The Chicago White Sox enter their game Saturday night against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., with the worst record in the American League at 41-69. Still, under first-year manager Will Venable, these are not the 2024 White Sox, the team that set the modern record for most losses in a season.
Chicago matched its win total from last season with 52 games to go with a 6-3 victory in the series opener on Friday. The White Sox have been one of the hottest teams in the league since the All-Star break with a 9-4 record, and they will be going for their fourth series victory out of five since the break.
Aaron Civale (2-6, 4.38 ERA), who is 2-1 with a 5.57 ERA in four career starts against the Angels, gets the start for the White Sox. He will be opposed by veteran Kyle Hendricks (6-7, 4.73 ERA), who is 2-6 with a 4.75 ERA in 13 career starts against Chicago.
Both right-handers come in off strong starts. Civale allowed three hits over five shutout innings and struck out six in an eventual 6-1 loss to the Cubs last Saturday. He has allowed just one unearned run over 11 innings while striking out 12 over in his last two starts.
Hendricks pitched six-plus innings and allowed two hits and one run — a homer to major league leader Cal Raleigh to start the seventh inning — while picking up the win in a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners last Sunday.
Chicago belted four home runs in Friday night’s series-opening victory. Andrew Benintendi hit his 14th homer and also doubled, Lenyn Sosa went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and two RBIs, and Colson Montgomery and Josh Rojas also homered for the White Sox.
Montgomery’s 433-foot drive to dead center in the sixth inning gave Chicago a 4-2 lead. It was the sixth home run in the last nine games for the 2021 first round pick out of Southridge High School in Huntingburg, Ind.
“I’m really trying not to do too much, sticking with my approach, sticking with my plan, preparing myself in the cage,” Montgomery said of his recent power surge.
The strong start following the All-Star break has helped to put the bad memories of a dreadful 41-121 season in the rear view mirror for the White Sox.
“It’s good vibe,” Montgomery said. “Everybody is playing free, they’re playing easy, and they’re playing for each other. I think that’s the biggest (thing). We’re playing for each other and trying not to do too much. Everybody is just playing good baseball and let the game come to them.”
The loss was the second in a row for Los Angeles, which fell 5 1/2 games behind Seattle in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.
The Angels had a chance to take control early, loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first against Chicago starter Shane Smith. But catcher Edgar Quero then picked Zach Neto wandering off third base for the first out, Jo Adell struck out and, after Yoan Moncada walked to load the bases again, Logan O’Hoppe grounded out to third to end the threat.
Smith, who was activated Friday after spending two weeks on the injured list with a left ankle sprain, threw 35 pitches in the first inning, just 15 for strikes.
“We had that guy on the ropes,” Los Angeles interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “Bases loaded and nobody out, that’s deflating. You could dance around it anyway you want. We all felt it.”
The Angels played the game without star outfielder Mike Trout, who was a late scratch due to illness.
Montgomery was not sure if Trout, who is batting .235 with 19 homers and 47 RBIs, would be available Saturday.
“We’ll see,” Montgomery said. “I don’t know that right now.”