After four Baltimore pitchers combined on a four-hitter in a 2-1 victory against the host Chicago White Sox on Monday, Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers aspires to keep the relief corps as well-rested as possible on Tuesday afternoon.
“I take it upon myself to try to go as deep in games the best I can,” he said ahead of the middle contest of a three-game series.
Rogers (2-0, 1.38 ERA) is hoping to extend his season-opening dominance at home to his first road outing. He delivered quality starts in Baltimore against the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers, allowing two earned runs while striking out eight over 13 innings.
Rogers has delivered 15 quality starts in his past 20 outings while yielding two runs or fewer 18 times. Tuesday marks his first career appearance against the White Sox.
White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth collected two walks and a single on Monday. Chicago worked two walks against Orioles closer Ryan Helsley to start the ninth inning and moved the tying run to third base with one out but was unable to complete the comeback, losing at home for the first time in four contests this season.
Right-hander Shane Smith (0-2, 19.29) will get the call for the White Sox on Tuesday. Smith has worked just 4 2/3 innings over his two starts this season. He is coming off a road loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, when he allowed eight runs, seven earned, and eight hits in three innings with two walks and a strikeout.
An All-Star as a rookie last season, Smith is working to regain the feel for his fastball, which set up much of his dominance in 2025.
“The fastball command. That’s a really good pitch for him,” White Sox pitching coach Zach Bove said, “so get that in a good spot. And if we got to pivot using the other pitches that play like (it), that’s going to be the key for him.”
Added manager Will Venable following the loss to the Marlins: “Just another outing where we didn’t see the Shane that we are used to.”
Chicago’s attack may be in need of a jolt, too. Left fielder Austin Hays had one of the club’s four hits on Monday before leaving the game in the fourth inning. Hays strained his right hamstring while trying to make a play on Tyler O’Neill’s RBI single.
The White Sox said Hays would undergo further evaluation.
Gunnar Henderson drove in Baltimore’s other run with a homer. Henderson has gone deep twice in the past four games and credits a greater focus on keeping his head still during his swing for an added ability to drive the ball.
“Definitely got to see it to hit it,” Henderson said. “That’s step No. 1.”
Smith lost to the Orioles in Chicago last September in his lone career appearance against them. He yielded six runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Samuel Basallo connected for a two-run home run against Smith.
The Tuesday game was moved up 4 1/2 hours to 3:10 p.m. ET due to a forecast of cold temperatures at night.
–Field Level Media
