The Chicago White Sox have had a challenging start to the 2024 MLB season. Chicago possesses the worst record in the league just over halfway through the year. The White Sox understand their need to shake things up, and one step they took was sending center fielder Tommy Pham to the St. Louis Cardinals in a last-minute deadline trade. Pham got brutally honest about Chicago's alarming struggles after his time with the team.
Pham specifically talked about a malfunction with game balls.
“I thought the ball in Chicago was deader than on the road,” Pham told Jon Heyman on the New York Post Sports podcast. “I complained to MLB about that, but it of course got nowhere.”
Pham then recalled a specific instance where he felt one of his hit balls had a higher velocity than what was measured.
“You guys remember that ball that I hit, and [Colton] Cowser robbed me in center field? It was off [Craig] Kimbrel. It said it was 102 [mph exit velocity] at 20 [degree launch angle]. I was looking up at the scoreboard, you know, when he caught it to see how hard I hit. I was kinda looking like there's no way I just hit that ball at 102. It felt like at least 105-plus. The balls feel really soft this year. There's been reports that the drag is down. You know there's a reason why the offensive numbers are way down, and the pitching is better this year. There's no coincidence,” Pham added.
Could ball malfunctions be the main source of Chicago's struggles in 2024?
Pham's point highlights how things have gone for White Sox in 2024
Before the Cardinals trade, Tommy Pham played 70 games for the White Sox. He batted a .266 average, hit five home runs, accumulated 19 RBI, and held a .710 OPS. Despite his efforts, he could not help Chicago over the hump.
The White Sox hold a 28-89 record, which places them last in the American League Central and last in MLB standings. Chicago is looking for any kind of spark as they venture deeper into the second half of the 2024 season. The Sox have plenty of time to find positives and string together wins before the end of the year.
Chicago is preparing to start a crosstown series against the Cubs on August 9. Perhaps they can turn the tide and gain some momentum. It will be interesting to how the Sox fare as they continue to strategize for the future.
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