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The White Sox Rotation Has Put Up (Mostly) Zeroes So Far
As you might expect from a team that set a record for futility with 121 losses last year, then traded its ace over the winter, the White Sox did not enter this season with a powerhouse rotation. In fact, according to our Positional Power Rankings, Chicago is projected to have the second-worst starting pitching in the majors, ahead of only the A’s. Yet that rotation has already earned a spot in the history books, as the South Side starters have yet to allow an earned run through the season’s first four games.
Admittedly, the word earned is a load-bearing one in that last sentence. But in becoming just the fifth team to pull off this feat in the 113 years since earned runs became an official statistic, Chicago’s unlikely accomplishment is worth noting, a fluky and probably fleeting performance that has at least earned its run in Small Sample Theater, particularly given the circumstances surrounding it. I’ll get to those, but first let’s meet the company the Sox are keeping:
Rotations That Didn’t Allow an Earned Run
Through the Team’s First Four Games
Through the Team’s First Four Games
| Team | Season | IP | H | UER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Sox | 1914 | 35.0 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 20 |
| Brewers | 1976 | 29.2 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 11 |
| Giants | 2013 | 26.0 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 22 |
| Blue Jays | 2019 | 24.0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 28 |
| White Sox | 2025 | 23.0 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 19 |
SOURCE: Baseball-Reference
That’s not a particularly heralded bunch of teams, at least outside of the 1914 Red Sox, who went 91-62 and finished in second the American League. Their season-opening rotation included Dutch Leonard, who still holds the AL record with a 0.96 ERA; in July, they added a 19-year-old lefty named Babe Ruth. The other three predecessors finished below .500, and not by a little; the Giants went 76-86 between championship seasons, the Brewers 66-95, and the Blue Jays 67-95. Even so, they all caught lightning in a bottle during the season’s first week, as have the White Sox, who are 2-2. Last year, they didn’t notch their second win until their 11th game. Read the rest of this entry »
Effectively Wild Episode 2303: Bat After This
April 1, 2025
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley have an in-depth discussion on all aspects of the sport’s topic du jour: torpedo/bowling-pin/juggling-pin(?) bats. They also banter (59:58) about the abysmal beginning of Rafael Devers’s season, Aaron Judge’s interviews, MLB’s attempt to make up for its MLB.TV outage, the vibes at Blue Jays games, Willson Contreras eating bat tape, Jack Leiter taking a ball to the beans, the invasion of Chases, and Sutter Health Park, plus (1:37:22) several follow-ups.
Audio intro: Philip Tapley and Michael Stokes, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Audio outro: Cory Brent, “Effectively Wild Theme”
Link to Ben on the bats
Link to many bat-related links
Link to official bat change
Link to Judge quotes
Link to Waldman clip
Link to Contreras clip
Link to Contreras story
Link to Leiter clip
Link to r/tragedeigh
Link to listener emails database
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Jay Jaffe FanGraphs Chat – 4/1/25
| 12:04 |
 Jay Jaffe: Good afternoon, folks, and welcome to my first solo regular season chat! It’s been a few weeks since I could occupy this slot; at this time last week, I was in the midst of a fruitless trip to the DMV, where a reservation apparently doesn’t mean what you think it means. Anyway, it’s the first of April, which means that it’s my mother’s 83rd birthday; she’s not reading this chat, but I note it merely to introduce the guarantee that none of what follows will be in the form of an April Fool’s joke. I spend enough time mixing bullshit with earnestness in my online persona that some people have enough trouble figuring out which is which, so let’s just skip that part.
Anyway, yesterday I took a look at some goings-on in the Diamondbacks rotation https://blogs.fangraphs.com/jordan-montgomery-may-be-done-as-a-diamond… |
| 12:05 |
Jay Jaffe: Hot off the presses, I’ve got a piece about the White Sox rotation, which through the season’s first four games has yet to allow an earned run — a fluky thing but one that’s earned them a run in Small Sample Theater. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-white-sox-rotation-has-put-up-mostly-z…
|
| 12:06 |
Jay Jaffe: Like, that sucker just went live while I started typing that paragraph. Don’t burn your hands. And now, on with the show…
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| 12:06 |
: Happy May Day one month early! What’s the most optimistic you’re allowing yourself to be about Dustin May this year?
|
| 12:07 |
Jay Jaffe: Let’s say 15 starts, some relief appearances, good performance and a spot in the postseason bullpen. Hope springs eternal!
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| 12:07 |
: Howdy Jay! Let’s lump ’em all together and ask: Should Devers be swinging a torpedo bat right now?
|
Suspension, Injury, Losing Streak: Braves Await Other Seven Biblical Plagues
One weekend into the 2025 regular season, baseball is already throwing up some pretty big surprises. Here’s one: The Atlanta Braves have the worst record in baseball. The Braves! The perennial best non-Dodger team in the National League, with their Toyota pickup-level dependable lineup and fountain of talented young arms, went 0-4 against the Padres.
Then, on Monday afternoon, more bad news dropped: Jurickson Profar has been suspended 80 games for violating MLB’s policy on performance enhancing drugs. Minutes after Profar’s suspension came out, Reynaldo López was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. All this comes amidst Brian Snitker, the club’s beloved and highly successful manager, hinting that he might hang up his lineup card at the end of the year. And to top off this day of crap, Grant Holmes got knocked around in the series opener against the Dodgers and Atlanta dropped to 0-5.
Fortunately, MLB Shop is already selling jerseys to commemorate the occasion:
As a general principle, I scoff at the idea that a bad weekend can be characterized as a crisis at any point before Labor Day. In case you disagree, consider that the team that ended the weekend atop the NL East was not the Phillies or Mets but the Marlins. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If the Marlins are in first place, it’s too early to panic. Even after the beatings continued against Dodgers, morale should not be bottoming out this early. Read the rest of this entry »
The Latter Years of Jacob deGrom
by Ben Clemens
April 1, 2025
I have a hot baseball take. The most dominant performer I’ve seen in real life isn’t Shohei Ohtani, or Aaron Judge, or Barry Bonds. It’s Jacob deGrom, and specifically the form that deGrom showed starting in 2019. He mostly threw fastballs and sliders. He only attacked one side of the plate. It sounds like a bad approach, one that a thoughtful hitter could easily exploit. Yet it was absolutely, completely unhittable.
Why? First, deGrom’s fastball is a unicorn. His combination of release point, shape, velocity, and command means that batters are trying to hit flat and even seemingly rising pitches on the edges of the plate. By releasing so low and yet generating so much backspin, he’s defying expectations. By throwing it so hard, he’s giving batters less time to react. By spotting it on the edge of the plate, he’s giving them no good options even if they swing; it’s hard to do damage on pitches that avoid the center of the plate.
From 2020 to 2022, the velocity part of this equation kicked into overdrive. In each of those years, deGrom averaged 98.7 mph or faster with his fastball. But it turns out it still looks pretty good at 97:
Toronto Blue Jays Top 40 Prospects
Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the Toronto Blue Jays. Scouting reports were compiled with information provided by industry sources as well as our own observations. This is the fifth year we’re delineating between two anticipated relief roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see in the “position” column below: MIRP for multi-inning relief pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning relief pitchers. The ETAs listed generally correspond to the year a player has to be added to the 40-man roster to avoid being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual adjustments are made where they seem appropriate, but we use that as a rule of thumb.
A quick overview of what FV (Future Value) means can be found here. A much deeper overview can be found here.
All of the ranked prospects below also appear on The Board, a resource the site offers featuring sortable scouting information for every organization. It has more details (and updated TrackMan data from various sources) than this article and integrates every team’s list so readers can compare prospects across farm systems. It can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »
Job Posting: Cleveland Guardians – Pro Acquisitions Analyst
Pro Acquisitions Analyst
Department: Baseball Operations
Employee Type: Full Time
FLSA: Exempt
Primary Purpose
The Cleveland Guardians Baseball Operations department is seeking analysts who are creative, curious, and collaborative teammates who enjoy tackling unique and challenging problems. The Pro Acquisitions Department is charged with preparing for acquisition opportunities through every avenue of professional player acquisition by leading in-depth player and market analysis and synthesizing information for organizational leadership. The Pro Acquisitions Analyst will collaborate with different stakeholders to drive continuous process improvements in player evaluations and valuations, new data streams, and player recommendations.
Core Job Functions
Analysts are expected to work in a fast-paced, team environment and communicate effectively with various organizational stakeholders. The core responsibility is comprehensive player analysis to create accurate valuations, identify and fill information gaps, and synthesize information for organizational leaders. The bullets below are intended to capture major realms in which work might be focused, although the specifics might differ based on their interests, skillset, and the team’s needs.
- Facilitate and conduct evidence-based player analysis in support of Pro Player Acquisitions using all available information streams.
- Continually assess market conditions, team trends and acquisition opportunities across all acquisition avenues.
- Build and maintain various high priority pref lists.
- Communicate findings to key stakeholders in a clear, comprehensible manner.
- Work collaboratively with Baseball Research & Development to uncover actionable insights across fundamental, strategic and valuation processes.
- Work collaboratively with Baseball Systems to build and manage software products that directly drive our internal processes.
- Facilitate and conduct analysis to support organizational strategic planning, particularly for key acquisition windows.
- Provide player-specific valuations and transactional recommendations using organizational best practices and valuation frameworks.
We know that historically marginalized groups – including people of color, women, people from working class backgrounds, and people who identify as LGBTQ – are less likely to apply unless and until they meet every requirement for a job. We encourage you to reach out if you have questions about the role or your qualifications. We are happy to help you feel ready to apply!
Basic Requirements
- Ability to craft and articulate a compelling message to others in both written and verbal form.
- Collaborative and able to succeed in a team-oriented environment.
- An ability to build and maintain relationships with a broad range of baseball operations employees, including but not limited to scouts, coaches, and front office members.
- Willing to frequently work nights, weekends, and holidays—particularly during the season.
- Expected relocation to Cleveland.
Preferred Experience
While we don’t expect any candidate to meet every requirement, we’re looking for either a breadth of experience or deep expertise in a particular area. We’re considering applicants with a wide variety of past experiences.
- Demonstrated expertise in player analysis, valuation frameworks, and market behavior.
- Working knowledge of cutting-edge, publicly available baseball research.
- Demonstrated understanding of statistics and experience carrying out quantitative analysis.
- Bachelor’s degree or prior professional experience.
- Track record of and proficiency with relationship building in the baseball industry.
- Demonstrated experience with a database language such as SQL and R.
Organizational Requirements
- Reads, speaks, comprehends, and communicates English effectively in all communications.
- Represents the Cleveland Guardians in a positive fashion to all business partners and the general public.
- Ability to develop and maintain successful working relationships with members of the Front Office.
- Ability to act according to the organizational values and service excellence at all times.
- Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse populations and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
- Ability to walk, sit or stand for an entire shift.
- Ability to work extended days and hours, including holidays and weekends.
- Ability to move throughout all areas and levels of the Ballpark.
- Ability to work in a diverse and changing environment.
- Occasional physical activity such as lifting and carrying boxes up to 25 lbs.
At the Cleveland Guardians, we are all about creating an inclusive environment that brings out the best in everyone. It is a big part of who we are, how we compete, and how we make an impact in our community. We want every employee to feel like they truly belong here.
We also know that people from historically underserved groups—like women and people of color—sometimes hesitate to apply for jobs unless they check every single box on the qualifications list. We’re looking for the best person for the job, and we know that you might bring skills and experiences that aren’t exactly listed but could be a huge asset to our team. So, if this role excites you, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t meet every single qualification.
About Us
In Baseball Operations, our shared goal is to identify and develop diverse players and front office teammates who contribute to our mission. By effectively and collaboratively working together, we create a family atmosphere that supports learning as we strive for excellence in everything we do. We believe that we will achieve our goals by making evidence-based decisions and creating environments that support our people and empower them to learn.
To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.
The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Cleveland Guardians.
Crafty and Mindful, Bowden Francis Is a More Serene Version of Max Scherzer
Bowden Francis was one of baseball’s best pitchers over the final two months of the 2024 season. From August onward, the 28-year-old Toronto Blue Jays righty made nine starts and posted a 1.53 ERA with 56 strikeouts while allowing just 24 hits and seven walks across 59 innings.
All told, Francis recorded a 3.30 ERA, a 22.5% strikeout rate, and a 5.4% walk rate last season across his 27 appearances (13 starts) spanning 103 2/3 innings. It stands to reason that the minuscule .211 BABIP he allowed isn’t repeatable, though it may not be due for as much of a regression as you might expect. Inducing weak contact is Francis’ modus operandi on the mound, and a low BABIP is a feature of his game, not a fluke.
Considering the priority for pitchers to generate as many swings and misses as possible, when I spoke with Francis during spring training, I wanted to understand his approach to pitching. Specifically, I asked him, “How do you get guys out?”
“Pounding the strike zone,” said Francis, who was selected out of Chipola Junior College in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. “Strike percentage, getting guys on their heels more. Mixing it up and moving it around, trying to keep them off balance. Pitchability is my thing. I’ve never been super-overpowering. I’ve always been more on the crafty side.” Read the rest of this entry »