Gamethread: White Sox at Indians

Time: 12:10 p.m.

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Radio: WGN 720

The Sox are now 2-7 against the Indians this season and will look to stop a six-game losing streak.

• Reynaldo Lopez has been a bright spot this season for the White Sox. Since May 20, Lopez has a 3.34 FIP and a game score average of 58. However, the last time López faced the Indians, he lasted 2 ²⁄₃ innings and allowed seven runs. Over his career, López is giving up a slash line of .321/.344/.357 to Indians hitters. However, in his last 19 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched this season, he has only allowed four runs. We’ve definitely been getting the good Lopey since his May 30 blowup in Cleveland, but his K/9 is still lacking, at 6.16.
• Corey Kluber is going against the Sox today and well, he is good. He has a 3.16 FIP, with a 9.11 K/9 and a career-best 0.95 BB/9. His velocity has started to tick down, but Kluber has become a better control pitcher this season. Kluber is giving up about one home run per start, so that is his weakness this season. However, are any Sox hitters going to get on base? Against Kluber, the White Sox are slashing .227/.276/.362. That is including apparent Kluber-Killer, Jose Abreu, who has five home runs and is slashing .340/.385/.723 with the ace on the mound.
• Does Yoán Moncada strike out a lot? Yes — a 35.6% K-rate is not good. A 9.6% walk rate is good, but it is 3% lower than last season. But when Yoán does get contact, he hits the ball well 90.3% of the time, which is fifth-best in baseball. He has also lowered the amount of times he swings at pitches outside the zone by more than 3%, to 24.2%, which is a good number. Where Moncada falls flat, actually, is inside the zone. He is only making 79.4% contact on pitches inside the strike zone, which is one of the worst in baseball (Matt Davidson is worse, at 78.7%). The best guess as to why Moncada is struggling with pitches inside the zone, while also having a Top 30 swinging strike percentage (13.2%)? He probably cannot read pitches out of the pitchers hand well enough, at 23, and only has a year’s worth of plate appearances. He needs time; give him some.