Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers

2026-08-16, 1:40 PM ET, Comerica Park. Sean Burke (R) against Drew Anderson (R). Every number derives from the public Statcast store and the engine's published boards. Charts are code-drawn. Probabilities, not picks. Statcast through 2026-08-15.

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.

Drew Anderson (RHP)

1199 pitches, K% 24% vs LHB (155 BF) / 30% vs RHB (152 BF)

Opener usage: in a typical outing he does not get through the order once (42 appearances, median 6 batters, deepest 2×). Prep the second and third look against the bullpen, not this arsenal — see Bullpens.

42 apps · median 6 BF · reaches the order 1.0× (max 2) · exits at 61 pitches (IQR 55–65, 4 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%7927%
BB%459%
CSW%7629%
Whiff%7927%
Chase%8734%
xwOBA vs68.298
Hard-hit%4539%
GB%7848%
1st-pitch strike%5362%
recent starts, K (n=4)
705/20
CLE
506/15
HOU
008/05
SEA
408/11
CLE

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
4-seam48342%39%95.7+15-7227918%25%33%39%48%.305-2.0
changeup36632%29%90.3-3-11149235%28%40%42%28%.254+1.5
curveball27123%23%80.4-16+10271434%39%28%18%23%.259+0.4
slider583%7%87.5+1+4262430%31%37%1%·.712+7.0

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
changeup
curveball

Movement

4-seam: +15 IVB, -7 HBchangeup: -3 IVB, -11 HBcurveball: -16 IVB, +10 HBslider: +1 IVB, +4 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

How to attack

  • Hunt the 4-seam early: 39% of his first pitches, only 18% whiffs, 56% in-zone on 0-0.
  • Lay off the changeup below the zone: 35% whiffs, only 34% of them are strikes.
  • Two strikes: expect the changeup (42% of 2-strike pitches vs 31% overall).

Sean Burke (RHP)

2185 pitches, K% 28% vs LHB (330 BF) / 27% vs RHB (224 BF)

24 apps · median 23 BF · reaches the order 3.0× (max 3) · exits at 92 pitches (IQR 91–96, 20 starts) · fastball -0.0 mph late (21 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%8327%
BB%717%
CSW%7929%
Whiff%5323%
Chase%7733%
xwOBA vs74.294
Hard-hit%5337%
GB%2036%
1st-pitch strike%7264%
published K forecast: E[K] 5.9
recent starts, K (n=5)
507/19
TOR
1007/25
HOU
1007/30
NYY
408/05
BOS
808/11
CIN

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
4-seam81839%35%94.9+19-4258423%26%37%50%43%.271-1.5
knuckle-curve45126%13%79.5-14+5245227%31%27%22%39%.252-0.2
slider40110%30%86.8+4+6252632%37%36%15%42%.324+0.1
sinker31812%19%94.7+15-13240110%22%30%8%47%.366+0.2
cutter1489%3%90.5+10+3264326%36%36%2%·.261-2.2

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 and movement (4 charts)
4-seam
knuckle-curve
slider

Movement

4-seam: +19 IVB, -4 HBknuckle-curve: -14 IVB, +5 HBslider: +4 IVB, +6 HBsinker: +15 IVB, -13 HBcutter: +10 IVB, +3 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

Attack plan vs Detroit Tigers

  • Knuckle-curve/slider: top breaking whiffs are Torkelson (42%), Báez (35%).
  • Careful with McGonigle: 87% contact, 11% K rate vs RHP; pitch to contact at the edges.

White Sox bats vs Drew Anderson

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)320.36714%21%88%39%66%9%n188
2Munetaka Murakami (L)257.40231%23%60%59%60%16%n197
3Miguel Vargas (R)363.36918%22%81%42%68%14%▼ -6% n215
4Randal Grichuk (R)64.29820%31%68%45%··n94
5Braden Montgomery (S)160.32619%28%75%43%62%9%n213
6Colson Montgomery (L)336.30235%33%65%46%58%14%n216
7Chase Meidroth (R)351.29124%27%83%33%68%11%n167
8Brenton Doyle (R)94.23934%31%76%32%··n58
9Drew Romo (S)135.23126%37%70%26%52%8%n100

Detroit Tigers 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. 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.

#BatterPAFB whiffBRK whiffOFF whiffxwOBAChase%Contact%1st-pitch swingP(1+ hit)P(1+ HR)30d contact
1Gleyber Torres (R)20922%22%25%.30621%78%37% n21065%11%n179
2Kevin McGonigle (L)3829%11%24%.37619%87%26% n38367%10%n214
3Dillon Dingler (R)33214%28%31%.38233%81%23% n33267%13%n218
4Eduardo Valencia (R)2921%··.39727%80%···n93
5Hao-Yu Lee (R)11625%28%·.27435%73%33% n115··n97
6Spencer Torkelson (R)35022%42%39%.32023%70%26% n35063%12%n204
7Ben Malgeri (R)2510%··.39628%77%···n65
8Max Clark (L)417%·25%.27139%86%·63%7%·
9Javier Báez (R)9713%35%·.25848%74%·63%7%n80

Detroit Tigers 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.

1

Gleyber Torres (R)

P(1+ hit) 65% · P(1+ HR) 11%

FB22%
BRK22%
OFF25%

vs RHP 0.306 xwOBA, K 20% (209 PA)

2

Kevin McGonigle (L)

P(1+ hit) 67% · P(1+ HR) 10%

FB9%
BRK11%
OFF24%

vs RHP 0.376 xwOBA, K 11% (382 PA)

3

Dillon Dingler (R)

P(1+ hit) 67% · P(1+ HR) 13%

FB14%
BRK28%
OFF31%

vs RHP 0.382 xwOBA, K 20% (332 PA)

4

Eduardo Valencia (R)

FB21%
BRK·
OFF·

only 29 PA vs RHP — too few to split

5

Hao-Yu Lee (R)

FB25%
BRK28%
OFF·

vs RHP 0.274 xwOBA, K 25% (116 PA)

6

Spencer Torkelson (R)

P(1+ hit) 63% · P(1+ HR) 12%

FB22%
BRK42%
OFF39%

vs RHP 0.320 xwOBA, K 32% (350 PA)

7

Ben Malgeri (R)

FB10%
BRK·
OFF·

only 25 PA vs RHP — too few to split

8

Max Clark (L)

P(1+ hit) 63% · P(1+ HR) 7%

FB7%
BRK·
OFF25%

vs RHP 0.271 xwOBA, K 27% (41 PA)

9

Javier Báez (R)

P(1+ hit) 63% · P(1+ HR) 7%

FB13%
BRK35%
OFF·

vs RHP 0.258 xwOBA, K 21% (97 PA)

Matchups: CWS hitters vs Drew Anderson

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 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.440 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.272 league average in that spot. (14 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 66% to get a hit and 9% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

0 for 1 lifetime. At 1 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

2. Munetaka Murakami

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam off the plate on 17% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 46% of the time there, against 31% for a typical hitter — +15 points. (26 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.670 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.394 league average in that spot. (26 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 60% to get a hit and 16% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

3. Miguel Vargas

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.502 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.394 league average in that spot. (28 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 68% to get a hit and 14% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

1 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

4. Randal Grichuk

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

No published probability for this batter tonight, so the notes above are observations, not predictions.

1 for 1 lifetime. At 1 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

5. Braden Montgomery

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.532 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.394 league average in that spot. (18 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 62% to get a hit and 9% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

6. Colson Montgomery

Edge: pitcherHe throws the four-seam off the plate on 17% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 45% of the time there, against 31% for a typical hitter — +14 points. (73 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes down-middle — and he puts 7% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.530 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.355 league average in that spot. (18 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.

1 for 1 lifetime. At 1 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

7. 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: 68% to get a hit and 11% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

1 for 2 lifetime. At 2 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

8. Brenton Doyle

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

No published probability for this batter tonight, so the notes above are observations, not predictions.

9. Drew Romo

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: 52% to get a hit and 8% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

0 for 1 lifetime. At 1 plate appearances this is trivia, not evidence — it is shown because people ask for it, and it is not used anywhere in the analysis above.

Detroit Tigers: 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 21 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: Drew Romo — runners went 31-for-41 against him (24% 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
1Gleyber Torres (R)25.1 ft/s0.7% (2/400)holds+1 2B
2Kevin McGonigle (L)28.2 ft/s4.7% (11/235)holds+0 3B
3Dillon Dingler (R)27.5 ft/s0.3% (0/329)holds·
4Eduardo Valencia (R)·3.1% (0/16)holds·
5Hao-Yu Lee (R)28.1 ft/s3.6% (2/67)holds-6 2B
6Spencer Torkelson (R)26.4 ft/s1.0% (3/383)holds-11 1B
7Ben Malgeri (R)28.9 ft/s1.9% (0/39)holds·
8Max Clark (L)·2.7% (0/21)holds·
9Javier Báez (R)27.2 ft/s3.2% (5/168)holds·

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 21 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.

#Batter Sprint Steal rate Threat OAA
1Sam Antonacci (L)28.2 ft/s9.2% (16/164)occasional-5 LF
2Munetaka Murakami (L)27.1 ft/s2.4% (3/153)holds+0 1B
3Miguel Vargas (R)28.3 ft/s4.1% (14/345)holds-2 3B
4Randal Grichuk (R)27.3 ft/s1.6% (1/109)holds·
5Braden Montgomery (S)28.5 ft/s2.2% (1/74)holds·
6Colson Montgomery (L)26.6 ft/s0.9% (1/209)holds+6 SS
7Chase Meidroth (R)27.2 ft/s3.3% (13/409)holds+4 2B
8Brenton Doyle (R)28.7 ft/s13.1% (30/216)occasional·
9Drew Romo (S)26.1 ft/s3.5% (1/40)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
Reliever08/1308/1408/15 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Trevor Richards (R)28··2309p/13g23%22%.3014-seam 92 (63%) · changeup 80 (27%)
Grant Taylor (R)·1811today B2B224p/10g32%25%.2454-seam 98 (40%) · curveball 83 (28%)
Tyler Schweitzer (L)···13 heavy211p/5g12%20%.3644-seam 94 (48%) · slider 88 (31%)
Jordan Hicks (R)13·21today181p/11g27%23%.273sinker 100 (41%) · 4-seam 100 (28%)
Bryan Hudson (L)·1013today B2B175p/12g23%22%.2894-seam 92 (67%) · sweeper 80 (31%)
Sean Newcomb (L)···4173p/9g23%22%.3114-seam 94 (45%) · slurve 83 (32%)
Chris Murphy (L)···8142p/8g22%27%.2944-seam 96 (37%) · slider 90 (31%)
Erick Fedde (R)51··2 heavy126p/4g16%18%.336sweeper 82 (35%) · sinker 93 (33%)
Detroit Tigers bullpen 8 arms
Reliever08/1308/1408/15 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Ty Madden (R)·28·1260p/7g25%23%.2664-seam 93 (35%) · slider 84 (27%)
Drew Sommers (L)··31today193p/11g35%30%.252sinker 95 (42%) · 4-seam 95 (33%)
Jacob Waguespack (R)·16·1177p/10g15%23%.2614-seam 93 (46%) · cutter 87 (32%)
Tyler Holton (L)19··2173p/11g19%22%.288cutter 88 (31%) · sinker 91 (22%)
Kenley Jansen (R)10··2170p/9g27%26%.297cutter 93 (89%) · sinker 94 (4%)
Kyle Finnegan (R)··14today156p/11g18%24%.3464-seam 96 (52%) · splitter 87 (33%)
Enmanuel De Jesus (L)·44·1 heavy145p/6g23%23%.3284-seam 94 (40%) · changeup 87 (26%)
Brenan Hanifee (R)···8125p/9g11%11%.377sinker 95 (57%) · slider 87 (24%)