Chicago White Sox: 3 takeaways from the Tigers series sweep
By Ryan Taylor
The Chicago White Sox have gotten the most out of their lineup situation.
Tony La Russa, the White Sox manager, made a risky move before the last game against the Tigers by setting up a weak lineup. The lineup went Garcia, Goodwin (later Vaughn pinch-hit for him), Moncada, Abreu, Grandal (who played first base), Eaton, Engel, Collins, and Mendick.
La Russa went without Tim Anderson nor Yermin Mercedes for the final game of the series. He also let Grandal play first, even though Abreu has been a defensive monster there this season. This move was nerve-racking because the Sox need to pick up all the wins they can get before heading into two of the more difficult series they will see this season against the Rays and Astros. However, it seemed that La Russa was correct in doing so after the Sox slid past the Tigers with a 4-1 win on Sunday to secure the sweep.
What does this mean for the Sox?
Maybe the Sox are not in as big of trouble as fans may have thought. It seemed like things would be going downhill after Madrigal’s severe injury. The Tigers may not be the best test of the watered-down White Sox but a sweep was certainly unexpected. Guys like Mendick, Garcia, and Goodwin will be imperative to their success moving forward. The question remains, how can they keep winning?