The White Sox and Red Sox opened a three-game series on Tuesday with Patrick Sandoval on the mound for Boston and Davis Martin starting for Chicago, a matchup that came just after both teams were active ahead of the trade deadline.
For the Red Sox, the game was another chance to build on a strong stretch that had moved them from the bottom of the American League East into playoff contention. Boston was pinned at the bottom of the division on July 6, but the club entered Tuesday with a 60-51 record after winning four of its last five games and pulling into the race.
Sandoval’s start came shortly after he made his Red Sox debut on July 9 and earned a 2-1 win. The 28-year-old was making his third time this season on the mound after missing time, and Boston was continuing to see whether he could be a useful piece down the stretch. The left-hander entered the outing with a 3.32 ERA and a 9-5 record in his recent stretch, giving the Red Sox another rotation option as they tried to keep their surge going.
What Boston and Chicago changed
Both clubs made deadline moves on Monday and Sunday before turning back to baseball on Tuesday. The Red Sox acquired Adley Rutschman, Eli White and Erik Miller on Monday, while the White Sox added Huascar Brazoban, Brenton Doyle and Joey Bart. Chicago also added Luis Castillo from the Mariners on Sunday.
Those additions reflected where each front office believes the roster stands right now. Craig Breslow said the Red Sox had shown “incredible resilience” over the last month-and-a-half and had put themselves firmly in the playoff picture. He also said the team deserved efforts from the front office to make it better and noted that there is a core that should be in place for many years.
On the other side, Chris Getz said the White Sox had an opportunity to continue building out the roster, improve their chance of making the playoffs and still set themselves up for future success. Chicago entered Tuesday with a three-game lead in the AL Central, even though the franchise has not played playoff baseball since 2021.
Martin gets the ball for Chicago
Martin was looking to pick up his first win since June 10. The White Sox starter entered the game at 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA, and Tuesday’s outing gave him a chance to stabilize after a stretch in which Chicago kept adding to its roster around him.
The matchup between Sandoval and Martin fit the moment for both teams: Boston trying to keep climbing in the American League East, and Chicago trying to protect its lead while reshaping the roster at the same time. With the deadline passed, the focus shifted back to the field, where each team’s newest moves were immediately part of the conversation.
