Pregame notes: Chris Flexen’s fight with the Danny Wright line

Jim has long established The Danny Wright Line for following no-hit bids, reasoning that if the control-addled right-hander was able to chase history for 6 1/3 innings in a 2001 victory over the Devil Rays, we shouldn't get our hackles up until after that barrier has been breached.

Chris Flexen's 2024 season with the White Sox is drawing parallels to Wright in an even more dispiriting way. By going winless in his last 16 starts, Flexen is in the midst of the longest such streak by a White Sox starter since Wright went 19 starts without a win. Technically, and chillingly, Wright's streak is technically still active. His 19th consecutive start without a win in 2004 was his last major league appearance.

With the way starting pitchers are used in modern baseball, what's more notable is that the White Sox as a team have lost 16-straight games that Flexen has started. But the nature of the Sox bullpen's work protecting leads this season is that the team streak probably doesn't end unless Flexen's personal skid falls as well.

Grady Sizemore said Saturday that as a player, he really appreciated the managers who were even keel throughout the highs and lows of a long season. He sheepishly admitted that as the White Sox came tantalizingly close to coming back from down 7-0 on Friday night, he was not that.

"I think when you're in the dugout with these guys, I wanted it for them so bad that I was letting it all out," Sizemore said. "If you could be in that dugout last night, you would have felt how passionate, how energetic those guys were. They were feeding off each other, having fun. It was loud. The crowd was getting us into it. I really hope we have more nights like that. I told those guys after the game if we play like that for the next two months, it’s going to be a fun end."

Having recently joined a new organization and already on his second manager in less than two weeks' time, Sizemore would like to give Miguel Vargas as much consistency as he can. Two-straight days of the 24-year-old batting sixth and playing third base doesn't sound like an accident.

"He looks calm, he looks comfortable," Sizemore said of Vargas' defense. "I also want to give him some consistency, want him to get comfortable here and try to keep him in the same spot and try to keep him in the same spot in the lineup. It’s hard when you come into a new organization, so I just like the way he looks there. He’s told me he feels comfortable there and that’s probably his favorite spot. He looks great there. I’m going to probably keep him there as much as I can. Might move him around, but expect to see him there more than not."

Any challenge to handing Vargas the third base job for the rest of the 2024 season is much more likely come from Bryan Ramos in Triple-A rather than Yoán Moncada.

"I know he's been running," Sizemore said. "I know he's still kind of feeling something there. I can't tell you that we're going to get him back or we're not. I really just don't know. With him, we're checking in daily, hoping for the best and waiting for him to tell us when he's feeling confident that he's not favoring it or worried about anything else."

Michael Soroka and Jordan Leasure were both sidelined with right shoulder issues around the All-Star break. While Soroka has been able to play long toss and hopes to be throwing off a mound next week, Jordan Leasure is still feeling discomfort almost a month after it initially cropped up, which starts to cast doubt on when/if he will be able to return.

Sizemore has gone from not really getting interviewed since he first got added to the coaching staff before the season, to a blizzard of questions about his background, career ambitions, preferred coaching style, etc.

"I’m trying to embrace it. I really am trying to embrace it. I want to represent this organization and Jerry and the fans and do my best to give them the kind of baseball they deserve. I really want to put on a good show for them and bring the energy every night. I’m not great in front of a camera, I don’t always say the right thing. But I’m trying to embrace the role and be a good spokesman and a good leader for this team, this franchise and this city."

First pitch: White Sox vs. Cubs

TV: FOX

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