As predicted, James Shields had a lot to overcome in his Chicago White Sox debut. And it didn’t go very well.
Shields allowed four runs in the first inning and seven runs in two innings against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night. He has allowed 17 runs in his past 4⅔ innings for two different teams.
Shields is the first starter to allow at least seven runs in fewer than three innings in consecutive starts since Juan Nicasio for the Rockies in September 2013
Not surprisingly, home runs were a big issue. Shields gave up three the first time through the lineup. He has allowed 12 in 69⅓ innings pitched this season. Shields allowed a National League-leading 33 home runs with the Padres last season. He's now pitching regularly in a park considerably smaller than Petco Park, especially in right field, with left-handed hitters in prime position to take aim.
Shields, who entered the game with a 9.5 percent walk rate, walked two more. He’s walking hitters twice as often this season as he did two seasons ago. Shields also had his worst game of the season in terms of “called strikes above average” (meaning he got fewer called strikes than the average pitcher would have gotten on the same pitches, based on location and count). Shields had gotten more called strikes than the average pitcher would have gotten in all but one of his starts with the Padres in 2016.
Shields's 79 pitches through two innings are the most by a pitcher in the first two innings of a game since Jaime Garcia of the Cardinals needed 80 against the Rockies in May of 2011.
Shields can look ahead to his next time out, though that’s going to be a major challenge. He’ll face a Tigers lineup next week that ranks in the top three in the American League in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. His main nemesis will be Miguel Cabrera, who has a .345 batting average and a 1.000 OPS in 55 career at-bats against Shields.
