the final out, the White Sox had made history, for all the wrong reasons, becoming the first team in MLB history to strike out 20 times, record four hits or fewer, and issue more than 10 walks in a single game in a 14-2 drubbing.
The White Sox’s 20 strikeouts were the most by any team on Opening Day since the 1996 White Sox, who struck out 21 times.
Shane Smith Struggles
Shane Smith ran into trouble early and often on Thursday, as many of the questions surrounding him entering the season resurfaced. His command was inconsistent, and, once again, he was unable to work deep into the game.
He gave up three hits and two walks before being pulled after just 1.2 innings, having allowed four runs, three of them earned. That only added to concerns about a White Sox rotation that is projected to be one of the weak points on the team.
The White Sox bullpen was already taxed last season, logging more innings than any team in baseball, and starters like Smith, unable to reach the fifth inning, were a big part of the problem. Relying on the bullpen to eat up innings this heavily so early in the season is unlikely to be sustainable.
Smith still has the tools to be an effective major league starter, but even after earning All-Star honors last season, he doesn’t look like an ace. After posting a 9.1% walk rate last year and ranking in the bottom third of the league in average exit velocity allowed, Thursday’s Opening Day performance was a discouraging start for a pitcher hoping to prove he can anchor the rotation long-term.
New Bullpen Arms Fail Early Test
Asking any bullpen to cover seven innings in a game is a tall order, but White Sox relievers did not do themselves any favors. The Brewers offense walked all over them. Literally.
After Smith was pulled in the second inning, White Sox relievers allowed a combined eight walks.
After spending much of the offseason trying to revamp their relief corps, the White Sox were forced to throw several fresh faces into the fire. Sean Newcomb entered for Smith in the second and allowed two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings. Tyler Gilbert gave up two more runs in the fifth before Jordan Hicks struggled, walking four batters and failing to make it through a full inning while surrendering three runs on two hits.
Rule-5 draft pick Jedixson Paez made his MLB debut and continued the walk parade, issuing two free passes and giving up three runs in 1.1 innings. By the end of the day, Jordan Leasure was the only White Sox pitcher to throw a clean inning.
Silver Linings
All eyes were on Munetaka Murakami’s MLB debut, and the Japanese slugger did not disappoint.
Despite some concerns about his high strikeout rate, Murakami managed to draw a six-pitch walk in his first plate appearance against Misioriwski. Hethen drew another free pass in his next plate appearance in the fourth inning despite falling behind 0-2 in the count.
Murakami didn’t have to wait long for his first MLB hit either. In the top of the ninth inning, he belted a Jake Woodford cutter over the left field wall, with an exit velocity of 103 mph, parlaying his first hit into his first home run, in what White Sox fans hope is the first of many more to come.
Meanwhile, Edgar Quero got the start behind the plate. The 22-year old was one of the worst pitch framers in baseball last season, but those flaws may be mitigated this season under the new ABS challenge system.
Even if his framing needs work, Quero’s grasp of the strike zone was sharp. Through five innings, he went a perfect three-for-three on ABS challenges, showing a keen eye and quick decision-making behind the plate.