Since the start of the season, Leury García has been a focal point of the White Sox’s offensive struggles. On Wednesday night, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin. The White Sox scored once in the fifth inning on Jake Burger’s leadoff home run.
Despite his struggles at the plate, García said he could still contribute to the White Sox’s success. After the team’s three-game winning streak ended, the third base coach said he still had to keep working on his approach and not get too carried away.
García has a .183 batting average and a .270 on-base percentage against right-handed pitchers. The 31-year-old should not be the main focus of the team’s efforts. The 5-feet-7 is a versatile player who can play multiple positions and provide the White Sox with a consistent offensive threat.
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During this challenging time at the plate, García could have been moved to the bottom of the order to help struggling players. However, other players in the lineup were not hitting well.
The White Sox’s starting lineup finished the game with an average of .600. Gavin Sheets and Yasmani Grandal had the lowest batting averages at .600. The team will need more production from these players to help them catch up to Minnesota and Chicago in the American League Central. Yoan Moncada and Grandal are two examples of how the White Sox can see the Central’s other teams.
La Russa accepts defeat
After the game, White Sox manager Tony La Russa praised the efforts of Gonsolin, who has a 1.58 ERA this season. He noted that the team’s tough at-bats during crucial situations were partly to blame for the loss.
La Russa said that despite the team’s loss, he still considered the White Sox’s recent performance a positive sign. “I also consider we won three in a row, so I’m not dumping a club just because they got to beat one game where a guy with a 1.00 ERA shuts us down,” said La Russa.
Despite the team’s poor start, White Sox starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was adamant that the team would soon bounce back. Cueto said that the players were still focused on improving their performance.
Since the start of the season, the former San Diego Charger has lost his last 10 starts. Cueto allowed two home runs to Cody Bellinger and Will Smith. He settled down and gave up three runs on four hits and a walk over six innings.
The lack of offensive support that Cueto received once again affected his performance. Although the 36-year-old was able to limit the damage caused by the home runs, the White Sox still did not score enough runs for him. La Russa said he did not care about the team’s offensive performance.
La Russa’s argument about the importance of a good pitcher on a good team can still be supported despite the lackluster performance of the White Sox’s offense. On Saturday, the team’s offense showed signs of life after Burger’s game-winning home run against the Tampa Bay Rays.
However, other factors such as the low production of the players and the doubt surrounding the team can also affect the outcome of a game. Despite the team’s poor performance, García asserted that the White Sox could still get better and worth betting on at a MLB Sportsbook.