Series Preview: Mariners (33-34) vs. White Sox (30-40)

The Mariners offense might be finally starting to show some signs of life over the last week. They roughed up a very good Marlins pitching staff earlier this week and hit well against the Angels last weekend despite the disappointing results in the win-loss column. The White Sox will always be the bad guys in my head, a disposition ingrained in me thanks to the 1994 classic Angels in the Outfield. They’re in town for a three-game series this weekend.

When the White Sox won the AL Central back in 2021, it seemed like they were poised to command that division for the foreseeable future. They had a young core of players anchoring their lineup with a solid pitching staff and their exit in the Division Series that year seemed like a stepping stone to greater success in the years to come. Instead, injuries, ineffectiveness, and an extremely shallow roster have led to two supremely disappointing seasons in a row. Those young stars who formed the core of their lineup can’t stay on the field consistently and Chicago’s farm system has been completely devoid of talent to provide even replacement-level performance when called on. Even worse, they’ve refused to spend to supplement their core or build organizational depth — Andrew Benintendi’s five-year, $75 million contract this offseason was the largest ever signed by the White Sox in their history — which means they’ve floundered in the weakest division in baseball.

When everyone is healthy and performing, the White Sox have the outline of a formidable lineup. Luis Robert Jr. is in the midst of a resurgent season after two injury-plagued years. He isn’t hitting at the same level as his breakout 2021 season, but he’s been Chicago’s best hitter this year and has continued to play outstanding defense in center. Jake Burger’s all-or-nothing approach has been their biggest surprise; his 33% strikeout rate is a big red flag but he hits the ball so hard when he does make contact, he’s able to offset those concerns with raw power. On the more disappointing side of things, Benintendi, their big offseason acquisition, has really struggled this year. He’s yet to hit a ball out of the park and his 86 wRC+ is a career low. Tim Anderson has also failed to hit up to his normal standards, though his 30 point difference between his actual batting average and expected batting average explains a lot.

Probable Pitchers

Updated Stuff+ Explainer

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Kopech had a really rough start to the year. Through his first eight outings, he had a 5.74 ERA that paled in comparison to his ghastly 7.30 FIP. His strikeout and walk rates were trending the wrong direction, he had allowed 12 home runs during that stretch, and he looked thoroughly cooked. Then, on May 19, something clicked in his mechanics and he has turned his season around. Across his last five starts, he’s allowed just six total runs and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is a sterling 8.80. He’s leaned even more into his elite fastball and slider during this hot stretch, essentially challenging batters to hit his best stuff.

Lucas Giolito had a really tough season last year thanks to a drop in fastball velocity and some pretty bad luck on batted balls. That led to a bloated ERA despite peripherals that sat well within the range of his career norms. His four-seam velocity has bounced back a bit this year, and he’s enjoyed some better results on balls in play, but his peripherals have taken a hit despite it all. His strikeout rate has fallen to the lowest it’s been since his big breakout in 2019 leading to a flip in fortunes; his ERA is now outpacing his FIP by nearly 70 points.

Lance Lynn’s fastball-heavy approach seems like it’s finally reached the end of its effectiveness. The average velocity on his three different fastballs have fallen to career-lows this year and batters seem to have figured out the tunneling effect his four-seam, sinker, and cutter have thrived on throughout his career. He dabbled with adding a slider to his repertoire last year, but despite some positive results, he’s chosen to leave it by the wayside this season. The result is a career-high ERA and FIP with a strikeout-to-walk ratio that’s at a five-year low.

The Big Picture:

The Angels continued their hot streak this week, winning three of four in Texas against the Rangers. That’s brought them, and the Astros, within five games of the division lead. They’ll travel to Kansas City this weekend while the Rangers host the Blue Jays. The Astros won a hard-fought series against the Nationals this week and play host to the extremely fun Reds this weekend.