Burke Shines but White Sox Bats Fall Silent in 4-2 Loss to Mariners

In a game that embodied the fatigue of Spring Training, Sean Burke delivered a solid performance, yet the White Sox bats remained dormant, leading to a 4-2 loss against the Mariners. Burke, who is set to take the mound as the “Day After Opening Day Starter,” allowed only two runs over five innings, but his efforts were overshadowed by a lack of offensive support against the defending AL West champions.

Despite his fastball velocity dipping to an average of just over 92 mph—down from the 94-95 mph range he showcased earlier in the spring—Burke managed to strike out six batters. This performance could suggest that the sophomore right-hander was pacing himself ahead of his regular-season debut on Saturday. However, the reduced velocity was evident, particularly when he served a high fastball to Mitch Garver, who capitalized on the mistake.

On the other side of the mound, Bryan Woo proved to be a formidable opponent for the White Sox. After allowing a double to Andrew Benintendi to start the game, Woo settled in, retiring the next 16 batters, four by strikeout. His fastball, which touched 97 mph, kept the White Sox hitters off balance, as they struggled to make solid contact, averaging just 84 mph on balls in play during his tenure.

Burke’s outing concluded with the arrival of lefty Chris Murphy, who threw a scoreless sixth inning. Murphy’s performance is likely to be his last before making his major league roster debut. In the Chicago half of the inning, it was Reese McGuire, the newest member of the club, who finally broke through against Woo with a one-out double. Chase Meidroth followed with a clutch hit that drove in a run, momentarily energizing the White Sox offense.

After Woo’s exit, Andrés Muñoz took over for the Mariners, and the White Sox bats, already struggling, faced a tough challenge. The remainder of the game felt like a formality as both teams seemed eager to wrap up Spring Training. Lucas Sims delivered a solid performance in the seventh, but Chase Plymell faltered in the eighth, allowing two more runs to the Mariners.

Despite the struggles, the White Sox managed to plate a run in the eighth thanks to another solo home run from McGuire, who appeared to relish the opportunity to shine. The game wrapped up with Cooper Criswell on the mound for Seattle, who faced a brief scare when Rikuu Nishida’s bloop single nearly ignited a comeback. The White Sox loaded the bases with one out, but Criswell tightened his grip to secure the victory for Seattle.

This loss brings the White Sox back to a .500 record for Spring Training with one final chance to end on a positive note. They will face the Athletics in Mesa tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch set for 2 p.m. CT. Anthony Kay will take the mound, looking to make a strong impression ahead of his return to the big leagues. Leigh Allan, who has yet to miss a beat in coverage this spring, will be on the call.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.