Southside Showdown
Fansided

White Sox: What’s Going Right On The Southside

By Joseph Bermudez

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 05: Fans arrive at Guaranteed Rate Field for the Opening Day home game between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers on April 5, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 05: Fans arrive at Guaranteed Rate Field for the Opening Day home game between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers on April 5, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 27: Carlos Rodon #55 of the Chicago White Sox delivers a pitch during the second inning of a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 27, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 27: Carlos Rodon #55 of the Chicago White Sox delivers a pitch during the second inning of a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 27, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

The White Sox are firing on all cylinders right now and riding a hot streak. As a team that at one point held the leagues worst record, what has happened to help them go on a hot streak in the first place?

Going into the All-Star break at 33-62, it was easy for people to give the White Sox the cold shoulder, as they always do. But always remember: Ricky’s boys don’t quit. The team is giving these people a reason to pay very close attention.

Since July 15, the last day before the All-Star break, the White Sox are 20-18, one of the best records in MLB in that span. Everything seems to be clicking. How is that? How is a team that is smack-dab in the middle of a rebuild and has practically twice as many losses as wins be doing so well?

Pitching Performances

Carlos Rodon

When Chris Sale and Jose Quintana were dealt in the last couple of years, all eyes fell upon young southpaw Carlos Rodon to be the team’s ace.

Over the past few seasons, Rodon’s had his struggles with injuries. He has not pitched a full season since 2016. His best ERA was the one he recorded in his rookie year, a 3.75. Many doubted Rodon. That was until his last nine starts when he shut all the doubters up. 

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Rodon has pitched nine straight quality games. Yes, nine straight.

After his first five starts, Rodon had a 4.29 ERA and was 1-3. He only had one quality start. But since July 11, nine starts, he’s lowered his ERA to 2.70, improved his record to 6-3, and added nine quality starts. In 14 outings this year, ten of them were quality starts. If those aren’t ace numbers, I don’t know what is.

Lucas Giolito

Another young pitcher with high expectations who started his 2018 sluggish and disappointed many was Lucas Giolito.

Since July, Giolito has held a 4.80 ERA. Although it may not seem really impressive, considering he started the year with a 6.55 ERA, he’s been improving.

He does still have a bit of a problem with giving up the long ball, but his strikeout numbers have increased. In July, he carved up 20, but in August he as recorded 32 strikeouts. He’s also walked less. Allowing 14 of them in July, only 10 walks in August.

He’s had three straight quality starts and finally seems to have found his groove.

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