(670 The Score) The White Sox stumbled out of the gates for the second half of this season, as they were swept by the Athletics in Oakland over the weekend.
Here are the latest trends with the White Sox:
THREE UP
1.) Slugging Abreu
After seeing a dip in his power numbers last season, first baseman Jose Abreu is back on track. He has 21 homers, which is one shy of his total from all of 2018. Abreu is also on pace to surpass his career-high homer mark of 36 set as a rookie in 2014.
Abreu has a .235 isolated power average (ISO), which would be the third-best mark of his six-year career.
2.) All-Star Giolito
Making his first career All-Star Game appearance, right-hander Lucas Giolito pitched a scoreless fourth inning in the American League team's 4-3 win over the National League.
Giolito struck out the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger looking, becoming the first White Sox pitcher to record an All-Star Game strikeout since Esteban Loaiza in 2003.
3.) A good Reed?
The White Sox made a move that a team in their position should make, claiming first baseman A.J. Reed off waivers from the Astros last week. A 2014 second-round pick, Reed wasn't in a position for much of a chance in Houston but should have an opportunity in Chicago.
Since the start of the 2017 season, Reed has hit 74 home runs with Houston's Triple-A affiliate. He will get the chance to play on a near-regular basis with the White Sox.
THREE DOWN
1.) The other three
The White Sox have an All-Star pitcher in Giolito and a prized prospect in Dylan Cease in their rotation but not much else.
While being swept by the A's, White Sox fourth and fifth starters Ivan Nova and Dylan Covey combined to throw 6 2/3 innings and allow 10 earned runs on 14 hits. Right-hander Reynaldo Lopez lowered his ERA to 5.97 after allowing no earned runs (one unearned run) over six innings.
2.) Detweiler struggling too
Left-hander Ross Detweiler is experiencing the same struggles that led to fellow veterans Ervin Santana and Odrisamer Despaigne being released earlier in the season. The 33-year-old Detweiler allowed four earned runs over 3 1/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to the A's on Sunday.
Detweiler has a 5.02 ERA and 5.93 FIP in 14 1/3 innings this season.
3.) Collins still scuffling
Since making his big league debut on June 19, White Sox catcher Zack Collins' performance has been mostly unfulfilling.
Collins is 2-for-26 in 31 plate appearances. He has also started only four games at catcher.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
