By providing excellent defense in center field and staying healthy while earning the major-league minimum, Tristan Peters has given the White Sox every bit the replacement for Luis Robert Jr. they wanted.
But it’s the .301/.354/.478 batting line in the first half that made Peters an American League All-Star. That sort of breakout results in an adjustment.
‘‘They’re just throwing me a lot more offspeed [stuff] because I hammered fastballs,’’ Peters told the Sun-Times. ‘‘Honestly, they were just pitching me well around the corners and stuff, too.’’
Given that the 26-year-old rookie never even had crushed Triple-A pitching to such a degree, the Sox weren’t stunned by Peters regressing a bit. They just hoped it would arrive more gently than a 4-for-48 skid to open the second half.
The Sox liked Peters in part because of his track record of swing decisions, but chasing pitches out of the strike zone more than 30% of the time indicated he would come down from his strong start. That he entered Friday batting .286/.388/.452 in August is owed to returning to a more patient approach.
‘‘I always like jumping the first pitch, but making that a smaller zone [is what] I’m looking for,’’ Peters said. ‘‘It’s more where I’m chasing is the bigger issue than how much chasing. If I’m chasing up, that means my approach is in the right spot.’’
Doyle ready to make adjustments
Despite losing Robert’s fly to center in the lights in the fourth inning, Brenton Doyle’s defensive bona fides were well-established upon his arrival at the trade deadline. But in acquiring the two-time Gold Glove winner from the Rockies to be Peters’ right-handed platoon partner, the Sox had a plan to improve Doyle’s offense.
‘‘Definitely did throw some things [at me] right away, but they’re not anything crazy substantial to where I feel uncomfortable with it,’’ said Doyle, who has moved his hands farther from his head in his setup. ‘‘Being a long and kind of lanky guy, I always thought I needed to overcompensate, staying super-tight. But I could use my long limbs as an advantage and create some more space and a little bit more torque and bat speed.’’
Outside of 23-homer season in 2024, Doyle has been a well-below-average major-league hitter. To his credit, that has made him willing to implement some changes right away.
‘‘His willingness when he got here to say, ‘I feel like what I did in ’24 I haven’t done since then, and I want to know why,’ that’s cool,’’ hitting coach Derek Shomon said. ‘‘There’s an open door to have some real, honest conversations.’’
Charlotte awaits Martin, Teel
Right-hander Davis Martin has two bullpen sessions scheduled (Saturday and Tuesday) before heading out to Triple-A Charlotte for a rehab assignment as he works back from a blister on his right middle finger. He might need only one rehab start.
Catcher Kyle Teel (sprained left ankle) is scheduled to run the bases this weekend and likely will begin a rehab assignment next week. Manager Will Venable didn’t promise it would be a short one.
‘‘With the injuries he’s had, kind of the stop-and-go of his year, you really just want to make sure that he’s in a good spot,’’ Venable said.