3 Takeaways as the Chicago White Sox Get Swept by the Baltimore Orioles in a Low-Scoring Series

June 1, 2025 – Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD

The Chicago White Sox exited Camden Yards on Sunday having endured a demoralizing sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles. The three-game set, defined by low run totals and missed opportunities, highlighted several troubling trends for the Sox. Their record now stands at 18–41 — among the worst in the American League — and the team continues to search for answers as it nears the midpoint of the 2025 season.

Despite close scorelines in all three games (5–2, 2–1, and 3–2), the White Sox were unable to pull out a single victory. A combination of poor situational hitting, defensive miscues, and inconsistent execution prevented Chicago from taking advantage of winnable games against a struggling Orioles team.

Here are three big-picture takeaways from the series — and what they suggest about the current state of the White Sox.

1. The Offense is Stuck in Neutral — and That Might Be Generous

Let’s be frank: the White Sox offense has been underwhelming all year, but this series illustrated how dramatically they’ve stalled. Across three games, Chicago managed just five total runs — and two of those were unearned. Even worse, they struck out 26 times and left 18 runners on base over the series.

RISP Troubles Continue

One of the most frustrating aspects of the team’s offensive output is their repeated failure with runners in scoring position (RISP). The Sox were 2-for-19 with RISP in the series — a paltry .105 average that all but guarantees losing outcomes. In key moments, batters expanded the zone, grounded into double plays, or struck out looking. This isn’t a new problem: the White Sox entered the series batting just .205 with RISP on the season, 29th in MLB.

While players like Luis Robert Jr. and Andrew Vaughn have shown flashes of power, the overall approach lacks consistency. Leadoff man Andrew Benintendi reached base in each game of the series, but the hitters behind him failed to capitalize. Even Mike Tauchman, one of the few offensive bright spots with a home run and triple in Game 3, found himself stranded after quality at-bats.

Lack of Identity at the Plate

Perhaps the most glaring issue is the absence of a clear offensive identity. This team doesn’t hit for average, doesn’t walk much, and hasn’t shown much home run power (ranked 26th in homers this year). They rely too heavily on solo efforts and struggle to mount multi-run innings. Without sustained rallies or a dependable middle of the lineup, they’ve become one of the most predictable lineups in baseball.

Until this offense can string together quality plate appearances, pressure pitchers, and punish mistakes, they will continue to falter even in games where the pitching holds up.

2. The Rotation is Showing Signs of Life — But It Needs Support

It may seem odd to highlight a positive during a sweep, but there’s one area where the White Sox have quietly improved: starting pitching. Over the past few weeks, the rotation has offered consistent performances, and this series was no exception.

Adrian Houser’s Resilience

In the finale, Adrian Houser gave Chicago a solid start: 6⅓ innings, 8 hits, 3 earned runs, 6 strikeouts, and 1 walk. While not dominant, he limited damage and gave his team a chance to win. In fact, Houser has quietly posted a 3.67 ERA over his last four starts, showing better command and efficiency. He mixed his fastball, cutter, and slider effectively against an Orioles lineup that’s recently heated up.

Other Bright Spots:

• Garrett Crochet, who pitched in Game 1, gave up three runs in five innings — not his best outing — but still flashed the electric stuff that makes him a future rotation mainstay.
• Drew Thorpe, a recent call-up and top pitching prospect, looked poised in his appearance, striking out four in just 3⅔ innings of relief across two games.

Collectively, the starters allowed just eight earned runs in 17.1 innings — good for a 4.15 ERA over the series. Not elite, but certainly competitive.

Lack of Run Support and Bullpen Issues

The problem? The starters are getting zero help from the offense, and the bullpen hasn’t been airtight either. In Game 3, Gregory Santos gave up a key double that allowed an insurance run. Earlier in the series, relievers issued walks and struggled to locate secondary pitches, turning tight games into uphill battles.

For the White Sox to turn things around, the rotation can’t carry the entire load. Starters like Houser, Crochet, and Thorpe have shown promise, but without support, their efforts will be wasted. Strengthening the bullpen and giving the offense a jolt must be top priorities for GM Chris Getz moving forward.

3. Defensive Inconsistency is a Game-Killer

It’s one thing to struggle at the plate. It’s another to give away runs in the field. Unfortunately, the White Sox are doing both.

Fielding Mishaps Mounting

In the series, two of the Orioles’ nine total runs were unearned, both resulting from Chicago errors. In Game 3, an errant throw by third baseman Yoán Moncada and a misplay by Paul DeJong led to extended innings. These mistakes turned manageable situations into scoring chances for the Orioles — chances they didn’t waste.

The White Sox rank near the bottom of the league in fielding percentage, and their -24 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) as of June 1 puts them among MLB’s least effective defensive teams. Routine plays are becoming question marks, and their defensive alignment often fails to prevent extra bases.

Poor Fundamentals, Communication Gaps

There have also been alarming breakdowns in communication — dropped relays, misjudged fly balls, and missed cutoff men. These aren’t just physical mistakes; they speak to preparation and awareness.

The defensive struggles also seem to affect the pitchers. Knowing the fielders behind you are error-prone can cause a pitcher to nibble, lose rhythm, and try to do too much. That’s why shoring up the defense — through better positioning, cleaner footwork, and sharper mental focus — is vital.

If the White Sox want to escape their current spiral, cleaning up the defense must be part of the plan. It may not be as flashy as fixing the offense, but its impact is felt every inning.

Where Do the White Sox Go from Here?

After the sweep in Baltimore, the White Sox find themselves buried in the AL Central. With the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and Cleveland Guardians all playing competitive baseball, the Sox are dangerously close to becoming irrelevant in the postseason conversation — if they’re not there already.

What’s Next?

• A four-game set with the AL Central-leading Tigers looms, starting June 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field. That’s either a chance to rebound or another opportunity for a tailspin.
• Players like Robert Jr., Benintendi, and Eloy Jiménez need to step up and lead by example — both offensively and defensively.
• Young pitchers like Thorpe need consistent work and mentorship. Now may be the time to give longer leashes to developing arms in anticipation of 2026 and beyond.
• Manager Will Venable will face increasing pressure to get this team moving in the right direction. He’s shown steady leadership, but results need to follow.

A Telling Statistic:

In games where the White Sox score 3 or more runs, they are 17–10. When scoring fewer than 3? They are 1–31. That’s not sustainable — or acceptable.

The sweep at the hands of the Orioles was a wake-up call. It exposed the fragility of the White Sox in three key areas: offense, defense, and clutch execution. Each of these shortcomings is correctable, but they require urgency, creativity, and accountability from everyone in the organization — from the front office down to the dugout.

If the White Sox hope to salvage any momentum in 2025 or build something meaningful for 2026, the time to act is now. A low-scoring sweep doesn’t just sting — it signals deeper issues that need to be addressed before this season slips fully out of reach.