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White Sox Return to Chicago Looking for Any Sign of Life vs. Red Sox

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Besnik Zekiri | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 6:06 PM ET

The Chicago White Sox are back in town after a joyless road trip that saw them drop six straight games, capped off by a sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Guardians. That came right after a sweep against the Detroit Tigers, and two losses to the Minnesota Twins, meaning the South Siders have gone winless in their last eight games, all of which were against divisional opponents.

If you’re keeping score at home, this is the third straight April the White Sox have suffered a losing streak of at least seven games. Tradition.

Despite the hopeless vibes, the White Sox will open a three-game weekend series at Guaranteed Rate Field against the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Probable Pitchers: David Martin vs. Sean Newcomb

The Sox will send right-hander Davis Martin to the mound for the series opener. Martin is coming off a rough outing in Detroit, where he gave up seven runs on nine hits and two walks over five innings. Before that, he looked solid in his season debut against the Los Angeles Angels, tossing six scoreless frames. Maybe the home cooking can help him find that form again—or at least keep the ball inside the park.

Boston counters with lefty Sean Newcomb, who hasn’t made it out of the fifth inning in either of his first two starts. He’s allowed five runs total in those outings and enters Friday with a 2.19 WHIP. Usually, that’s the stat line you’d want to face if you’re a struggling lineup. Unfortunately, the White Sox are not just struggling—they’re historically bad.

Offense? Anyone?

The White Sox currently sit dead last in Major League Baseball with just 35 runs scored across their first 12 games. That’s not bad—it’s impressive. You have to try to be this futile offensively. And with Andrew Benintendi now on the injured list, the team’s best hitter is no longer in the lineup. Yep.

There is a glimmer of hope, though. The White Sox officially called up infield prospect Chase Meidroth, who is expected to make his major league debut against Newcomb. If there’s anything this offense needs right now, it’s someone with a pulse and a decent on-base percentage. No pressure, kid.

Red Sox Lineup Presents a Bigger Test

While White Sox pitching held Cleveland to just 10 runs over three games, Boston is an entirely different beast. The Red Sox enter the weekend swinging hot bats, with Wilyer Abreu, Kristian Campbell, Alex Bregman, and Rafael Devers all off to strong starts.

Five Boston hitters have seen Davis Martin and logged a few hits against him in limited at-bats. It’s a small sample, but with this White Sox team, you don’t need much of one to feel confident.

What's On Tap Next?

Simply put: the Sox have to score runs. Luis Robert Jr. continues to scuffle at the plate, and nobody else has stepped up to fill the void. If Martin can give the Sox a few decent innings and the offense manages to plate more than two runs, this could—I stress could—be a winnable game.

But let’s be honest: we’re all just hoping this isn’t loss number nine. First pitch is at 6:40 PM CT and will air on CHSN.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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