Sports
Long-ball White Sox chase series win vs. Angels in clash of aces
Apr 27, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas (20) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Back-to-back home runs from Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas sparked the Chicago White Sox to a seven-run outburst in the seventh inning on Monday night.
While the long ball proved the key to an 8-7 home victory against the slumping Los Angeles Angels, the White Sox also are confident in their ability to play small ball — including bunting — as they seek to secure a series victory Tuesday night in the second contest of a three-game set in Chicago.
“We’ve been talking about bunting as a weapon starting in spring training and how important that was going to be for guys in certain spots,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Some more than others. But that’s got to be part of our game as we’re trying to find ways to score runs.”
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is seeking answers for preventing runs late in the game. A beleaguered bullpen again was unable to hold a lead Monday in a game that was delayed by rain and thunderstorms for three hours.
Los Angeles has lost four straight games and eight its last nine. The past two defeats have been frustratingly similar, with left-handed reliever Drew Pomeranz allowing tying or go-ahead home runs to the first batter he faced in the seventh inning or later.
On Sunday, Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone reached Pomeranz for a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth to force extra innings.
Murakami took his turn in Monday’s series opener against the White Sox, greeting Pomeranz with a three-run blast in the seventh for his major-league-leading 12th homer. Vargas followed with a solo shot.
“We mingle together a lot, so I’m just glad that he’s a teammate and I’m glad to have him here,” Murakami said through a translator.
The Angels have kick-started their attack recently after a dry spell. Paced by two hits apiece from Mike Trout, Vaughn Grissom, Nolan Schanuel and Bryce Teodosio, Los Angeles out-hit the White Sox 14-9 on Monday.
A day earlier, the Angels built an early 6-0 advantage before losing 11-9 in 10 innings.
Grissom started at second base Monday as the Angels faced left-handed starter Anthony Kay. Grissom hopes to translate his success to more regular time in the lineup.
“It’s not my decision,” he said, “but that would be sick. As a ballplayer, you want to be in there every single day. So it’s definitely something that I’d love, but I do whatever helps the team win.”
Tuesday’s pitching matchup will feature a pair of ace right-handers as Davis Martin (3-1, 2.01 ERA) of Chicago faces Jose Soriano (5-0, 0.24) of Los Angeles.
Martin will aim to close a sharp April in which he has pitched to a 1.37 ERA over 26 1/3 innings covering four starts.
Soriano has been even more dominant, allowing only one run in 25 2/3 innings in four starts this month. He pitched five shutout innings in a no-decision against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Angels won 7-3.
“He’s got serious stuff,” Schanuel said. “I feel bad for hitters who have to go face him three or four times in a game. I saw it while standing in there during spring training. He’s got [a] Wiffle ball. I’ve never seen a baseball move that much.”
Soriano has flourished in two career appearances (one start) vs. the White Sox, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. He has allowed two hits and struck out 10 batters over nine scoreless innings.
Martin is 0-1 with a 3.07 ERA in three career appearances (all starts) against the Angels.
–Field Level Media
Sports
White Sox add veteran RHP Luis Castillo, send 3 players to Mariners
Jul 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo (58) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images The Chicago White Sox bolstered their pitching staff by acquiring three-time All-Star right-hander Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
The Mariners receive right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones, Chicago’s No. 15 prospect in minor league catcher Boston Smith and conditional cash considerations. The White Sox will pay the remainder of Castillo’s salary, according to multiple reports, which is about $30 million guaranteed from now through the 2027 season.
Castillo is in the fourth year of a five-year, $108 million contract with a $25 million vesting option for 2028. He is having his worst season at 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA in 20 games (17 starts). The 33-year-old has recorded 32 walks and 86 strikeouts in 99 2/3 innings.
For his career, Castillo is 87-93 with a 3.65 ERA, 485 walks and 1,579 strikeouts in 1,510 1/3 innings over 263 regular-season games (260 starts) for the Cincinnati Reds (2017-22) and Mariners (2022-26).
He was selected to the All-Star Game with the Reds (2019, 2022) and the Mariners (2023) — finishing fifth in the American League Cy Young Award voting that season.
Castillo is 2-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 28 innings over six postseason games (five starts) — experience lacking in Chicago’s other starters.
Dominguez, 31, is 4-3 with 12 saves, a 4.10 ERA, 23 walks and 45 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings over 42 relief appearances in his first season with the White Sox.
He has a career record of 27-26 with 52 saves, a 3.57 ERA in 343 1/3 innings over 364 relief appearances. He has pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies (2018-19, 2021-24), Baltimore Orioles (2024-25), Toronto Blue Jays (2025) and White Sox. He went 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 appearances during the Blue Jays’ playoff run last season.
Jones, 28, is batting .247 with 30 home runs and 137 RBIs in 349 games with Cleveland (2022, 2025) and the Colorado Rockies (2023-24). Jones was batting a combined .257 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs in 90 games with the Guardians’ and White Sox’s Triple-A affiliates this year.
Cleveland selected Jones in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He was traded to the White Sox for $250,000 in bonus pool money and cash considerations on June 11.
Smith, 23, has played 78 games in the White Sox’s minor league system from Single-A to High-A to Double-A this season and batted .291 with 22 homers and 58 RBIs.
The Washington Nationals picked Smith in the sixth round of the 2025 draft out of Wright State.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brewers claim best record in baseball with late rally past Angels
Aug 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Jake Bauers (9) is greeted by left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) in the dugout after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Brice Turang drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and Jake Bauers homered for the second straight game to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Jackson Chourio doubled and scored a run and William Contreras also doubled for Milwaukee, which moved atop the major league standings at 69-41, a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Chad Patrick (6-4) struck out five and gave up one hit over two shutout innings to pick up the win in relief. Trevor Megill pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his 18th save.
Mike Trout went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored and Jorge Soler doubled and drove in a run for Los Angeles, which lost its fifth straight game.
Samy Natera Jr. (1-1) picked up the loss, allowing one run on two hits in two innings with four strikeouts. Natera was the third of four pitchers used by the Angels, who elected to go with a bullpen game after scheduled starter Jose Soriano, the subject of trade rumors, was scratched a few hours before the game.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Trout singled and scored on Soler’s bloop double down the left field line.
Bauers, who hit a three-run homer to highlight a five-run fifth inning in Milwaukee’s 6-2 victory in Friday’s series opener, tied the game in the fourth inning with his 20th home run, a 401-foot line drive into the bleachers in right-center.
The Brewers took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning when Chourio lined a double over the head of left fielder Jose Siri and scored on a bloop single to center by Turang.
Milwaukee added an insurance run in the ninth against Kirby Yates when Garrett Mitchell walked with two outs, stole second and scored on a softly hit groundball single to center by Cooper Pratt.
Brewers starter Robert Gasser allowed one run on four hits over five innings, striking out six and walking two. Angels replacement starter Brent Suter walked three and struck out one in two no-hit innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Walk-filled third inning helps Pirates beat Reds, snap 4-game skid
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) tags out Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez (55) on his way to second in the third inning between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft threw five solid innings and Jake Mangum had two hits and a run to lift the visiting Pirates to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.
Ashcraft (11-4) allowed one run on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts before a 106-minute weather delay preceded the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez, Nick Gonzales and Henry Davis finished with an RBI apiece for the Pirates, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Gregory Soto pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 14th save. Three Pittsburgh pitchers combined to hold Cincinnati to three hits. The Pirates recorded six hits.
Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead in the third despite collecting only one hit. Davis drew a leadoff walk from starter Andrew Abbott (5-7), then Mangum singled and Brandon Lowe coaxed a walk to load the bases. Reynolds and Valdez drew consecutive bases-loaded walks to make it 2-0.
Gonzales followed with a fielder’s choice to plate Brandon Lowe and give the Pirates a three-run lead. As a steady rain fell throughout the inning, the grounds crew briefly tended to the mound.
Cincinnati got on the board in the fifth when Jose Trevino opened the frame with an opposite-field homer to right.
The Pirates extended their advantage to 4-1 in the sixth when Davis feathered an RBI single into shallow center, just beyond the reach of a diving TJ Friedl.
The Reds, who were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, threatened in the fourth. Sal Stewart was hit by a pitch before being forced out at second on JJ Bleday’s fielder’s choice. Nathaniel Lowe singled to center and, after Noelvi Marte popped out, Bleday advanced to third when no one covered second on Ashcraft’s pickoff attempt. But Eugenio Suarez struck out to end the inning.
Elly De La Cruz lined a rocket to center to open the eighth, but Mangum chased it down and made a leaping catch.
Abbott allowed three runs on three hits while matching a season high with five walks over five innings. He struck out one.
–Field Level Media
White Sox add veteran RHP Luis Castillo, send 3 players to Mariners
Brewers claim best record in baseball with late rally past Angels
