The White Sox\u2019 relief corps continues to lead the majors in innings pitched, and at the rate the starters are going, the relievers should win in a runaway.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not a good thing.<\/p>\n
Left-hander Anthony Kay allowed five runs in 4 \u2153 innings Saturday in the Sox\u2019 6-4 loss to the Twins, his third consecutive start with fewer than five innings. It extended the rotation\u2019s failure to reach six innings to 14 consecutive games. The Sox have weathered their starters\u2019 inability to pitch deep into games this long, but you have to wonder how much longer they can.<\/p>\n
The Sox gave Kay a 3-0 lead in the first on a two-run homer by Munetaka Murakami, his 30th of the season, and a solo shot by Colson Montgomery, his 31st. But after pitching three hitless innings, Kay began to unravel, the big blow coming on Ryan Jeffers\u2019 three-run homer in the fifth, a 415-foot shot to left field.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got in a groove early and then kind of fell apart,\u201d Kay said. \u201cSecond and third time around, they pick up good swings. It comes down to execution and maybe some pitch-calling that we can work on second time, third time through. They\u2019re clearly seeing something that we have to work on.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to find ways to get outs and get through the fifth there,\u201d manager Will Venable said. \u201cObviously, it\u2019s been something that we\u2019ve been struggling with as a staff. You\u2019re in a spot going into that inning, I think 62-63 pitches, and you want to be able to push through. Just some pitches left over the middle of the plate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last Sox starter to pitch six innings was Sean Burke on Aug. 21. It hasn\u2019t happened nearly enough, and the Sox have to hope that an overworked bullpen doesn\u2019t come back to bite them in the final 20 games of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to expose guys to some spots like we did today in the fifth with Kay facing [right-handed-hitting] Jeffers where you\u2019re going to have some trouble you\u2019ve got to be able to work through,\u201d Venable said. <\/p>\n
Rotation roulette<\/p>\n
Venable changed the Sox\u2019 rotation, taking advantage of the team\u2019s day off Monday. He moved Sean Burke from Sunday in the series finale against the Twins to Tuesday in the opener against the Pirates. Bryan Hudson will be the opener for a bullpen day Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201c[We] have a chance to line some things up,\u201d Venable said. \u201cWe\u2019re looking ahead and trying to get guys in the best spots. There\u2019s some implications with rest; there\u2019s some implications with matchups.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burke is more than 20 innings past his career high and probably could use the extra two days of rest. He\u2019s coming off one of his better starts of late in which he pitched 5 \u2154 scoreless innings of one-hit ball against the Astros, though he walked four.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen him so good,\u201d Venable said. \u201cFeel like he\u2019s getting back to form after a couple that maybe weren\u2019t as sharp as the previous stretch. Feel really good about where he\u2019s at and want to make sure that he stays there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burke will be followed by Davis Martin on Wednesday and a starter to be announced for Thursday. Based on the last run through the rotation, that would be Luis Castillo\u2019s turn. But since his seven scoreless innings Aug. 12 against the Reds, his ERA is 9.98 in four starts.<\/p>\n
Notes<\/p>\n
Catcher Kyle Teel felt good after his first game back from injury Friday. Teel, who missed six weeks with a sprained ankle, didn\u2019t start Saturday \u2014 he struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh and stayed in the game \u2014 but is expected to Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought he played at a really good pace, especially for his first game back,\u201d Venable said. \u201cI know there were emotions and some excitement. But he was really calm, really did a nice job being in tune with what he needed to do out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Winston-Salem outfielder George Wolkow, 20, became the youngest Sox minor-leaguer since at least 1981 (Adam Grundt) to reach 100 RBI in a season. The left-handed-hitting Wolkow is the Sox\u2019 14th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com.<\/p>\n