White Sox bullying the NL
The Marlins were one of the teams that inquired on left-hander Matt Thornton during the brief period that the White Sox were in sell mode.
The White Sox said they would not even entertain trading Thornton, and they have now won 11 of their last 12 games, reaching .500 for the first time since April 7. Their run started against the Tigers and continued against feeble NL opponents — the Cubs, Pirates and Nationals.
White Sox starting pitchers are 9-1 with a 1.95 ERA in this stretch. Their ability to contend could be determined by how they fare in their six series leading to the All-Star break. They will be home against the Braves and Cubs, on the road against the Royals and Rangers, home against the Angels and Royals.
If the White Sox end up buyers, their biggest need will be the same as it was in the off-season — a left-handed hitter for the middle of the order.
BTW, here’s Fangraphs Sox trade advice.
