Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox

2026-07-25, 7:10 PM ET, Rate Field. Sean Burke (R) against Hunter Brown (R). Every number derives from the public Statcast store and the engine's published boards. Charts are code-drawn. Probabilities, not picks. Statcast through 2026-07-24.

What decides tonight

Every number below is a probability this engine published before first pitch and grades that night, or a plain count. No scouting verdicts are ranked here — those live in the panels and carry their own sample sizes.

Hunter Brown (RHP)

732 pitches, K% 24% overall (179 BF; split withheld, short side only 83 BF)

8 apps · median 22 BF · reaches the order 3.0× (max 3) · exits at 92 pitches (IQR 84–99, 8 starts) · fastball -0.4 mph late (6 deep starts). Fade is measured inside each start on nights that reached 85 pitches, so it is not flattered by the short outings.

League percentiles, starter pool

K%6024%
BB%216%
CSW%7229%
Whiff%7326%
Chase%725%
xwOBA vs56.310
Hard-hit%5138%
GB%9254%
1st-pitch strike%755%
published K forecast: E[K] 4.8
recent starts, K (n=5)
406/22
TOR
406/28
DET
307/04
TB
407/10
TEX
407/19
BAL

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
4-seam24444%22%95.9+17-7225122%27%14%32%40%.217-0.9
sinker20515%42%95.5+11-15213212%28%32%18%56%.369-0.2
knuckle-curve15222%19%83.0-17+6255333%30%31%31%24%.268+0.1
changeup6916%2%87.1+5-13142858%41%33%6%·.413+1.6
slider623%15%89.9+4+4225423%23%20%13%44%.377+2.8

RV/100 is run value per 100 pitches from the pitcher's side, so negative is good (a curveball at −1.3 costs the pitcher runs even if it misses bats — a real tension worth reading, not a contradiction). Whiff, chase and xwOBA are computed on this pitcher's own pitches this season; low-usage pitches carry small samples.

Locations, catcher view

4-seam
sinker
knuckle-curve

Movement

4-seam: +17 IVB, -7 HBsinker: +11 IVB, -15 HBknuckle-curve: -17 IVB, +6 HBchangeup: +5 IVB, -13 HBslider: +4 IVB, +4 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

How to attack

  • Vs righties he leans sinker (42% of pitches to that side).
  • Hunt the sinker early: 32% of his first pitches, only 12% whiffs, 44% in-zone on 0-0.
  • Lay off the changeup below the zone: 58% whiffs, only 35% of them are strikes.

Sean Burke (RHP)

1807 pitches, K% 26% vs LHB (286 BF) / 26% vs RHB (176 BF)

20 apps · median 23 BF · reaches the order 3.0× (max 3) · exits at 92 pitches (IQR 90–96, 16 starts) · fastball -0.1 mph late (17 deep starts). Fade is measured inside each start on nights that reached 85 pitches, so it is not flattered by the short outings.

League percentiles, starter pool

K%7326%
BB%647%
CSW%7829%
Whiff%4222%
Chase%7332%
xwOBA vs72.293
Hard-hit%7035%
GB%2337%
1st-pitch strike%7064%
recent starts, K (n=5)
606/23
CLE
806/29
BAL
1107/04
CLE
907/10
ATH
507/19
TOR

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
4-seam67440%33%94.8+19-5257822%27%36%49%44%.285-1.2
knuckle-curve38226%13%79.7-14+5244825%32%28%23%41%.257-0.2
slider32010%31%86.9+4+5251631%37%32%16%39%.292-0.5
sinker27512%20%94.7+15-1323978%21%30%9%47%.345+0.6
cutter1128%2%90.7+11+3265927%33%38%1%·.292-1.2

RV/100 is run value per 100 pitches from the pitcher's side, so negative is good (a curveball at −1.3 costs the pitcher runs even if it misses bats — a real tension worth reading, not a contradiction). Whiff, chase and xwOBA are computed on this pitcher's own pitches this season; low-usage pitches carry small samples.

Locations, catcher view

4-seam
knuckle-curve
slider

Movement

4-seam: +19 IVB, -5 HBknuckle-curve: -14 IVB, +5 HBslider: +4 IVB, +5 HBsinker: +15 IVB, -13 HBcutter: +11 IVB, +3 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

Attack plan vs Houston Astros

  • Knuckle-curve/slider: top breaking whiffs are Trammell (55%), Smith (42%).
  • Careful with Wade Jr.: 87% contact, 21% K rate vs RHP; pitch to contact at the edges.

White Sox bats vs Hunter Brown

Season quality vs tonight's starter hand, percentile-colored vs league: red elite, paper average, blue poor. P columns are the engine's published board numbers for this game. Batting order as posted. 30d contact is the last-30-day contact rate minus the season rate; an arrow is drawn only when the move clears two standard errors of its own noise, and n is the recent swing count.

#BatterPAxwOBAK%Chase%Contact%HH%P(1+ hit)P(1+ HR)30d contact
1Sam Antonacci (L)263.38614%22%87%39%67%11%n184
2Munetaka Murakami (L)203.40031%22%60%58%57%14%n69
3Miguel Vargas (R)307.37318%22%81%40%65%17%n185
4Colson Montgomery (L)283.32132%32%65%46%58%14%n178
5Andrew Benintendi (L)274.33322%30%76%48%59%11%n140
6Braden Montgomery (S)107.32616%28%81%42%63%8%n193
7Tristan Peters (L)267.31518%35%81%34%62%11%n149
8Chase Meidroth (R)297.29525%27%81%34%62%10%n166
9Edgar Quero (S)108.25825%26%76%36%56%10%·

Houston Astros bats, where our staff attacks

Whiff by pitch group vs our starter's hand. Blue cells are the attack zones. P columns are the published board numbers. Lineup projected from recent starts; the posted order replaces it once teams announce. 30d contact is the last-30-day contact rate minus the season rate; an arrow is drawn only when the move clears two standard errors of its own noise, and n is the recent swing count.

BatterPAFB whiffBRK whiffOFF whiffxwOBAChase%Contact%1st-pitch swingP(1+ hit)P(1+ HR)30d contact
Jeremy Peña (R)19212%38%38%.34534%75%47% n193··n132
Yordan Alvarez (L)33516%21%15%.50326%83%32% n335··n167
Jose Altuve (R)25920%25%36%.28035%77%42% n259··n176
Isaac Paredes (R)31910%25%22%.31526%84%16% n319··n203
Christian Walker (R)32519%39%32%.29632%73%36% n325··n189
LaMonte Wade Jr. (L)5310%5%·.28520%87%···n80
Cam Smith (R)27917%42%44%.33829%73%32% n280··n161
Yainer Diaz (R)13817%20%20%.33041%82%43% n138··n115
Taylor Trammell (L)11330%55%25%.30429%65%34% n113··n90

Houston Astros hitters, one card each

One card per hitter: the published probabilities this engine grades tonight, his whiff shape by pitch group, and his season against this starter's hand with the sample stated. Times-through-order and leverage splits are deliberately absent — at a median 45 plate appearances the third-time-through number carries a standard error roughly three times the effect it would be claiming.

No batter probabilities are published for this game yet — those publish once the lineup posts.

Jeremy Peña (R)

FB12%
BRK38%
OFF38%

vs RHP 0.345 xwOBA, K 16% (192 PA)

Yordan Alvarez (L)

FB16%
BRK21%
OFF15%

vs RHP 0.503 xwOBA, K 18% (335 PA)

Jose Altuve (R)

FB20%
BRK25%
OFF36%

vs RHP 0.280 xwOBA, K 22% (259 PA)

Isaac Paredes (R)

FB10%
BRK25%
OFF22%

vs RHP 0.315 xwOBA, K 14% (319 PA)

Christian Walker (R)

FB19%
BRK39%
OFF32%

vs RHP 0.296 xwOBA, K 24% (325 PA)

LaMonte Wade Jr. (L)

FB10%
BRK5%
OFF·

vs RHP 0.285 xwOBA, K 21% (53 PA)

Cam Smith (R)

FB17%
BRK42%
OFF44%

vs RHP 0.338 xwOBA, K 24% (279 PA)

Yainer Diaz (R)

FB17%
BRK20%
OFF20%

vs RHP 0.330 xwOBA, K 14% (138 PA)

Taylor Trammell (L)

FB30%
BRK55%
OFF25%

vs RHP 0.304 xwOBA, K 35% (113 PA)

Matchups: CWS hitters vs Hunter Brown

Where this starter's actual usage meets each hitter's measured holes and damage, on the same map. An edge is only reported where the pitcher genuinely goes — a hole against a pitch he does not throw is not a matchup — and only where the rate is measurably worse than league for a typical hitter in that same spot. Every line carries its sample size. Batter-versus-pitcher history is shown as trivia and is not used in any of it: the samples that actually occur are far too small to support a conclusion, and most public matchup content is built on them anyway.

1. Sam Antonacci

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes up and away — and he puts 8% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.437 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.275 league average in that spot. (13 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 67% to get a hit and 11% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

2. Munetaka Murakami

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam off the plate on 23% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 46% of the time there, against 31% for a typical hitter — +15 points. (18 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.714 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.397 league average in that spot. (16 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 57% to get a hit and 14% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

3. Miguel Vargas

Not enough of a track record in the spots this pitcher uses to say anything useful. No verdict rather than a guess.

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 65% to get a hit and 17% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

4. Colson Montgomery

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam off the plate on 23% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 43% of the time there, against 31% for a typical hitter — +12 points. (58 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.428 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.397 league average in that spot. (25 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 58% to get a hit and 14% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

5. Andrew Benintendi

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes up-middle — and he puts 5% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.419 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.333 league average in that spot. (15 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 59% to get a hit and 11% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

6. Braden Montgomery

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.528 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.397 league average in that spot. (14 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 63% to get a hit and 8% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

7. Tristan Peters

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle and away — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.390 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.309 league average in that spot. (20 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 62% to get a hit and 11% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

8. Chase Meidroth

Not enough of a track record in the spots this pitcher uses to say anything useful. No verdict rather than a guess.

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 62% to get a hit and 10% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

9. Edgar Quero

Not enough of a track record in the spots this pitcher uses to say anything useful. No verdict rather than a guess.

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 56% to get a hit and 10% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

Houston Astros: the running game and the defense

Sprint speed says who can run; attempt rate says who will. Rate is steals of second per time on first, shrunk toward the league’s 5.3% at 20 opportunities, with the raw count beside it. Verdict needs 15+ times on first. Sprint speed and Outs Above Average are Baseball Savant leaderboard metrics — measured from tracking data we do not have and did not compute.

Behind the plate: Edgar Quero — runners went 62-for-78 against him (21% caught). That is mostly the pitcher: measured split-half reliability for a catcher’s own caught-stealing rate is +0.59, and the spread between catchers is smaller than the sampling noise. Read it as what happened, not as a rating.

Batter Sprint Steal rate Threat OAA
Jeremy Peña (R)29.2 ft/s5.0% (15/300)holds-3 SS
Yordan Alvarez (L)24.9 ft/s1.4% (3/278)holds·
Jose Altuve (R)27.5 ft/s3.4% (11/339)holds-5 2B
Isaac Paredes (R)25.0 ft/s0.6% (1/332)holds+0 3B
Christian Walker (R)25.9 ft/s0.9% (2/323)holds+2 1B
LaMonte Wade Jr. (L)25.6 ft/s1.7% (1/103)holds·
Cam Smith (R)29.2 ft/s6.4% (17/261)occasional+5 RF
Yainer Diaz (R)25.8 ft/s1.2% (2/240)holds·
Taylor Trammell (L)27.0 ft/s8.0% (7/81)occasional·

Chicago White Sox: the running game and the defense

Sprint speed says who can run; attempt rate says who will. Rate is steals of second per time on first, shrunk toward the league’s 5.3% at 20 opportunities, with the raw count beside it. Verdict needs 15+ times on first. Sprint speed and Outs Above Average are Baseball Savant leaderboard metrics — measured from tracking data we do not have and did not compute.

Behind the plate: Yainer Diaz — runners went 98-for-120 against him (18% caught). That is mostly the pitcher: measured split-half reliability for a catcher’s own caught-stealing rate is +0.59, and the spread between catchers is smaller than the sampling noise. Read it as what happened, not as a rating.

#Batter Sprint Steal rate Threat OAA
1Sam Antonacci (L)28.2 ft/s9.6% (14/137)occasional-5 LF
2Munetaka Murakami (L)27.1 ft/s2.9% (3/120)holds+0 1B
3Miguel Vargas (R)28.3 ft/s4.4% (14/324)holds-2 3B
4Colson Montgomery (L)26.6 ft/s1.0% (1/187)holds+6 SS
5Andrew Benintendi (L)26.6 ft/s0.8% (1/236)holds·
6Braden Montgomery (S)28.5 ft/s3.4% (1/40)holds·
7Tristan Peters (L)28.7 ft/s4.2% (4/101)holds+9 CF
8Chase Meidroth (R)27.2 ft/s3.5% (13/383)holds+4 2B
9Edgar Quero (S)24.1 ft/s0.9% (1/207)holds·

Bullpens

Sorted by 30-day workload. Day cells show pitches on the three most recent league game dates; dark means heavy recent use. Season rates percentile-colored vs all pitchers with 150+ pitches.

White Sox bullpen 8 arms
Reliever07/2107/2207/24 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Trevor Richards (R)17·24today262p/11g25%21%.2964-seam 92 (61%) · changeup 80 (29%)
Grant Taylor (R)·28·1180p/9g35%27%.2394-seam 98 (40%) · curveball 84 (29%)
Jordan Hicks (R)·19·1163p/10g26%23%.277sinker 100 (39%) · sweeper 87 (37%)
Sean Newcomb (L)···3152p/7g24%22%.3104-seam 95 (51%) · slurve 83 (29%)
Brandon Eisert (L)···12 heavy139p/7g26%29%.3034-seam 90 (41%) · slider 84 (41%)
Chris Murphy (L)··26today137p/8g21%29%.3044-seam 97 (34%) · curveball 78 (30%)
Seranthony Domínguez (R)··19today118p/8g28%28%.3564-seam 97 (42%) · sweeper 86 (33%)
Bryan Hudson (L)·1226today B2B118p/7g23%22%.2984-seam 92 (58%) · sweeper 80 (38%)
Houston Astros bullpen 8 arms
Reliever07/2107/2207/24 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
AJ Blubaugh (R)25·34today275p/8g25%26%.3154-seam 96 (49%) · changeup 85 (24%)
Steven Okert (L)·820today B2B222p/14g27%29%.254slider 81 (66%) · 4-seam 92 (31%)
Enyel De Los Santos (R)·16·1200p/12g23%27%.2924-seam 95 (46%) · slider 87 (30%)
Josh Hader (L)12·13today178p/12g41%36%.181sinker 95 (60%) · slider 84 (40%)
Bryan King (L)···4167p/11g18%15%.3244-seam 92 (57%) · sweeper 81 (33%)
Bryan Abreu (R)·1412today B2B158p/9g28%30%.337slider 87 (47%) · 4-seam 96 (42%)
Nate Pearson (R)···10145p/6g19%22%.3364-seam 97 (34%) · slider 89 (23%)
Cristian Javier (R)···489p/3g17%26%.3894-seam 94 (56%) · sweeper 82 (27%)