For the first two games of the White Sox’ series against the Athletics, manager Will Venable used Tyler Gilbert as a one-inning opener.
Following Gilbert have been “starters” Sean Burke and Jonathan Cannon.
‘‘There’s some times with opposing lineups where you know you’re going to get matchups that you like with the lefties on the top three,’’ Venable told reporters in Sacramento, California. “Then you’re in the position with your bullpen to capture that matchup up front and put your starter in a better position, too.’’
Venable said he made the decision to put his starters in the best situation to succeed. On Saturday, Cannon pitched 7⅔ innings, allowing three runs and six hits and striking out five in the Sox’ 10-3 victory. On Friday, Burke pitched 5⅓ innings, allowing four runs (three earned) and five hits with five strikeouts and two walks in a 6-5 loss.
Burke and Cannon have struggled this season. Cannon has walked batters at a higher rate than he did last season, raising his pitch counts and shortening his starts.
Burke has struggled since pitching six scoreless innings on Opening Day against the Angels. The Sox’ 8-4 victory last Sunday against the Red Sox was the first start in which Burke went at least five innings since the season opener. Burke said the start, in which he allowed four runs (one earned) and five hits with five strikeouts in five innings, was one to build off because of how he executed his off-speed pitches.
‘‘I definitely feel better with where my stuff’s at,’’ Burke told the Sun-Times. ‘‘I was pleased with how I was sequencing some guys, so just continuing to go over the video with that and looking at some data from last year — some sequences and pitch locations that were successful — and just hope to replicate that a little more.’’
Burke’s problem has been location. His slider has been hit hard; opponents are batting .295 against it. A lot of Burke’s struggles have stemmed from hanging the slider too high in the zone. Against the Guardians, he got hammered because he repeatedly left the slider in the middle of the zone. He’s working to get it down more consistently.
‘‘That’s his bread-and-butter,’’ pitching coach Ethan Katz told the Sun-Times. ‘‘That was the one thing [Burke] did so well last year: He got the [slider] down and away to righties. And right now, when they have hit it, it’s just the middle-middle. [Sliders] are always going to be his main secondary weapon, and the curveball is very good, too, but the slider is the main focus.’’
In Burke’s last two appearances, his off-speed pitches have improved. He has been able to throw his curveball and slider where he has wanted. Burke entered this season with only 19 innings pitched in the majors and only 108 in three seasons at Triple-A.
Because general manager Chris Getz didn’t sign another veteran starter outside of left-hander Martin Perez — who’s out for the season with an elbow injury — Burke will have the opportunity to work through his issues. Though the results haven’t been as good as he would hope, he’s keeping the bigger picture in mind.
‘‘It’s important,’’ Burke said of getting consistent outings. ‘‘You get 32 starts a year, so there’s gonna be some bad ones sprinkled in. But I’m just making sure I’m learning from it and not making the same mistake over and over.’’