Game Thread: White Sox at Astros

Grant Taylor is called up to the big leagues as the South Siders head to H-Town looking for back-to-back series wins

After defeating the Royals in a three-game set at home, the White Sox (22-44) embark on a road trip to Houston to take on the Astros (36-29). Chicago is 4-6 over their last 10 while the Astros are the opposite (6-4), but the South Siders have been playing some solid baseball and have remained in some close games lately, so watch out, Houston!

Prior to the game, the White Sox announced some additional roster moves, including calling up righthander Grant Taylor from the Double-A Birmingham Barons and designating Bryse Wilson for assignment. It’s a big week for some of the White Sox’s top prospects, as catcher Kyle Teel was brought up to the big leagues last Friday.

Taylor has been outstanding for the Barons, and while he was likely overdue for a call-up to Triple-A, it’s great that the White Sox are finally taking note that they probably can’t leave all of these arms in the minors forever — especially when the MLB squad clearly needs some help. The 23-year-old has accumulated a 1.01 ERA in 26 2⁄3 IP along with a .0863 WHIP, and though he has racked up 11 walks at a 10.9% walk rate, he has 37 strikeouts, good for a 36.6% K rate. Taylor has made six starts for Birmingham, but has since shifted to the bullpen and will likely stay in that role for the time being with the White Sox.

For today’s game, however, we have righthander Shane Smith on the mound, making his 13th start of the season. He has easily been the best starter for the South Siders, and his ERA ranks among the top 15 pitchers in the league at 2.45, just shy of Robbie Ray (2.44) and old friend Garrett Crochet (2.35). In Smith’s 62 1⁄3 innings, he has struck out 60 batters, and opponents are batting just .201 against him.

The top of the White Sox lineup is, for once, loaded with hitters that are actually producing and having great at-bats, as Mike Tauchman (.302), Chase Meidroth (.304), and Andrew Benintendi (.295) are hovering right around a .300 BA. Tauchman has been great all year when he’s not been on the IL, and is leading the team with a .945 OPS, and a 1.031 OPS over the past two weeks. Meidroth has been getting on base a ton too, and is third in walks on the season, and has only struck out 12% of the time (21 out of 154 ABs).

Lance McCullers Jr. is making his seventh start of the season for the Astros after returning from elbow surgery in early May. He hasn’t been on his A-game since rejoining Houston, and has a 4.44 ERA with a 1.397 WHIP to start the season, and has produced -0.1 WAR. McCullers has been walking guys at a higher rate (10.5%), but has still been decently efficient with regards to strikeouts, with 33 in his six starts, and he even had a 12-strikeout game to close out May.

Jeremy Peña will lead off for the Astros, and he has been on a hot streak these past couple of weeks. In 50 at-bats, he is slashing .410/.510/.487 and ranks fifth in batting average, and 11th in OPS (1.083) over the last two weeks. Houston’s lineup is full of sluggers, including Isaac Paredes and José Altuve, but if Smith keeps pitching as he has been, the Astros might have some trouble on their hands.

First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. CT, and you can catch the game in the usual locations by watching on CHSN or tuning into ESPN Chicago AM 1000. Let’s start off the series with a dub!