The Los Angeles Dodger lineup was poised to bounce back, it did with four runs. That, however, wasn’t the reason the Chicago White Sox lost. Once again, the White Sox failed to help out their starting pitcher, scoring only one run in their 28th loss of the season.

The batting order has been the weak link of the White Sox all season. Against the Dodgers, the lineup looked hapless with Tony Gonsolin and the bullpen mowing down the batting order. Aside from Jake Burger hitting a home run in the sixth inning, the White Sox struggled to make hard contact, if any contact at all, mustering only four hits in the game.

Some of the issues for the White Sox seem like quick fixes. Likewise, some of the lineup woes are easy to shrug at, after all, things will average out when the season ends. However, some issues make it easy to question if this roster can succeed this season and if the runs will pile in at some point.

White Sox lack plate discipline and power

On the surface, the White Sox stolen base success looks like a good, even great attribute. The team has successfully stolen 27 bases in 29 attempts for a success rate that significantly adds value to the basepaths. However, it’s not a coincidence that the White Sox are attempting to earn runs by advancing without contact.

The White Sox team’s On-Base Percentage (OBP) as a team is .294, the fourth-worst in the MLB. Likewise, the team’s Slugging Percentage is .362 which is the sixth-worst in baseball. The lineup can make contact but is an aggressive swinging team with little power.

Granted, Eloy Jimenez has been out of the lineup for a significant number of weeks, and he provided power. Granted, Tim Anderson has recently been out of the lineup, and he is the on-base machine that gets things going. However, the White Sox as a collective lineup has struggled at the plate. They haven’t been waiting for their pitches and more so, aren’t drawing walks to pressure opposing pitchers. The team is last in the league in the walk category, with only 122 this season.

The Dodgers haven’t pitched superbly, not in this series but in the recent game, they didn’t need to. Instead, they just allowed the White Sox to defeat themselves, failing at the plate inning after inning. The Dodgers are a measuring stick and notably, a team that can expose the weaknesses, and two games in, they have done just that with the lineup.

No Anderson = no leadoff production

to be fair, the lineup is without their leadoff hitter in Anderson. The All-Star shortstop has been dealing with an injury and his absence has affected the entire batting order.

Anderson was the leadoff hitter for a White Sox batting order that otherwise struggled. Slashing .356/.393/.503 with 82 total bases, he’d not only get into scoring position but oftentimes singlehandedly drive in runs for the offense. Everything a team would want in a leadoff hitter, Anderson provided. Suddenly, the walks, hits, and power are all out of the lineup.

The recent game was a case in point to Anderson’s value and how much the White Sox miss him. Replacing Anderson at the leadoff spot in the batting order was Leury Garcia, who went 0-4 with three strikeouts. To put it lightly, the lineup was playing without production from the hitter that generally receives the most plate appearances.

White Sox need a jolt to the lineup

The New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves were treading water in the first half of last season. Both teams not only made moves at the deadline that kickstarted their seasons but propelled both teams to the playoffs, with the Braves winning the World Series.

Any team can take last year’s trade deadline to heart, specifically, the right moves can turn around the season. However, the Yankees and Braves particularly resurrected lineups that otherwise looked lost, like the one the White Sox possess currently. The Yankees acquired both Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo, adding plate discipline to an otherwise free-swinging lineup. The Braves added Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, and Eddie Rosario, bringing power to a lineup that lost it when Ronald Acuna went down.

To start the season, Rick Hahn is facing a similar issue. He needs to fix or even put the energy back into the lineup. Whether it’s rolling the dice on power hitters like Nelson Cruz or Jorge Soler, or making a move for Andrew Benintendi or Rougned Odor, the White Sox must add a jolt to this lineup. The batting order needs that piece that can allow everyone to thrive otherwise.

Make sure to check out our WHITE SOX forum for the latest on the team.

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Veteran that he is, Johnny Cueto didn’t rattle after the Dodgers jumped him for two early home runs. Instead, he settled in and shut them down for the rest of his six innings.

But with the way the White Sox are struggling to score runs, and on a night they faced tough right-hander Tony Gonsolin, their 4-1 loss that halted a nice three-game winning streak seemed mapped out early.

The Sox scraped together four hits, one of them a homer by Jake Burger in the fifth. The next two batters reached but Gonsolin (7-0, 1.58 ERA) retired Danny Mendick, Leury Garcia and Luis Robert and the Sox were never to be heard from again.

Cueto served up a two-run homer to Dodgers cleanup batter Will Smith in the first inning and a leadoff homer to Cody Bellinger in the second.

As the Sox wait to get Tim Anderson and Eloy Jimenez back from injuries for certain and probable lineup boosts, respectively, their starting rotation is settling into a good place.

Cueto is getting the chance to be the fifth starter now that Dallas Keuchel has been jettisoned from the organization, and the Sox will be more than happy with the caliber of performance the 36-year-old veteran has produced.

Cueto, who allowed one hit after the Bellinger homer, struck out five and allowing three runs on four hits and one walk over six innings against one of the most prolific lineups in the majors.

In five starts since he was brought up from Charlotte after signing a minor-league deal, Cueto has pitched six innings four times and 6 2/3 innings once. The rest of the Sox rotation has thrown six-plus innings 11 times in 48 starts.

With Michael Kopech (1.94 ERA) having the look of a Game 1 postseason starter when he tossed six scoreless innings in a 4-0 win over the Dodgers Tuesday, Dylan Cease (3.39 ERA) leading the majors with 12.5 strikeouts per nine innings, Opening Day starter Lucas Giolito pitching to a 3.54 ERA – although his last two starts were on the wobbly side — and All-Star Lance Lynn pitching what might have been his final tuneup for Triple-A Charlotte Wednesday night, the Sox might finally be piecing their rotation together.

Lynn, a workhorse himself who hasn’t made any starts because of a knee injury suffered in spring training that required surgery, could join the rotation as soon as Monday, when the Sox open a road trip that begins in Detroit and goes through Houston.

“If his arm and his leg feel good, then he’ll be here next week,” manager Tony La Russa said. “If not, we’ll give him another [start for Charlotte].”

Lynn’s numbers were none too pretty but he threw 55 of his 77 pitches for strikes, which is generally the focus for proven pitchers building up workloads on rehab assignments. Lynn allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in rehab start for Charlotte. He struck out three and walked one. His ERA in three starts is 8.10.

As for momentum, the Sox had some going against Gonsolin when designated hitter Jake Burger led off the fifth with a homer, his sixth. Burger has hit safely with at least one RBI in his four straight games and has four homers, four doubles and 12 RBI in his last 10.

After the Burger homer, Gavin Sheets doubled and AJ Pollock walked, keeping the crowd of 25,078 perked up, but Danny Mendick bounced into a forceout, Leury Garcia struck out and Luis Robert flied out.

Garcia, whose hitting line dipped to .184/.194/.257 in the first year of his three-year, $16.5 million contract, was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. La Russa was asked why he had confidence in batting Garcia, who had been slowed by a sore hip in recent days, in Anderson’s customary leadoff spot.

“You see your average and you want to get two or three hits today. Can’t do that,” La Russa said. “All you can do is control your four at-bats. And he’s feeling better. He’s a very talented guy.”

Trea Turner homered against Jose Ruiz in the ninth inning for the Dodgers’ fourth run.

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Matt Eberflus wants Bears practices to be intense

Chicago Bears first-year head coach Matt Eberflus told the media Wednesday the team being forced to miss practice Tuesday was not a big deal. Reports came out Tuesday the Bears violated the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement on live contact. The Bears were warned but didn’t make enough adjustments before facing consequences.

Bears players were told about the warning in a team meeting and that they needed to correct their practice to be in compliance, Eberflus said. He was asked by a reporter if it was safe to say they didn’t correct their practice enough. “I’m not sure how to answer that. Yeah,” Eberflus said.

The complaint had to do with the players being overzealous in practice versus the design of drills during practice, Eberflus suggested. Players have done a better job since in being under control and staying on their feet, he said.

Even with the limits on physical contact, Eberflus still believes it’s important for the Bears to be intense. Intensity is the I in the H.I.T.S. principle. “The focus part of intensity can be there but not the physical part until we get the pads. Once we get the pads on in training camp, that’s when we’re going to focus on how we play the intensity piece,” he said. “There’s guys, they’re flying around. They’re really moving the ball. It looks fast to me.”

Young Bears want to show what they can do

Defensive tackle Justin Jones said the violation was a part of the Bears having a young team that wanted to show their vigor. “You want to prove yourself any chance you can get,” Jones said Wednesday. “So I can’t really fault players for going too hard or being overly aggressive, you know what I’m saying because this is your dream, you know what I’m saying, this is what you came here for.”

Cole Kmet, a Bears union representative, said it happens with a lot of youth on the roster and new coaching staff. “Guys are coming in to prove themselves, including me. So when someone says ‘you’re going 100-percent’, you’re going 100-percent,” Kmet said. “I’m not going to ease up.” When players ease up, players tend to get hurt,” Kmet said.

If the Bears need all the practices they can to get better this season, as national analysts project the team to be one of the league’s worst, Eberflus didn’t seem too concerned. He downplayed the consequence for the Bears violating the CBA agreement.

“I don’t actually see it as a big deal,” he said. The team needed to take that adversity and adjust, he said. “And that’s what we’re going to have to do. We’re going to have to do that to win games. That’s what I was excited about. Adversity is going to come. It’s how you deal with it that matters,” Eberflus said.

Neither he nor the Bears organization were fined, Eberflus said. He was not sure how the violation was brought to the NFL’s attention but said he respected the NFL’s and NFLPA’s conclusion.

I like the spirit of the players but the Bears need discipline

The Bears will need a lot of heart from their players to have a successful season. I like that Bears players want to show the new staff and the league what they are capable of. However, a lot of wisdom goes a long way. The new coaching staff needs to do a better job of getting control over their players. Their inexperience is starting to show.

Hopefully, the punishment will be enough for the coaching staff to pay more attention to the details of running a team. Discipline is a major part of a coach’s job. If the Bears can find one way to be successful during a rebuilding year, becoming more disciplined might be the most realistic.

Make sure to check out our Bears forum for the latest on the team.

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BALTIMORE — About two hours past the scheduled start time of a game between the Cubs and Orioles on Wednesday, it was still raining with intermittent flashes of lightning, and the Orioles announced the game would be postponed.

The teams are set make up the game on Aug. 18 at 2:05 p.m. The Cubs had an off day scheduled after a three-game series at Washington that week. Instead, they’ll make the short trip from Washington D.C. to Baltimore before traveling home to face the Brewers.

The Cubs did not immediately announce their probable starters for their three-game series against the Yankees this weekend. Right-hander Marcus Stroman was originally scheduled to start Wednesday.

Cubs manager David Ross did say Wednesday afternoon that left-hander Wade Miley was “definitely an option in New York.” Miley (left shoulder strain) is eligible to return from the 15-day IL as early as Friday.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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BALTIMORE – Cubs catcher Willson Contreras is prepared for the hours of sitting and listening. That’s what he’s in for when he and his representation meet opposite the Cubs’ counsel to present their sides in his arbitration hearing.

“I’m not going to take anything personal,” Contreras said in a conversation with the Sun-Times. “I know it’s all business. But I just won’t let that bother my season.”

The hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday via video call, will put the decision over Contreras’ 2022 salary in the hands of an independent panel. And it’s just one step toward resolving the contract questions that hang over Contreras’ last year of club control.

Contreras and the Cubs had twice before avoided arbitration. But this year, whether extra time would have made a difference or not, the lockout condensed their window to reach an agreement. Spring is also usually an ideal time to pick up extension talks. This year, spring training instead overlapped with a free agent frenzy.

The Cubs have a file-and-trial policy – a common approach, in which teams cut off arbitration negotiations after salary figures have been exchanged. But they still could have gone the way of the Rockies, who were set to go to arbitration with pitcher Kyle Freeland but instead signed him to a five-year contract extension.

“Willson and I get along great,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said a couple weeks ago. “I talk to him almost every day. There’s no tension there.”

Contreras had initially said he’d rather not carry extension talks into the season, but he’s softened his stance since this spring.

“It won’t bother me if they come with something,” Contreras said. “It won’t bother me if they don’t come with anything. I know how this thing works. I’m just not putting my focus on that. I’m just trying to stay healthy, do the best I can to maintain myself on the field, and then do the best I can to help a lot of guys here in this clubhouse.”

Contreras, who entered Wednesday leading the team in on-base percentage (.404), has proven he can perform amid contract distractions.

Last month, he hit his 100th career home run, becoming just the third Cubs catcher to reach the milestone in franchise history.On Tuesday, a few hours after an interview that delved into all the contract issues Contreras has said he’s trying not to dwell on, he launched his 10th home run of the season into the left-field stands of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

That home run not only widened his lead among MLB catchers this season but also made this season Contreras’ sixth with double-digit homers. He’s tied with Jody David for second-most double-digit home-run seasons among Cubs catchers all-time, behind only Gabby Hartnett (12).

It’s still weird for Contreras when people refer to him as a veteran – “I’m only 30 years old.” But he’s embraced a mentorship-type role with rookies like Christopher Morel. Who could forget the moment last week when Contreras signaled to Morel to take a deep breath, right before Morel hit a walk-off sacrifice fly against the Brewers?

“The team knows who they have,” Contreras said, “and they know what type of person they have in the clubhouse and behind and behind the plate. And they know everything about me.”

If the Cubs were to offer Contreras an extension, would he want to stay? The Cubs, No. 4 in the National League Central, aren’t heading for a championship this year, and it’s unclear when they’ll pry open their next championship window.

“I want to compete for a playoff spot, and I want to compete for a World Series shot again,” Contreras said. “And I think for this team to get to the World Series again, it’s going to take the front office putting a lot more pieces together.”

The front office’s next chance to illustrate their trajectory is the trade deadline in less than two months. But without a miraculous climb back into contention, the Cubs are positioned to be deadline sellers. And Contreras could be a valuable trade chip.

Contreras paused when asked if he expects he’ll be traded.

“That’s a tough one,” he said. “To be honest, if it happens, it happens. I know the deadline’s coming. I’m not trying to think about it. … If I happen to get traded, I hope it’s to a good team that has a chance to go to the World Series. Or if a trade doesn’t happen, I’ll be happy to stay and keep competing with my teammates.

“As of right now, I’m still a Chicago Cub, and I’m proud of that.”

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The White Sox aren’t wasting any steps stealing bases in 2022. With 26 steals in 28 attempts through Tuesday, they aren’t wasting many outs, either.

That 93 percent success rate is the best in the major leagues.

“I attribute it to the fact that we have Tim Anderson [8-for-8] and Luis Robert [7-for-8] and Adam Engel [7-for-8] and we’ve got some other guys that can run at a high percentage,” manager Tony La Russa said.

It’s one area offensively where the Sox are better than last season, when they were successful 74 percent of the time (57-for-77). In 2020, they were at 71.4 percent.

“We’re not pushing it,” La Russa said. “There are times the stolen base is there and we don’t put the green light on, just because you’re concerned about stealing a base is not directly leading to winning a game and you don’t want to risk it, wearing the legs out or sliding in and hurting yourself. [But] the stolen base, it’s back. And the steal of third is back.”

The franchise record is 76.7 percent when Rudy Law swiped a franchise record 77 bases for La Russa’s 1983 AL West Division champs.

Pitchers have done more to defend the steal since that era, but the influx of hard throwers “who take more time to get rid of the ball means you can steal a base if you got speed,” La Russa said. “It’s part of the type of team you have offensively, the guy you face. And it’s really not that much about the catcher, it’s the speed of the runner and timing of the pitcher.”

The Sox rank 20th in total stolen bases. The Rangers are first with 49 (on 61 attempts).

Kelly on the mend

Joe Kelly’s first thought when he strained his left hamstring throwing a pitch against the Red Sox on May 25 was that it would be his last pitch for a while.

The second thought was that he wouldn’t get to pitch against the Dodgers in this series. Kelly pitched for the Dodgers the three previous seasons, helping them win a World Series in 2020.

“So mad. That’s the most frustrating thing,” Kelly said Wednesday. “Right when I injured it, that was literally the first thing I thought about. Yep. Annoying.”

Two weeks after sufferering the injury, Kelly said the leg feels “really good” and he will throw off a mound Thursday for the first time since getting hurt.

“The actual imaging said it was a pretty good strain but I feel better than what it is,” he said.

After another bullpen, Kelly said he should be ready for a game, probably at Triple-A Charlotte next week.

“It’s not where I’ll need to build up [the arm] because I’ve been throwing every single day,” Kelly said. “It’s more of, get the speed in the leg on the bullpen and take it up the next step of a Triple-A game . And then we know it’s healed.”

Kelly, who signed to a two-year, $17 million free-agent deal with the Sox, has appeared in only seven games this season, starting late because of a right biceps nerve injury.

AJ Pollock did get to face his former team. Dodgers closer Craig Kimbrel, traded for Pollock during spring training, is missing the series while on Paternity Leave.

This and that

Right-hander Davis Martin will make his third start Friday against the Rangers. Lucas Giolito starts Saturday and Michael Kopech Sunday in the weekend home series.

*Shortstop Colson Montgomery has reached base safely in 20 consecutive games for Low-A Kannapolis. Montgomery, 20, the 22nd player drafted overall in 2021, was hitting .296/.401/.480 with four HR, 14 extra-base hits and 23 RBI in 33 games.

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The McHenry County state attorney’s office has determined a sheriff’s deputy was justified in fatally shooting a man who fired at him, despite blood tests showing the deputy had “inhalants” in his system.

Deputy Nicholas Arnold fatally shot Nicholas Sebastian, 43, while responding to a report of a man threatening to kill his wife and two children in their home on Jan 11. in Port Barrington, according to a report from the state’s attorney’s office.

Arnold and Deputy Travis Bodway arrived at the scene in the 200 block of Manchester Lane and saw Sebastian “messing with the garage” door before hearing gunshots go off, the report said.

Sebastian’s wife, Antoinette Mecca, began to cry out for help, and deputies found her laying on the side of the garage with a gunshot wound to the leg, the report said.

Sebastian then moved toward Arnold with a gun raised as though he was “going to engage.”

Arnold began shooting at Sebastian “until the slide locked back,” meaning he had used all the ammunition in his magazine, according to the report.

Sebastian returned fire but did not strike either deputy before falling to the ground. Officials found Sebastian was wearing a bulletproof vest underneath his shirt at the time of the incident. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Mecca was transported to the hospital and treated for a single gunshot wound. Mecca told authorities that Sebastian had awakened her after an evening of excessive drinking and was acting erratically, eventually throwing her cell phone into a sink full of water.

Earlier, he had also sent texts threatening to kill Mecca and their two children, who were at home at the time, the report said.

When the squad car arrived outside their home, Mecca told deputies she tried to escape by running to the garage, but Sebastian ran after her and began shooting.

Mecca also said when Sebastian saw the squad car out front, he stated, “We’re all going to die.”

The couple’s son told investigators Sebastian had been using cocaine and drinking excessively over the past six months and had threatened to kill both Mecca and the children on multiple occasions.

An autopsy found that, at the time of his death, Sebastian had an elevated blood alcohol level and was under the influence of cocaine, opioids and benzodiazepines.

Arnold was also asked to submit to a drug and alcohol test following the shooting, which found “inhalants,” in his system.

When abused, the odorless gas found in products like keyboard cleaners can alter one’s mental state.

Toxicologists determined the levels found in Arnold’s blood were most consistent with “intentional use.”

Though the state’s attorney’s office was “concerned” by this finding, they determined there was no evidenceArnold was under the influence at the time of the shooting.

The state attorney’s office found Arnold was justified in his use of force, as Sebastian was armed, approaching deputies and verbalizing his intent to harm his wife and children.

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