White Sox swept by Rays after ninth-inning collapse; offense struggles continue despite strong pitching during 5-8 stretch since April 3.

The Chicago White Sox returned home after splitting a four-game set with the Kansas City Royals, a notable accomplishment considering they arrived in Kansas City having lost 14 in a row at Kauffman Stadium. Nevertheless, any hopes of creating momentum from their dismal start to the 2026 season were quickly dashed. On Thursday afternoon, the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep that culminated in an ugly ninth-inning collapse.

The White Sox offense remains abysmal and sits last in Major League Baseball in team batting average and OPS. The club is 5-8 since April 3 despite receiving some of the best pitching in baseball.

Debuts and Losses

The White Sox called up top pitching prospect Noah Schultz to make his major league debut. He allowed three earned runs on three hits with four walks. The left-hander settled in after a rough first inning and finished with 4.1 innings on 82 pitches.

Relievers Lucas Sims and Brandon Eisert followed and posted identical pitching lines. Each threw 1.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out one.

Rays starter Shane McClanahan earned his first win since 2023 in the series opener after injuries sidelined him. He tossed five innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out four. The only damage he allowed came on a third-inning, three-run blast by Everson Pereira that pulled the Sox within a run.

Story continues below.

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Munetaka Murakami hit a ninth-inning homer off former White Sox right-hander Yoendrys Gómez to make it 8-5.

In the second game, the Rays pounded the Sox 8-3. Junior Caminero, Jake Fraley, and Jonny DeLuca homered, with DeLuca’s three-run shot capping a four-run seventh inning against left-hander Tyler Gilbert.

Former White Sox pitcher Jesse Scholtens threw five innings of one-hit ball in relief of Tampa Bay opener Cole Sulser.

The Sox scored three times in the ninth to avoid a third shutout in five games. The game also featured another highly touted debut, as infielder Sam Antonacci singled in his first major league at-bat to lead off the second inning.

No Moral Victories

The teams exchanged runs throughout the series finale, which ended in a 5-3 loss.

Miguel Vargas opened the scoring in the third inning with a solo home run.

With the game tied at 1, catcher Edgar Quero gave the Sox the lead in the sixth with a ground-rule double.

The Rays responded in the seventh with a two-out RBI single from Richie Palacios that deflected off Vargas’ glove at third base. Pereira then hit his second homer of the series in the eighth, giving Chicago a 3-2 lead.

That is when everything unraveled.

Caminero led off the ninth with a game-tying homer against closer Seranthony Domínguez. Domínguez then loaded the bases after recording a strikeout. Manager Will Venable called on Sims, the seventh Sox pitcher of the afternoon.

Sims struck out Fraley on a full-count pitch that was initially called a ball before being overturned after a challenge. However, he then walked the next two batters, handing Tampa Bay its sixth consecutive win.

News and Notes

Since sweeping the reigning AL champion Toronto Blue Jays in their opening home series, the White Sox have lost eight of their last 10 games, scoring just 25 runs during that stretch. They have dropped six straight home games, been swept twice, and shut out twice.

National anthem singer Gerald Chaney collapsed on the field during the anthem. He received emergency medical treatment before being transported to a hospital. He is in stable condition and undergoing further evaluation.

Vargas’ home run snapped a 1-for-30 slump and came after a 2-2 pitch was overturned from a strike to a ball. Quero’s ground-rule double was his first extra-base hit and drove in his first run of the season.

Catcher Kyle Teel will travel with the team to Sacramento and is expected to begin a rehab assignment while the club is in Arizona. If all goes well, he could make his 2026 debut when the White Sox return home on Friday, April 24.

What’s On Tap Next?

The White Sox begin a six-game road trip Friday with the opener of a three-game series against the Athletics. Davis Martin is scheduled to start against former White Sox pitcher Aaron Civale.

First pitch is set for 8:40 p.m. CT and will air on CHSN.