White Sox Starting Pitching, Bullpen Has Failed Team Very Early

White Sox haven’t had good results early on from their starting pitchers and from some pitchers in the bullpen. This will need to improve soon.

The White Sox are off to an 0-2 start. The starting pitching has been subpar and there are some members of the team’s bullpen that have been ineffective early on for the White Sox. Fans are frustrated and although the offense has scored some runs, they’ve yet to lead a game.

Entering this season, there was hope the White Sox could avoid another 100 loss season. Through the first two games, 2019 is starting the same way 2018 ended for this team, with more losing. The White Sox haven’t won a game since Sept. 25, 2018, and are attempting to avoid staring this season with an 0-3 record.

If the Sox want to avoid getting off to another poor season, their starting pitching must improve quickly. Neither Carlos Rodon or Reynaldo Lopez lasted more than 5.1 innings in their respective outings. The bullpen hasn’t had good efforts from Nate Jones. It might be early, but the Sox can’t have poor efforts from their rotation or bullpen if they’re going to avoid finishing well below .500 this season.

On Opening Day, Rodon pitched just 5.1 innings against the Kansas City Royals but was slightly better than when Lopez pitched on Saturday. In Rodon’s start, he was doomed by a missed opportunity for a double play against the Royals. Despite him not being able to go deep for the Sox, Rodon had a good outing but it could have been better.

For Lopez, he never had his best stuff on Saturday in the Sox 8-6 loss to the Royals. Lopez pitched just four innings and allowed four earned runs along with four walks and just two strikeouts. Lopez was the best player for the Sox last season but he looked nothing like it in his first start  of this season.

If the Sox are going to have a good season in 2019, they will need better efforts from their top two starting pitchers. In regards to the bullpen, Jones isn’t having much success early out of the bullpen. The veteran reliever hasn’t been able to hold the opposition from scoring in his two appearances to begin this season.

Jones has pitched just 0.2 innings through two appearances for the Sox. He’s allowed an earned run along with a walk but couldn’t hold the Sox deficit at 4-3 on Saturday. He entered the game and threw a wild pitch. Jones would then allow the Royals to increase their lead to 6-3.

However, Jones isn’t the only member of the Sox bullpen that hasn’t performed well early. Jace Fry also allowed two runners to score in his brief appearance on Saturday.  There will be times where the Sox bullpen doesn’t produce well. Unfortunately, the bullpen hasn’t been completely strong to begin this season. It’s early so overreacting isn’t needed. But if this season has more games like the first two, it will be a long 2019.