Apr 23, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Chicago White Sox shortstop Danny Mendick (20) gets under a fly ball hit by Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) as left fielder Andrew Vaughn (25) closes in during the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
It is still very early in the season but the Chicago White Sox had possibly the worse week a team could have.
The White Sox were 6-2 on April 16th. They ended the week 6-9 thanks to a seven-game losing streak. The Chicago White Sox have just been downright bad during that stretch.
The Sox were outscored 45-15 and were swept by division rivals the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins.
Chicago had a chance to salvage a win on this six-game road trip but closer Liam Hendriks blew the save opportunity in the series finale against the Twins. Bryon Buxton blasted a walk-off home run that may not have landed yet.
Byron Buxton’s 469 ft walk-off home run is the longest walk-off HR tracked by Statcast (since 2015)
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 24, 2022
Not much has gone right for the Chicago White Sox during this losing streak.
The #WhiteSox are in absolute free fall. They’ve played worse in the recent past but the expectations have never been higher going into a season. “Relax, it’s April” are only words used to deny the reality. Sox have problems.
— Nick Murawski (@Nick_GGTB) April 24, 2022
Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel was roughed up for 10 runs by the Guardians with seven being earned because the White Sox defense committed 4 errors on the road trip’s first game. The Sox have committed 14 errors during this losing streak.
The White Sox list of injuries grew as Luis Robert (groin injury), Josh Harrison (shoulder injury), and Eloy Jimenez (hamstring injury) got banged up on the road trip. Robert and Harrison are expected to be back soon.
The White Sox will miss Jimenez for at least 6-8 weeks because of a strained hamstring. His absence leaves a power void in the White Sox lineup that has been scuffling to score runs.
Also, Harrison being out of the lineup forced the White Sox to play Leury Garcia more. He is struggling to start the season. He is hitting .098 with a .140 on-base percentage and a .122 slugging percentage. Despite Garcia’s struggles, Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa had Leury hit third twice during the road trip.
La Russa had a difficult week managing the team. Some of his batting orders were questionable. The exclamation point on his unsuccessful week came when he decided to have Hendriks face Buxton despite first base being open. His reasoning to not walk Buxton raised some questions.