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David Sandlin was pumped in his debut last week. | (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The vibes on the South Side have shifted in a hurry. The White Sox enter tonight’s matchup with the Twins riding a 6-1 week that included a statement sweep of the Tigers. Now comes another test against an AL Central rival, as Chicago heads to Minnesota looking to keep the momentum rolling.
The challenge won’t be easy. The Twins hand the ball to righthander Joe Ryan, who was dominant against the White Sox just last week. Ryan carved through Chicago’s lineup for 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out nine and issuing no walks, earning a quality start. On the season, the veteran owns a 3-3 record with a 2.94 ERA and sparkling 0.93 WHIP.
Ryan attacks hitters with a deep six-pitch arsenal led by his four-seam fastball (43.1%), while mixing in a knuckle curve (13.6%), sweeper (13.2%), sinker (12.5%), splitter (10.2%), and slider (7.5%). The White Sox will need a more disciplined approach than they showed in their last meeting if they want to crack one of the American League’s steadiest starters. Ryan rarely beats himself. The White Sox drew zero walks against him in their last meeting. Finding ways to elevate his pitch count and create traffic on the bases will be essential.
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Skipper Will Venable is countering Ryan with one of the most intriguing stories in the organization. David Sandlin gets the ball for just his second start after an unforgettable debut against the Twins last week. The first and only batter to do serious damage against him was Byron Buxton, who launched Sandlin’s second pitch of the game into the seats. After that? Absolute dominance.
Sandlin retired the next 18 batters he faced, completing six innings while striking out four without issuing a walk. Of his 61 pitches, only one truly hurt him.
The 25-year-old righthander arrived in Chicago as part of the Jordan Hicks trade with Boston. Originally selected by Kansas City in the 11th round of the 2022 draft, the Royals dealt Sandlin to the Red Sox in February 2024 before eventually landing with the White Sox. His minor league numbers this season were eye-popping: a combined 0.55 ERA in 16 1/3 frames across Winston-Salem and Charlotte.
Like Ryan, Sandlin works with six pitches. His four-seam fastball (44.3%) and curveball (29.5%) make up the bulk of his attack, complemented by a cutter (11.5%), changeup (6.6%), sweeper (4.9%), and sinker (3.3%).
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Here’s how the White Sox line them up against the Ryan and the Twins.
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A few things stand out here. Venable continues to show confidence in Sam Antonacci, who gets another shot atop the order after providing energy and on-base ability during the recent hot streak. Meanwhile, Colson Montgomery finds himself in the cleanup spot, a sign of just how much faith the organization has in the shortstop’s bat. It’ll also be interesting to see whether Edgar Quero can continue his recent offensive surge from the bottom third of the lineup.
And for Minnesota.
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The headliner is obviously Buxton, who wasted no time introducing himself to Sandlin last week with that first-inning homer. Chicago will also have to navigate left-handed bats Kody Clemens and Trevor Larnach, both capable of doing damage against right-handed pitching.
Buxton got the better of the rookie in Round 1. Sandlin’s response after that homer was impressive, but tonight offers another opportunity to show he can make adjustments against one of the division’s most dangerous hitters.
A 6-1 week can change the complexion of a season. The White Sox have been playing aggressive, confident baseball lately. The question now is whether they can carry that momentum into another divisional showdown and a tough month of June.
The White Sox have already swept one AL Central foe. Tonight, they’ll try to make it seven wins in eight games and continue proving that this recent surge is more than just a hot streak.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. CT on CHSN, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000.
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