Allison: Hunter Goodman with two bombs. A 9-6 loss that officially ended our AL Central hopes. If you missed it, Saturday night was brutal for the South Side.
Derek: It was a tough one to swallow, Allison. We talked about how Murakami’s hot streak wasn’t enough to offset the bullpen issues and that defensive lapse in the eighth. But baseball is short. Today is Sunday.
Allison: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Allison, and this is your daily White Sox preview. Derek here as always.
Derek: Hey everyone. Thanks for tuning in. We’ve got a lot to unpack before Game Three against Colorado.
Allison: Here is what we are covering today. First, we look at the pitching matchup for this final game of the series. Second, we dive into the injury report and who is actually available to play. And third, we give you our keys to the series and our final prediction for Sunday.
Allison: Let’s start with the mound. The Rockies are coming off a win, but they’re sitting at 57-103. They have nothing left to play for statistically, but pride matters in September. Who is starting for Chicago?
Derek: We don't have an official probable named in the brief yet, but looking at the rotation, we have Erick Fedde, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin, Noah Schultz, Sean Burke, Hagen Smith, and David Sandlin on the roster. Given the rest of the staff has been stretched thin, someone like Schultz or Burke might get a spot start opportunity if the manager wants to save arms for October prep.
Allison: Wait, so no confirmed starter? That makes this tricky. Last time, Murakami homered twice. If we go with a younger arm, do we expect more offense from the lineup to carry them?
Derek: Exactly. If it’s a lesser-known starter, the offensive support becomes critical. Remember, the Rockies gave up six runs on Friday. Their defense isn’t exactly lockdown. But their pitching... well, they’re giving up runs all over the place. It’s a free-for-all out west.
Allison: Right. And we know the White Sox can score. Munetaka Murakami is at 35 home runs. He had two on Friday. The Rockies’ pitcher on Friday clearly couldn’t handle him. What does that tell us about the matchup angle?
Derek: It tells us Murakami is in a groove. His launch angle and exit velocity are likely sky-high right now. Against a Rockies team that is last in the NL West, they are probably going to try to pitch around him or make mistakes over the plate. You just have to be ready to punish those mistakes.
Allison: But here is the thing—on Saturday, despite Murakami’s power, we lost 9-6. Hunter Goodman hit his 40th and 41st homers for Colorado. So the Rockies aren’t just hitting; their bats are waking up too. How do we stop them?
Derek: You stop them by not letting them get comfortable. The Rockies are 57-103. They are playing for pride. If you let them hang around, they will hit. The key for Chicago is early outs. If the starter can go five innings and keep it close, the bullpen needs to shut the door. That brings us to the bullpen...
Allison: Which leads perfectly into our next segment. Let’s talk about who is actually healthy. This roster is decimated. We talked about injuries yesterday, but the list keeps growing.
Derek: It’s staggering. We have Prelander Berroa, Tanner Murray, Kris Bryant, McCade Brown, Chase Dollander, and Pierson Ohl all on the 60-Day IL. Joey Bart, Willi Castro, and Chase Dollander are on the 10-Day IL. Jake Rogers is on paternity leave. And Chase Meidroth is day-to-day.
Allison: That is a massive hole in the infield and outfield. Meidroth is day-to-day. Is he expected to play Sunday?
Derek: The brief says day-to-day, which usually means a game-time decision. If he’s out, Colson Montgomery has to see more time at shortstop, or maybe Luisangel Acuna gets the nod. It changes the defensive alignment significantly.
Allison: And defensively, with the Rockies hitting well, every error matters. On the mound, we have Huascar Brazoban, Tyler Davis, Jordan Hicks, Bryan Hudson, Sean Newcomb, Trevor Richards, and Grant Taylor in the bullpen. Who is getting the call?
Derek: With the season essentially over for playoff contention, the manager might lean on the arms that need work. Jordan Hicks has the stuff, but consistency is always a question. Huascar Brazoban has been reliable. It’s a balancing act between winning the game and preparing guys for next year.
Allison: So, if the bullpen is unpredictable, the starters have to eat innings. And offensively, who is leading the charge? We know Murakami is there. What about the others?
Derek: Brenton Doyle in center field has been solid. Sam Antonacci in left. Andrew Benintendi at DH provides veteran stability. Randal Grichuk is also in the mix. In our last episode, we highlighted Grichuk’s hot bats. He needs to step up again because the Rockies’ defense is vulnerable.
Allison: Grichuk and Murakami. Two heavy hitters. If they get on base, who is driving them in? With Meidroth potentially out, the middle of the order looks different.
Derek: Miguel Vargas at third is crucial. He needs to protect the zone. And Kyle Teel behind the plate—if he’s catching, he needs to frame well. Pitching is half the game, even in a losing season. Every pitch counts when you’re trying to build momentum for October.
Allison: Okay, so we have the pieces. Now let’s put them together. Keys to the series. What does the White Sox need to do to win this final game and send the fans home happy?
Derek: Control the strike zone. Plate discipline. Don’t chase the sliders away. The Rockies are desperate. They will throw strikes to get outs. Make them work. And defensively, no errors. One mistake leads to three runs, like we saw Saturday.
Allison: Agreed. No errors. Clean baseball. And offensively, capitalize on the mistakes. Murakami is hot. Get him RBIs. Okay, we are winding down. Before we give our prediction, I want to take a quick second.
Allison: This show is completely free, with no ads and no paywall. That only works because you’re here. If you love the White Sox as much as we do, please chip in to help keep us daily. Just use the link in the episode description. It means everything.
Derek: Thank you for listening. Now, our prediction. After that 9-6 loss, the team needs a bounce-back. We said earlier we thought they could sweep. Do we still think they close it out?
Allison: I think they do. Murakami is riding high. The Rockies are tired. I’m taking the White Sox in a closer game. Maybe 5-3. Or 4-2. Like we predicted before!
Derek: I’ll back that up. The White Sox win. They clean up the mess from Saturday. Go Sox.
Allison: Thanks for joining us on the Beatline Podcast Network. Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen. We’ll see you tomorrow.