3 Chicago White Sox players who have stepped up recently
Don't look now, but the Chicago White Sox have been hot of late. The team has an impressive 6-4 record over the last 10 games, which is is the second-best mark among all AL Central teams. Don't get me wrong, the Sox are still in a massive hole, but it's good to see some improvement and fight out of this team.
In this 10-game stretch, the Sox won two out of three games against the Cardinals, one out of three against the Tampa Bay Rays, and three games against the Cleveland Guardians. The offense has shown a pulse, with the team scoring five or more runs in four of those games. The pitching has stepped up as well, with the team allowing five or more runs just four times.
Is this just a blip, or has the team finally found some momentum to build on? That remains to be seen, but let's identiy the players most responsible for the stretch.
Paul DeJong
Paul DeJong has been on fire of late. Over the last seven days, DeJong has three homers, five RBI, and one stolen base. The veteran has a slash line of .364/.391/.773 over the last six games.
DeJong has been the most consistent hitter over this 10-game stretch and is the only player on the team to have more than one homer during that time. The veteran is still striking out too much and not walking enough, but his pop has been a welcome addition to this lineup.
The infielder has been averagine one homer for every seven at-bats. While that clip is unsustainable, it's nice to see that the team has a reliable power option. DeJong's fielding has been slightly down this season compared to his career average, but he's making up for it with a livelier bat.
Tommy Pham
Tommy Pham has been a revelation for the White Sox. The veteran outfielder signed with the White Sox in April and was quickly added to the big league roster after tearing it up in Triple-A. Pham has been particularly hot over the last week, sporting a .350/.381/..550 slash line.
During this stretch, Pham has one homer, five RBIs, and one stolen base. The veteran has been another reliable bat next to DeJong and has gotten the team out of several slumps.
Pham and DeJong have both been low-risk, high-reward players for the team, and there's no telling what the offense would look like without the duo. Since being called up in April, Pham has a slash line of .309/.345/.473.
Korey Lee is another player who has been on fire with the bat, but he's only had 11 at-bats. Getting Lee more playing time, along with DeJong and Pham staying hot could make this team bearable to watch after all.
Garrett Crochet
Garrett Crochet has been the best starting pitcher on the team this year, and it's not particularly close. The young pitcher is on pace to be an All-Star and solidify himself as an ace in the process.
Over the last week, Crochet threw six innings of five-hit ball with 11 strikeouts, no walks, and no runs allowed. The pitcher is allowing an opposing batting average of just .217 and has a WHIP of 0.83.
Crochet has not only been the best White Sox pitcher of the week, but he's been one of the best in the league. On the season, Crochet has an ERA+ of 88, a WHIP under 1.00, and 64 strikeouts to just nine walks. Control had been an issue in the past for Crochet, but with that issue seemingly figured out, Crochet has been unhittable.
It's going to be a tough day for opposing teams when Crochet takes the mound. Now the Sox just need to focus on getting the pitcher more run support.
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