Thus far along the way, Matt Wisler, still 23, has faced Los Angeles’ Clayton Kershaw, allowed no earned runs in 6 2/3 innings and drew no decision.
He gave up five runs when paired against with the Cubs’ Jake Arrietta and got whipped 8-2.
Two weeks later, he gave up a couple earned runs against Cleveland’s Corey Kluber, the 2014 Cy Young winner, and kept the Braves in it to the end.
And that’s just in the season’s first half. So what’s the big deal with the White Sox’ Chris Sale? On Friday night, he was 14-2 and attempting to become just the second pitcher in franchise history to win 15 games by the All-Star break. He was also 6-0 lifetime in interleague play.
“(Wisler) has pitched against some pretty good pitchers before,” interim manager Brian Snitker said before the Wisler-Sale matchup opened a weekend series with the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. “He can only do so much. You can only do what you can do.”
What Wisler has done is lead the team in quality starts (12 in 17 outings) and if you’re looking for the an explanation for the 3-8 record, the 1.9 runs per game in support is a good place to start. Take away two wild-hare start in late June — 16 hits and six homers allowed in just eight innings — and his ERA would be 3.23.
“He went through his little rut and he fought his way back and has been really good the last couple times,” Snitker said. “And he’s learning. You forget how few major league starts he has under his belt.”
Friday marked his 36th.
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