Six Pack of Stats: Pirates 6, White Sox 2
another lost series, another new benchmark set
As the White Sox were losing another game, top prospect in the system Noah Schultz was getting mauled in the Futures Game. Just another Saturday on the South Side, folks!
Big Swing/Top Play
Bryan Reynolds, heading to the All-Star Game on Tuesday, singled in Ke’Bryan Hayes and Connor Joe for a 19.0% WPA swing in Pitt’s favor in the seventh. The hit came in direct response to the White Sox tying the game at one in the previous frame, and gave the Pirates a lead they would not relinquish.
Luis Robert Jr.’s single in the sixth for the first Chicago run was tops on the losing side, at 15.5% WPA.
Top Performer
Bryan Reynolds clocked in with a game-high 31.6% WPA. He went 4-for-5 with four singles and four RBIs. Tommy Pham, with a single and triple, racked up 14.1% WPA, good for third-best in the game.
Hardest Hit
Oneil Cruz murdered a ball to shortstop in the third inning — and didn’t even get a hit out of hit. His 115.1 mph (!) grounder forced Bryan Reynolds out at second with a fielder’s choice.
Weakest Contact
Rowdy Tellez burped a grounder to second in the eighth inning at just 59.5 mph.
Luckiest Hit
Makes sense for once: Martín Maldonado’s lone hit of the game, in the third, was hit hard (94.8 mph) but traveled seven feet, resulting in a .100 xBA that somehow became a single.
Toughest Out
Yasmani Grandal grounded out in the fourth on a ball hit hard (101.0 mph) and with promise (.590 xBA) but also right to second baseman Lenyn Sosa.
Longest Hit
Bryan Reynolds made only one out in five at-bats today, and it was the longest hit of the game: a 368-foot fly to center field.
Futility Watch
White Sox 2024 Record 27-70, worst 97-game start in White Sox history (5 1⁄2 games worse than the next-worst, 1948 White Sox), tied for 17th-worst start all-time, and a season-worst 43 games under .500
White Sox 2024 Run Differential -172, tied for 47th-worst 97-game start in MLB history and tied for the White Sox season-worst
White Sox 2024 Season Record Pace 45-117 (.278)
Race to the Worst “Modern” 162-Game Record (2003 Tigers, 43-119) 2 games better
Race to the Worst “Modern” Record in a 162-Game Season (1962 Mets, 40-120) 4 games better
Race to the Most White Sox Losses (1970, 106) 11 games worse
Race to the Worst White Sox Record (1932, 52-109-1*) 7 1⁄2 games worse
Race to the Worst American League Record (1916 A’s, 38-124*) 7 games better
*record adjusted to a 162-game season
Glossary
CSW called strikes plus whiffs
Hard-hit is any ball off the bat at 95 mph or more
LI measures pressure per play
pLI measures total pressure faced in-game
Whiff a swing-and-miss
WPA win probability added measures contributions to the win
xBA expected batting average