Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians

2026-09-15, 6:40 PM ET, Progressive Field. Chris Murphy (L) against Foster Griffin (L). Every number derives from the public Statcast store and the engine's published boards. Charts are code-drawn. Probabilities, not picks. Statcast through 2026-09-14.

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.

Foster Griffin (LHP)

2669 pitches, K% 27% vs LHB (182 BF) / 20% vs RHB (492 BF)

29 apps · median 24 BF · reaches the order 3.0× (max 4) · exits at 95 pitches (IQR 86–100, 29 starts) · fastball -0.7 mph late (5 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%4422%
BB%816%
CSW%5527%
Whiff%2820%
Chase%6432%
xwOBA vs43.320
Hard-hit%5537%
GB%6945%
1st-pitch strike%4761%
published K forecast: E[K] 4.5
recent starts, K (n=5)
608/18
SF
408/23
COL
408/29
KC
309/04
DET
409/09
BAL

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
cutter87526%35%88.5+7-5224516%28%33%25%56%.335-1.3
4-seam43717%16%91.5+16+4208914%29%14%23%47%.323+0.3
sweeper37527%9%80.1-1-17253028%31%33%16%38%.353+0.7
changeup3030%15%82.4+7+14186032%23%32%9%28%.276-0.5
sinker27320%7%91.4+10+15204014%26%32%4%41%.310-1.5
curveball2476%10%77.8-14-9235623%29%39%8%33%.366+3.7
splitter1574%7%81.3+1+1133226%16%44%16%20%.216-0.0

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

cutter
4-seam
sweeper

Movement

cutter: +7 IVB, -5 HB4-seam: +16 IVB, +4 HBsweeper: -1 IVB, -17 HBchangeup: +7 IVB, +14 HBsinker: +10 IVB, +15 HBcurveball: -14 IVB, -9 HBsplitter: +1 IVB, +1 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

How to attack

  • Hunt the cutter early: 30% of his first pitches, only 16% whiffs, 60% in-zone on 0-0.
  • Vs lefties he leans sweeper (27% of pitches to that side).
  • K rate splits 27% vs LHB / 20% vs RHB: the right-handed side of the platoon wears him better.

Chris Murphy (LHP)

568 pitches, K% 24% overall (141 BF; split withheld, short side only 69 BF)

Opener usage: in a typical outing he does not get through the order once (31 appearances, median 4 batters, deepest 2×). Prep the second and third look against the bullpen, not this arsenal — see Bullpens.

31 apps · median 4 BF · reaches the order 1.0× (max 2) · exit pitch count withheld, only 2 start(s). 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%6424%
BB%2411%
CSW%5727%
Whiff%8528%
Chase%3729%
xwOBA vs83.285
Hard-hit%7734%
GB%429%
1st-pitch strike%5262%
recent starts, K (n=2) last start 07/05, 72 days ago
206/24
CLE
107/05
CLE

Arsenal, shape and results

Pitch # vL%vR% MPHIVBHB RPMWhiffCSW Chase 2K use 2K zone xwOBA RV/100
4-seam18830%37%96.3+16+8240023%23%36%34%47%.302+1.2
slider16736%23%89.4+6-4232430%29%25%16%54%.380-0.9
curveball13617%31%78.0-12-15257836%35%29%28%56%.190-1.5
sweeper3010%0%80.3+4-17242030%17%5%12%···
changeup200%7%85.8+3+161720·30%·6%···

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
slider
curveball

Movement

4-seam: +16 IVB, +8 HBslider: +6 IVB, -4 HBcurveball: -12 IVB, -15 HBsweeper: +4 IVB, -17 HBchangeup: +3 IVB, +16 HBhorizontal break (in), catcher viewinduced vertical break (in)

Attack plan vs Cleveland Guardians

  • Slider/curveball: top breaking whiffs are Bailey (38%), Lowe (36%).
  • Changeup: top offspeed whiffs are Adell (48%), Rocchio (37%).
  • Careful with Kwan: 91% contact, 13% K rate vs LHP; pitch to contact at the edges.

White Sox bats vs Foster Griffin

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
1Chase Meidroth (R)166.35118%28%84%39%64%11%n203
2Randal Grichuk (R)156.36624%36%81%52%58%15%n105
3Miguel Vargas (R)188.43517%22%85%55%68%16%n217
4Munetaka Murakami (L)147.34237%21%60%60%63%18%n231
5Braden Montgomery (S)92.28028%33%70%37%··n222
6Sam Antonacci (L)105.29121%24%88%22%65%7%n185
7Kyle Teel (L)23.26339%37%60%38%··n53
8Colson Montgomery (L)181.32629%31%69%37%··n244
9Tristan Peters (L)58.30019%22%77%21%64%17%n190

Cleveland Guardians 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
1Steven Kwan (L)1824%18%20%.31820%91%9% n18269%5%n196
2José Ramírez (S)1428%12%16%.38429%89%18% n14266%11%n185
3Jo Adell (R)16719%33%48%.39537%71%37% n16764%16%n250
4Travis Bazzana (L)14216%31%·.26624%78%31% n14260%10%n167
5Nathaniel Lowe (L)4420%36%·.25638%72%·62%12%n180
6Angel Genao (S)3515%··.29029%78%·62%9%n148
7Patrick Bailey (S)5519%38%·.28226%71%·64%15%n114
8Petey Halpin (L)3928%33%·.17734%71%·54%10%n96
9Brayan Rocchio (S)18014%27%37%.28834%78%33% n18062%10%n171

Cleveland Guardians 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

Steven Kwan (L)

P(1+ hit) 69% · P(1+ HR) 5%

FB4%
BRK18%
OFF20%

vs LHP 0.318 xwOBA, K 13% (182 PA)

2

José Ramírez (S)

P(1+ hit) 66% · P(1+ HR) 11%

FB8%
BRK12%
OFF16%

vs LHP 0.384 xwOBA, K 7% (142 PA)

3

Jo Adell (R)

P(1+ hit) 64% · P(1+ HR) 16%

FB19%
BRK33%
OFF48%

vs LHP 0.395 xwOBA, K 23% (167 PA)

4

Travis Bazzana (L)

P(1+ hit) 60% · P(1+ HR) 10%

FB16%
BRK31%
OFF·

vs LHP 0.266 xwOBA, K 25% (142 PA)

5

Nathaniel Lowe (L)

P(1+ hit) 62% · P(1+ HR) 12%

FB20%
BRK36%
OFF·

vs LHP 0.256 xwOBA, K 23% (44 PA)

6

Angel Genao (S)

P(1+ hit) 62% · P(1+ HR) 9%

FB15%
BRK·
OFF·

only 35 PA vs LHP — too few to split

7

Patrick Bailey (S)

P(1+ hit) 64% · P(1+ HR) 15%

FB19%
BRK38%
OFF·

vs LHP 0.282 xwOBA, K 31% (55 PA)

8

Petey Halpin (L)

P(1+ hit) 54% · P(1+ HR) 10%

FB28%
BRK33%
OFF·

only 39 PA vs LHP — too few to split

9

Brayan Rocchio (S)

P(1+ hit) 62% · P(1+ HR) 10%

FB14%
BRK27%
OFF37%

vs LHP 0.288 xwOBA, K 16% (180 PA)

Matchups: CWS hitters vs Foster Griffin

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. 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: 64% to get a hit and 11% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

1 for 3 lifetime. At 3 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. Randal Grichuk

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes down-middle — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.635 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.356 league average in that spot. (16 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 58% to get a hit and 15% 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: 0.664 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.393 league average in that spot. (10 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 68% to get a hit and 16% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

0 for 3 lifetime. At 3 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. Munetaka Murakami

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle and away — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.426 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.309 league average in that spot. (10 balls in play.)

Tonight's published, gradeable numbers for this batter: 63% to get a hit and 18% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

0 for 3 lifetime. At 3 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

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.

6. Sam Antonacci

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 7% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

7. Kyle Teel

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.

8. Colson Montgomery

Edge: pitcherHe throws the sinker off the plate on 9% of his pitches to this side. The batter swings and misses 38% of the time there, against 22% for a typical hitter — +16 points. (36 swings.)

Edge: batterWhen the ball goes middle and away — and he puts 6% of his pitches there — the batter does real damage: 0.453 expected value per ball in play, against a 0.309 league average in that spot. (18 balls in play.)

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

0 for 3 lifetime. At 3 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.

9. Tristan Peters

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: 64% to get a hit and 17% to homer. Those are what the record grades — the notes above only explain why.

Cleveland Guardians: 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 22 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: Kyle Teel — runners went 49-for-61 against him (20% 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
1Steven Kwan (L)27.0 ft/s4.7% (26/550)holds+7 LF
2José Ramírez (S)27.6 ft/s15.6% (64/396)runner+5 3B
3Jo Adell (R)28.1 ft/s2.5% (8/351)holds-4 RF
4Travis Bazzana (L)28.4 ft/s7.9% (15/182)occasional-5 2B
5Nathaniel Lowe (L)25.6 ft/s0.6% (1/319)holds·
6Angel Genao (S)·3.1% (1/48)holds·
7Patrick Bailey (S)25.3 ft/s1.9% (4/244)holds·
8Petey Halpin (L)28.4 ft/s10.9% (8/62)occasional·
9Brayan Rocchio (S)27.4 ft/s9.3% (28/292)occasional+10 SS

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 22 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: Patrick Bailey — runners went 93-for-117 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
1Chase Meidroth (R)27.2 ft/s3.2% (14/448)holds+4 2B
2Randal Grichuk (R)27.3 ft/s1.5% (1/121)holds·
3Miguel Vargas (R)28.3 ft/s4.9% (20/407)holds-2 3B
4Munetaka Murakami (L)27.1 ft/s1.9% (3/192)holds+0 1B
5Braden Montgomery (S)28.5 ft/s1.6% (1/115)holds·
6Sam Antonacci (L)28.2 ft/s8.1% (18/214)occasional-5 LF
7Kyle Teel (L)27.0 ft/s1.7% (2/165)holds·
8Colson Montgomery (L)26.6 ft/s0.8% (1/236)holds+6 SS
9Tristan Peters (L)28.7 ft/s4.0% (6/158)holds+9 CF

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
Reliever09/1209/1309/14 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Trevor Richards (R)·149today B2B322p/12g22%20%.3084-seam 91 (62%) · changeup 80 (24%)
Hagen Smith (L)21·26today254p/10g39%34%.2424-seam 94 (51%) · slider 83 (33%)
Sean Newcomb (L)···5 heavy219p/6g22%21%.3104-seam 95 (40%) · slurve 83 (26%)
Grant Taylor (R)38··2 heavy215p/11g32%26%.2684-seam 98 (32%) · curveball 84 (25%)
Tyler Schweitzer (L)···3206p/7g12%19%.367slider 88 (41%) · 4-seam 93 (32%)
Jordan Hicks (R)10··2168p/8g28%25%.275sinker 100 (39%) · 4-seam 99 (29%)
Bryan Hudson (L)14··2114p/9g22%21%.2724-seam 91 (67%) · sweeper 79 (33%)
Huascar Brazobán (R)···1976p/5g21%24%.295sinker 97 (49%) · changeup 91 (41%)
Cleveland Guardians bullpen 8 arms
Reliever09/1209/1309/14 games since 30-day K%Whiff%xwOBA Top pitches
Matt Festa (R)·21·1209p/11g25%24%.2964-seam 93 (51%) · sweeper 84 (44%)
Tim Herrin (L)··18today185p/12g22%29%.305curveball 80 (32%) · sinker 93 (27%)
Craig Yoho (R)20··2175p/10g26%27%.307changeup 79 (66%) · 4-seam 95 (15%)
Cade Smith (R)···3173p/11g35%31%.2724-seam 98 (73%) · splitter 88 (22%)
Hunter Gaddis (R)·8·1171p/14g22%28%.300slider 89 (63%) · changeup 80 (19%)
Erik Sabrowski (L)·5·1133p/11g37%31%.2634-seam 94 (58%) · slider 87 (25%)
Slade Cecconi (R)··41today heavy126p/3g19%18%.3374-seam 96 (32%) · cutter 90 (31%)
Colin Holderman (R)···10108p/6g23%27%.306sinker 96 (54%) · sweeper 83 (33%)