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Game Thread: White Sox (7-14) at Athletics (11-10)
TL;DR
Noah Schultz, the 22-year-old pitcher, is making his second big league start for the White Sox against the Athletics. His debut showcased a diverse pitching arsenal, including a fast average velocity of 97 mph.
Key points
- Noah Schultz is making his second big league start.
- He is a 22-year-old pitcher from Chicagoland.
- Schultz's average fastball velocity is 97 mph.
- He effectively used a sweeper pitch against left-handed hitters.
- The White Sox have a 7-14 record, while the Athletics are 11-10.
Noah SchultzChicago White SoxOakland Athletics
Noah Schultz dons the South Side pinstripes for the second time today. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
It’s Noah Schultz day, everyone!
The second big league start for the highly-hyped 22-year-old Chicagoland native is imminent, making for one of the more highly anticipated April contests in recent memory.
Let’s make a few observations about Schultz’s debut start so we can understand what we might expect today. Per Baseball Savant, Schultz flashed his entire six-pitch arsenal, but largely relied on four offerings. He used his sinker and four-seam fastball in roughly equal proportion to both right- and left-handed hitters, both clocking in around 97 mph, which would be the fourth-fastest average among all big league lefties this year. Against lefty hitters, Schultz turned to the sweeper as his out pitch, which worked to the extent that hitters went 0-for-3 against it with two strikes. Against righties, Schultz turned into someone Lance Lynn-esque, putting together an even mix of four-seamers, sinkers and cutters that function somewhat like a breaking ball. Now and then, he’ll also try to get a hitter with a back-foot sweeper that’s almost reminiscent of how Carlos Rodón would attack hitters at his peak.
The thing to watch out for today is Schultz’s changeup. He threw it 14% of the time in Triple-A against righties, but on Tuesday he only utilized it twice. With Jeff McNeil and Carlos Cortes getting a day off, the A’s are running out a heavily right-handed lineup. Schultz will need that changeup to keep developing, because his command of his sweeper and slider to righties was spotty on Tuesday and he needs a secondary out pitch to keep hitters on their toes in the event they’re not biting on breaking balls. If Schultz can command those pitches better or find a way to effectively utilize his changeup, we could be looking at a quite fun start on our hands.
Here’s the lineup that Sacramento manager Mark Kotsay has posted for his surprisingly competitive squad, who are sitting in a tie for first place in the AL West at this early junction:
Q&A
What is Noah Schultz's pitching style and arsenal?
Noah Schultz uses a six-pitch arsenal, primarily relying on his sinker and four-seam fastball, both averaging around 97 mph.
How did Noah Schultz perform in his debut start?
In his debut, Schultz effectively used his sweeper against left-handed hitters, achieving an 0-for-3 record against it with two strikes.
What are the current records of the White Sox and Athletics?
The White Sox have a record of 7-14, while the Athletics are currently at 11-10.
Who is Noah Schultz compared to in terms of pitching?
Noah Schultz's pitching style has been compared to Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodón, particularly in how he approaches hitters.