The White Sox have maintained all year that empowering their players to be aggressive with ABS challenges of umpires’ ball-and-strike calls will pay larger dividends on balance, even if it entails some nights where the club burns through both their ABS challenges in short order.
They probably hoped such a scenario didn’t take place in the third inning of Game 3 of the American League Division Series, as catcher Kyle Teel–who had been 7-for-8 in the postseason entering Wednesday–lost both ABS challenges in successive plate appearances while trying to guide a wild Bryan Hudson through a disastrous, four-run frame.
“I felt good, he put a good swing on it,” said Hagen Smith, who relieved Hudson but yielded a bases-clearing triple to Jo Adell that put two more runs on Hudson’s tab.
Did the lack of challenges contribute to an ugly afternoon where the White Sox lost the battle of the strike zone, with their pitchers issuing 10 walks and their hitters punching out 19 times? It didn’t help, but it would be hard for the ABS system to carry that much weight.
“Just need to be better,” said Teel. “Bad game for me [with] challenging. Learn from it, do better tomorrow, but it’s got to be better.”
The Sox further lost a replay challenge in the bottom of the fourth, immediately after the Guardians successfully challenged that left-hander Foster Griffin’s pitch did not hit Tristan Peters in the hand but instead hit his bat. Sox manager Will Venable countered by challenging that catcher Patrick Bailey had committed catcher’s interference on Peters’ check-swing, but to no avail.
This all took place in the second pitch of the at-bat, before Peters eventually doubled home Chase Meidroth on the ninth.
Antonacci did his part
White Sox rookie Sam Antonacci usually defines his job on offense as just getting on base, especially when facing fellow left-handers. It’s hard to quibble with his work in a losing effort on Wednesday.
Antonacci’s only hit came on a medium-speed ground ball up the middle off lefty Joey Cantillo. Yet he reached base four times, including scoring after a leadoff walk in the first. The other two times? You’re supposed to lean on your strengths in the postseason, and MLB’s hit-by-pitch leader was plunked twice in Game 3, including to force home a run with the bases loaded in the sixth.
Playoff atmosphere
A mistake-filled blowout loss did not put White Sox players in an especially reflective mood about fan support, but there are only so many chances to play in front of 40,590 screaming fans dressed in all black.
“To be real honest, I was a little emotional,” said right-hander Davis Martin, the team’s longest-tenured player. “National anthem, like just seeing it all and experiencing what we went through in [2024], and just to get back to this point was unbelievable.”
The Sox will be leaning on fan support again on Thursday, with another chance to clinch a bid to the American League Championship Series.
“They’ve been amazing all year,” said Meidroth. “We wouldn’t have been in this spot without them and we’re looking forward to [Thursday].”
Scoreboard watching
With the Yankees down 2-0 and facing elimination in their ALDS matchup against the Rays, whether they can stay alive affects the White Sox’ Game 4 start time. Sox-Guardians is scheduled for 4pm CT, but will shift to 7pm if the Yankees lose.