by 
The Reds return home to GABP on Friday to kick off a 6-game homestand. They’ll play three games this weekend against the Chicago White Sox, a team they last faced in 2021. The Reds went 1-3 against the White Sox in their 2021 matchup.
- Friday, 6:40 pm
- Saturday, 6:40 pm
- Sunday, 4:10 pm
The White Sox have gotten off to a rough start in 2023, entering the weekend fourth in the AL Central at 10-22. The White Sox finished second in the AL Central last season, posting an 81-81 record. The Reds will look to take advantage of Chicago’s recent struggles and come out of the weekend with their third series victory of the last four.
Offseason
The White Sox made a few offseason signings, adding pitcher Mike Clevinger, outfielder Andrew Benintendi, and shortstop Elvis Andrus. Benintendi, a Madeira native, was the real prize of the offseason, but came at a price of $75M over five years. Notably, each of the three offseason acquisitions have struggled out of the gate, posting below average numbers. They didn’t make any key trades or have any significant waiver claims or minor league signings over the offseason.
Position Players
Here are the current stats for White Sox hitters.
The White Sox were essentially a league-average offense in 2022, posting a 99 wRC+ and ranking 18th in the Majors, but have taken a step back this season. They rank 24th in the Majors with an 85 wRC+, two spots ahead of the Reds. They’ll be without key contributors Jake Burger and Yoan Moncada, who are both currently on the IL. Burger’s 146 wRC+ leads the team this season, with Moncada second at 142. The White Sox clearly have a top-heavy offense with little quality depth, with seven of their 13 current position players having a wRC+ below 85.
Old friend Billy Hamilton was recently called up by the White Sox, though he’s seen just two plate appearances so far.
Pitching
Here are the current stats for White Sox pitchers.
The Reds are lucky to miss the top two White Sox starters in this series, instead facing a trio that have each posted an xERA over 5. Much like their offense, the Chicago rotation has fallen from essentially league average in 2022 to well below average this year, mostly due to the lack of contribution from the latter three starters. Cease has also gone from borderline elite to just merely good, seeing a drop in strikeouts, an increase in walks, and an increase in both ERA and advanced metrics.
Only Oakland’s bullpen has a worse ERA and FIP than the White Sox in 2023, though xFIP is a bit more optimistic about the Sox. Expected closer Liam Hendriks has not pitched this season due to cancer treatment, though he’s now cancer free and could potentially return this season. In the meantime, Reynaldo Lopez is the team leader in saves, with just three.
Overall, their bullpen strikes out a fair amount of batters, but also issues a lot of walks. Just three of the relievers in their current bullpen have an xERA below 4.60, though it’s worth noting extremely small sample sizes for Alex Colome and Sammy Peralta.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Hunter Greene vs. Lance Lynn
Saturday: Nick Lodolo vs. Mike Clevinger
Sunday: Luke Weaver vs. Michael Kopech
Conclusion
The Reds come into the series in a decent position to claim another series victory. They’ll look to keep up recent momentum and win the third series out of their last four, kicking off a short homestand before heading back on the road.
Featured Image: Twitter
