BALTIMORE – A slight adjustment in his batting stance has helped Jacob Gonzalez during his latest hot streak at the plate.
In the last seven games, the rookie has slugged the ball all over the field, slashing .423/.483/.692 with 11 hits, four doubles a homer and 12 RBIs. Gonzalez drew a walk in Wednesday’s 6-1 loss in Chicago's series finale to the Orioles.
His 12 RBIs over the last five games heading into Wednesday were the most by a White Sox rookie since José Abreu (12) from April 23-27, 2014. The first baseman turned heads with his first career walk-off -- a bases-loaded hit Saturday in the 2-1 win over the Royals.
"[I was] just trying to get the ball up, and with the walk-off,” Gonzalez said, "it was two strikes, so at that point I was just trying to put a ball in play and make sure something happens, because even if you hit the ball on the ground you can still score. That’s better than striking out.”
Left-hander Noah Schultz (2-5) returned to mound Wednesday for the White Sox, marking his first start since May 24. He took the the loss, allowing three runs over 4 1/3 innings on four hits, including a Tyler O’Neill solo homer on a slider, with four walks and seven strikeouts.
"I just threw a slider in a bad spot,” Schultz said of the leadoff homer to O’Neill in the four-run Orioles fifth inning. “I think first start back it's obviously not ideal to have those things happen. Definitely got to clean it up, and again with the walks, it's kind of been the story of the season so far for me that basically everybody I walk scores. Just got to clean that up."
The White Sox offense, meanwhile, scored once via a Sam Antonacci leadoff HR. Though their offense was muted otherwise, Gonzalez has remained a bright spot over the last few games.
His two-run single Tuesday came right in the middle of a seven-run avalanche in the third inning of the White Sox 9-3 series clinching win over the Orioles.
"He's just being aggressive,” said manager Will Venable. “The bat is moving well. He understands how to negotiate some of these close pitches. He's doing a good job controlling the zone, and obviously when it's in the zone he's hitting it hard."
The 24-year-old has continued his recent consistency the first two games in Baltimore, going 5-for-9 (.556) with three doubles, six RBIs and three runs scored in a pair of victories. Gonzalez credits a tweak of his stance to get him into a groove with his swing.
“I essentially was getting too narrow in my stance, which I didn't realize, so I just widened back up and was making sure I wasn't too turned,” Gonzalez said. “I'm able to get my hips cleared faster … to just not be late as often.
“I'm just happy that I'm helping us score, helping us win some games, and hopefully we keep it up.”
The White Sox 2023 first round (15th overall) selection has also worked very hard to play solid defense at first base after starring at shortstop for Ole Miss.
“I feel good,” he said. “Obviously, some early mistakes, but hopefully those mistakes are behind me, and I'm just going to keep on learning the position, keep on working at it, and hopefully good stuff happens.”
Gonzalez admitted that playing first base comes with stretching your legs off-base, and scooping low throws to nab runners racing down the line, movements unique to the position he might not see as often at shortstop.
"I got told I was going to start at first base on the last day of Spring Training,” Gonzalez said. “I remember I did picks right before the season started. The next day my hips were very sore because I didn't have to do all that before. That was definitely an adjustment. Now, it’s just hammering out the fundamentals of everything, keep on working at it and building more comfort."
The White Sox will look to Gonzalez and the rest of the offense to continue the good start to the road trip in Cleveland, where they take on the rival Guardians to open a four-game series.
"It’s a huge series, important for us,” Schultz said. “Keeping the same mindset, the same thing we’ve had the whole year, going out and giving 120% every single game.”
The White Sox took two of three versus Cleveland June 22-24 at Rate Field. Venable is pumped to see them Thursday night.
"Yeah, excited, bummed about today, but we will regroup and be ready for a big series against them, which obviously we are very excited about," Venable said.