White Sox still tuning their ABS approach after rough start under new challenge system

The White Sox have had a challenging go of it when it comes to MLB’s new ball/strike challenge system.

Entering play Monday, Sox catchers had issued 15 ABS challenges to umpires’ pitch calls, tied for second-most in baseball — but they’d lost nine of them, a 40% win rate that had them sitting third from the bottom of MLB.

Sox hitters had challenged just four pitch calls, tied for fewest in baseball, and gotten two of them right.

“Our guys have a pretty good idea of when a good time is to use the challenge and when not to,” general manager Chris Getz said ahead of the Sox’ three-game sweep of Toronto. “I’ve been pretty happy with how it’s been used on our front, and I think the overall strategy, it’s going to take time to develop because I do think that umpires are going to adjust as well.”

Getz didn’t hold catcher Edgar Quero’s trigger finger for challenges against him. Quero had lost eight of his 13 challenges, while Reese McGuire was 1-for-2.

“More importantly for us, and just in [Quero’s] continued development, is his framing ability, getting those calls. That’s something that we’ve really prioritized,” Getz said. “To get off course and focus more on the ABS challenging approach, I think, is not right.”

Tuesday’s first pitch moved up due to cold

The start of Tuesday’s originally scheduled night game against the Orioles was moved up to 2:10 p.m. due to cold weather, with a forecasted high of 37. No ticket exchanges are necessary.

“I don’t think that this game is meant to be played in really, really cold weather,” manager Will Venable said.

Sox starter Shane Smith (0-2 19.29 ERA) will look to shake off his ice-cold start to the season against Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers (2-0, 1.38).

Hot hands on the farm

Over the weekend, shortstop Tanner Murray became the first Triple-A call-up to make his Sox debut this season, but fans have long been looking to the next wave of talent knocking on the door at Charlotte.

A week into the season, power lefties Noah Schultz (1.00 ERA in nine innings with 10 strikeouts and Hagen Smith (3.00 across six innings nine strikeouts) have impressed through two starts, along with right hander Tanner McDougal (2.00 over nine innings with 11 strikeouts).

The Knights have also gotten major production at hitter-happy Truist Field from Team Italy WBC-veteran Sam Antonacci (9-for-26 with two homers and eight walks) — an infielder who is learning left field on the job to hasten his path to the Sox — as well as second baseman William Bergolla Jr. (13-for-24 with four doubles).

All five figure to get their first first cups of big-league coffee sometime this year, but don’t hold your breath for it to happen in the first month of play..

“You don’t want to get too jumpy,” Getz said. “I know it could be enticing to bring those pitchers up, but these guys are such a significant part of the future of the White Sox, and we want to handle this with care in making sure that they’re ready when they’re coming.”

Season’s greeting

The Sox claimed left-hander Doug Nikhazy a week after the 26-year-old was DFA’d by Cleveland. They optioned him to Charlotte to fill out the 40-man roster.

Nikhazy posted a 4.13 ERA with 467 strikeouts in 96 minor-league games (89 starts), and he got rocked for six runs over four innings in his first two big-league appearances last year for the Guardians.