Lucas Giolito didn’t have his best stuff today, and the Red Sox took full advantage by scoring 6 runs in the first inning. The offense got out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to an RBI 2B by Luis Robert, but four runs would definitely not be enough in today’s 11-4 blowout on Patriots’ Day. With the loss, the White Sox fell to 8-9 on the season.
W: Nathan Eovaldi (3-1) | L: Lucas Giolito (1-1)
Savant Leaders
Notable Performances
Lucas Giolito: 1.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Lucas Giolito did not have his best stuff this morning, as he was unable to get out of the second inning and gave up seven earned runs in the process. As pointed out below by Pinwheels and Ivy co-host KFidds, Giolito struggled with the feel on his changeup, which led to the Red Sox really hunting the pitch and doing a lot of damage with it. There should be no concerns over tipping pitches or his fastball velocity – some days, you just don’t have your best stuff. Today was one of those days for Giolito.
Zack Burdi: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 15 Swinging Strikes
Burdi actually had a pretty impressive ballgame today in relief of Giolito. While he hadn’t pitched in the majors in awhile, Burdi was able to register 15 swinging strikes in just three innings – meaning a lot of people were missing his pitches. Burdi actually got an impressive 11 swings and misses on 14 sliders that Red Sox’ hitters swung at. Though he will likely be sent back to the training site, it should not be lost that Burdi was rather impressive.
Tim Anderson: 3-for-4, 2 R, K
Straw, continue to stir drink. Anderson has raised his season average to .364 and continues to pace the offense at the top of the lineup.
Adam Eaton: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 2B
Adam Eaton continues to be quite the early win for the White Sox this offseason, as he added two more hits and three more RBIs to his quality start to the season.
Luis Robert: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, K
Robert got the offense started in the first for the Sox, as today’s #3 hitter lined a ball off the Green Monster in LF. Robert is now hitting .284 on the season with a .792 OPS – he continues to improve at the plate, and looks ready to break out in a big way.
Matchup of the Game
No real “matchup” of the game today, because all of the pivotal moments occurred in the first. Between KFidds and SoxMachine’s Jim Margalus, it’s clear what really happened in each of those pivotal matchups to Giolito. if teams can sit on your changeup, AND you don’t have your best changeup, it’s going to be a rough day. It happens.
Players of the Game
Let’s be honest, the real reason you watched the entire game was the prospect of seeing position players pitch. So, for that, Yermin Mercedes and Danny Mendick, you are today’s players of the game.
Next Game
The White Sox will look to bounce back tomorrow evening, as they head to Cleveland for a quick two game series against the Indians. It will be a repeat of last Wednesday’s matchup between Carlos Rodon and Zach Plesac.
This game will be viewable on NBC Sports Chicago.
