White Sox defeat Angels, 8-1, to start season on winning note

LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune on Mar 27, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CHICAGO — Sean Burke became just the seventh pitcher in the last 100 years to start on Opening Day with fewer than 20 career innings pitched in the majors.

Burke showed the poise of a veteran when Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field could have gotten away from the Chicago White Sox early.

The right-hander worked out of danger in the first and second innings and then settled into a groove as the Sox opened the 2025 season with an 8-1 victory in front of 31,403 at Rate Field.

Burke allowed three hits and struck out three in six scoreless innings to aid the Sox in Will Venable’s first game as the team’s manager.

Burke, 25, made his fourth career start and fifth overall appearance Thursday.

In the process, he joined the Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela (17 2/3) in 1981, St. Louis’ Tom Poholsky (14 2/3) in 1951, Pittsburgh’s Preacher Roe (2 2/3) in 1944, Brooklyn’s Hal Gregg (18 2/3) in 1944, Philadelphia’s Eddie Smith (19) in 1937 and Philadelphia’s Carroll Yerkes (9 2/3) in 1929 as pitchers in the last 100 years to start on Opening Day with fewer than 20 career innings pitched.

Burke’s 19 career innings entering the day were the fewest for a Sox Opening Day starter, eclipsing the previous marks of 61 by Patsy Flaherty in 1903. Garrett Crochet had 73 before his start in 2024.

Burke became the sixth pitcher in the last 70 years to start on Opening Day with three or fewer career starts, joining the Crochet in 2024 (zero), Texas’ Tanner Scheppers in 2014 (zero), Colorado’s David Nied in 1993 (two), San Francisco’s Al Holland in 1982 (three) and Valenzuela in 1981 (zero).

Burke had to navigate through some tough stretches early in the game.

The Angels had runners on the corners with one out in the first when Burke struck out Jorge Soler swinging on a 3-2 slider. Burke then struck out former Sox shortstop Tim Anderson — who received an extended ovation before the at-bat in his return to Rate Field — looking with a 2-2 inside fastball.

The Angels placed runners on the corners with two outs in the second. Taylor Ward bounced out to shortstop Jacob Amaya.

The Sox broke through with three runs in the second with a blast and a bloop.

Newcomer Austin Slater led off the inning with a home run to left. Korey Lee and Amaya singled with one out. They moved up a base on a groundout and scored when Miguel Vargas blooped a double just out of the reach of diving center fielder Jo Adell.

Meanwhile, Burke was locked in. He retired the final 14 batters he faced.

Reliever Penn Murfee struck out the side in the seventh. The Angels had two on with two outs in the eighth when Mike Clevinger entered to face Mike Trout. Clevinger walked Trout in a nine-pitch battle, loading the bases for Soler. The count went full before Clevinger struck out Soler swinging to end the inning.

Insurance in the form of a three-run home run from Andrew Benintendi came in the eighth. Lenyn Sosa added a two-run blast later in the inning.

Logan O’Hoppe’s solo home run with two outs in the top of the ninth off Cam Booser accounted for the Angels’ run.

With the victory, the Sox are over the .500 mark for the first time since winning the 2023 season opener in Houston.

Roster moves

Before the game, the Sox officially selected the contracts of Clevinger, outfielder Travis Jankowski and infielder Nick Maton.

They also placed infielders Bryan Ramos (right elbow strain) and Josh Rojas (right toe fracture) and outfielder Mike Tauchman (right hamstring strain) on the 10-day injured list, placed pitcher Tyler Gilbert (left knee bursitis) on the 15-day IL and pitcher Drew Thorpe (Tommy John surgery) on the 60-day IL.

Pitcher Jake Eder and outfielder Dominic Fletcher were designated for assignment.