Chicago White Sox aim to shake offensive rut amid extended skid: ‘It doesn’t define who we are’

Luis Robert Jr. struck out swinging against Yusei Kikuchi in the sixth inning Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It began a stretch to forget for the Chicago White Sox in which 10 of the final 11 batters struck out in the 8-0 loss at the Rogers Centre. The only batter who didn’t strike out during that period, Elvis Andrus, grounded out to second in the eighth inning.

The Sox struck out 17 times Wednesday. They struck out seven times in Thursday’s 14-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Not much has gone right for the Sox, who at 7-19 were off to their worst 26-game start since 1950 (6-20).

General manager Rick Hahn said Thursday that while the issues have varied, “I think if I have to touch on one fundamental issue, it would be the command of the strike zone and controlling the strike zone.”

Hahn said plate discipline remains a priority.

“I know the drills are focused on that, I know (the coaching staff is) pulling guys aside for early work and (the) reemphasis on what we’re trying to accomplish and each night they’re going out there with a specific plan,” Hahn said. “The execution has left something to be desired at times, especially as the losses started mounting. But I don’t question the preparation, focus and prioritization done by the coaching staff.”

The Sox continue to have the highest Outside the Zone Swing Percentage (O-Swing%) in the majors at 37.5% entering Friday. According to FanGraphs, O-Swing% equals “swings at pitches outside the zone/pitches outside the zone.”

Last year, the Sox had the second-highest O-Swing% at 36.5%.

“It’s a label that has stuck and that’s the way they game plan against us,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol before Thursday’s game. “The only way for us to improve on it is to do the work and go out there and execute and trust the work we’re putting in. That’s the hardest thing to do. You come in, you get the work done, you have a plan and then the hard thing is to go execute a plan. It’s really hard. These guys are throwing hard, they’ve got multiple pitches that are doing some different things and that’s going to take a little bit of time. They’re working on it and they’re going to get this.

“They’ve done this before at this level. Obviously they’ve chased at a high rate, but they’re putting the work in and I’m confident we’re going to continue to get better at it and were going to put good (at-bats) together.”

The Sox were slashing .191/.250/.318 in their last 17 games. They had 49 runs during that period, an average of 2.9 per game.

“We’ve played (25) games, it doesn’t define who we are,” Grifol said before Thursday’s game. “It just defines a stretch where we haven’t been who we are. But they’re going to get back to who they are and they’re going to get back to doing the things that not only got them here, they’re going to get back to doing the things that have kept them here and made them the players they are.”

Garrett Crochet ready for next step in rehab

Reliever Garrett Crochet will start a rehab assignment Sunday as he moves a step closer to returning from Tommy John surgery.

/The left-hander/ will spend time with Double-A Birmingham and then join Triple-A Charlotte. Whenever he makes his first appearance, it will be his first minor-league game.

“Excited to ride the bus,” Crochet joked Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field. “I talked to a bunch of guys in (the clubhouse), and they’re giving me a hard time about it, but I’m excited.”

The team’s 2020 first-round draft pick, Crochet joined the Sox from the Schaumburg training facility that September and remained in the big leagues. He underwent Tommy John surgery last year after exiting a spring training game with a torn left ulnar collateral ligament.

Crochet was at Guaranteed Rate Field as a part of a health check-in.

“It’s huge,” Crochet said of what’s ahead. “Had a lot of help along the way from a lot of the trainers down in (Arizona), from my wife, teammates motivating me along the way. It just means the world. I just can’t wait to get back here and be permanent.”

The Sox announced a pair of minor-league deals Friday, signing outfielder Clint Frazier and reliever Bryan Shaw. Frazier is with Charlotte. Shaw will head to the organization’s facility in Arizona before joining Charlotte. The Sox also outrighted pitcher A.J. Alexy to Charlotte.