Cubs welcome back Anthony Rizzo

It was an entertaining start to an off day for the Cubs with a combined no-hitter.

While that performance doesn't take away from an otherwise tough series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, spirits are high again as the New York Yankees come to town this weekend and Anthony Rizzo returns to Wrigley Field for the first time since being traded by the Cubs in 2021.

The White Sox ended a 12-game losing streak with an 8-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday thanks to home runs from Nicky Lopez, Andrew Vaughn and Dominic Fletcher. The Sox had hit three home runs in their previous 17 games.

Despite the win, the Sox are still on pace to break the modern major league record for most losses in a season.

Every Friday during the regular season, the Tribune's baseball writers provide an update on what's happening with the Cubs and White Sox — and what's to come. Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter.

Shawn Armstrong takes advantage of new opportunity with the Cubs

Sometimes, even in chaos, things go as they should.

That's the perspective reliever Shawn Armstrong maintained during a tumultuous few days after the St. Louis Cardinals designated the veteran right-hander for assignment and the Cubs claimed him off waivers on Aug. 30. The timing allowed Armstrong, 33, to go for an ultrasound of his daughter, who is due in October.

“I believe everything happens for a reason,” Armstrong said this week.

He comes to the Cubs already familiar with the organization. General manager Carter Hawkins was part of the Cleveland front office that drafted Armstrong in 2011. Armstrong relies primarily on a combination of four-seam fastball, cutter and sinker, while also throwing in a sweeper/slider, though he doesn't credit any one pitch as the key to his success. His cutter is such a significant pitch to Armstrong for getting him into the majors that “Cutter” is his son's middle name.

“It's just about attacking with a plan, attacking the hitters with four good pitches, getting the lead and whenever you have the opportunity to shut them down, shut them down and rely on your defense,” Armstrong said. “I'm playing every role here and trusting my defense. The ultimate goal here is to win and that's what I want to do, no matter how I can help these guys do it.”

The familiarity with catcher Christian Bethancourt, with whom he played two seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, has eased his transition to his third team in five weeks, as he also gets to know catcher Miguel Amaya.

“I’m an open-minded person and I like to do anything, no matter what the count,” Armstrong said.

Gavin Sheets makes the most of his visit home

The Sox first baseman/designated hitter always marks the Baltimore visit on his calendar. He lives in the area and hails from Lutherville, Maryland, about 20 miles from Camden Yards.

“Being in my own bed, staying home and playing in a ballpark that I grew up in and have such great memories of is definitely an energy boost,” Sheets said Monday. “I love playing here, I love playing in front of my family, I love having my parents in the stands and playing in a place that my dad (Larry) did a lot to organize.”

“I definitely never take it for granted.”

Sheets had two hits and an RBI on Monday against the Orioles, continuing his impressive hitting streak. He entered Thursday with the fourth-best batting average of the last 30 days in the major leagues, hitting .352.

“I think using the whole field,” Sheets said of some of his keys to success. “I saw (Monday) him hit (Corbin) Burnes' ball into left field (for an RBI single in the first inning) and then hit the ball into right field (for another hit in the third).

“Have good shots and try to be aggressive and finish strong. I think that's the most important thing: try to have a season that I can be proud of and finish as strong as possible.”

Jairo Iriarte, acquired in the Dylan Cease trade, makes his Major League debut with the Chicago White Sox

Sheets finished the series with two more hits on Wednesday. He has a .244 batting average with eight home runs and a career-high 41 RBIs in 125 games.

He is convinced that everyone can learn something from this difficult year.

“I think that's something we can take with us going forward,” Sheets said. “I feel like everyone in this room is learning something from this season: how to deal with failure and disappointment and still be able to show up every day, play and be successful.”

Number of the week: 1993

The Cubs were inches away from ending the National League's longest cycle drought on Wednesday when a ball that Pete Crow-Armstrong pulled down the right field line into the corner landed just wide and his cycle could have been ended with an easy triple. Mark Grace's cycle on May 9, 1993, remains the last by a Cubs to date.

The White Sox’s record defeats

Record: 32-109

The 109 losses are the most in franchise history, surpassing the club's previous record of 106 set in 1970.

The Sox are on pace to reach 125 losses, surpassing the modern record of 120 set by the New York Mets in 1962. They must finish 11-10 in their final 21 games to avoid matching the Mets' record.

The Sox finished 4-22 in August, the fourth-lowest winning percentage (.154) in major league history for that month behind the 1943 Philadelphia A's (3-26, .103), the 2021 Baltimore Orioles (4-24, .143) and the 1936 Philadelphia Phillies (4-24, .143).

Next week: Cubs

• Friday: vs. Yankees, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
• Saturday: vs. Yankees, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
• Sunday: vs. Yankees, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
• Monday: at the Dodgers, 9:10 p.m., Marquee
• Tuesday: at the Dodgers, 9:10 p.m., Marquee
• Wednesday: at the Dodgers, 9:10 p.m., Marquee
• Thursday: free

The Cubs Hall of Fame welcomes its newest inductees this weekend.

A three-day celebration begins Friday to honor 2024 inductees Kerry Wood and Aramis Ramirez. The Cubs will dedicate Friday's game to Ramirez and Saturday's game to Wood, and both players will be honored at Sunday's game. On Sunday, Wood and Ramirez will receive their Cubs Hall of Fame jackets, throw a ceremonial first pitch and sing during the seventh-inning break.

The Cubs have created a pop-up exhibit in the Motorola Razr room on Gallagher Way to honor the playing careers of Ramirez and Wood. It will be on display on game days starting Friday through the end of the season. Exhibits include jerseys, bats and more from the Cubs and Wrigley Field archives.

Next week: White Sox

• Friday: at Red Sox, 6:10 p.m., NBCSCH
• Saturday: at Red Sox, 6:15 p.m., FOX-32
• Sunday: at Red Sox, 12:35 p.m., NBCSCH
• Monday: vs. Guardians, 6:40 p.m., NBCSCH
• Tuesday: vs. Guardians, 6:40 p.m., NBCSCH
• Wednesday: vs. Guardians, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
• Thursday: free

The White Sox have an 8-38 record against the American League Central this season.

Five of their wins have come against the top-ranked Cleveland Guardians, who begin a three-game series Monday at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox are 5-5 against the Guardians, including three of four wins from May 9-12 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The Sox were beaten 46-43 in their first ten games.

To compare with other AL Central opponents, the Sox are 1-9 and beat the Detroit Tigers 58-29. They have three games remaining on September 27-29 at Comerica Park.

The Sox finished the season series against the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals at 1-12. The Twins outscored the Sox 85-45. The Royals outscored the Sox 66-23.

What we read this morning

Quote

“You just hope that when they put the ball in play, it happens to go to somebody, that's usually the most important thing. But yeah, you're obviously hyper-alert and focused.” — Cubs Shortstop Dansby Swanson on the feelings of entering the ninth inning with a combined no-hitter intact