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White Sox manager's illegal mound visit costs starter in loss

8/8/2026

24 1 Full Breakdown

Summary

Venable Pulls Schultz

White Sox manager Will Venable removed starter Noah Schultz after a second mound visit in the first inning.
Schultz faced five batters and hit one batter before reliever David Sandlin allowed six runs as Chicago lost 8-2 to the Guardians.
Venable called the move “an inexcusable mistake by me” and said the club must move on despite the fourth straight loss, with the White Sox still atop the AL Central.

Summary

Venable Breaks Rule

Manager Will Venable visited the mound a second time, violating MLB Rule 5.10(l) that permits only one visit per pitcher in an inning.
Fans on X, including user Errol (Burger) Rechein @Burger_Rechein, called the second mound visit “terrible coaching.”
Chicago will option rookie Noah Schultz and reliever David Sandlin to Triple-A Charlotte while promoting prospects Tanner McDougal and Hagen Smith.

History

Historical Context

After a decade of pace-of-play experiments—from minor-league limits of five mound visits in 2019 to the 2022 collective-bargaining agreement that introduced Rule 5.07—MLB now caps visits at three per inning. The rule, credited with shaving about 15 minutes per game, was breached when White Sox coach Will Venable made a second visit to rookie Noah Schultz, drawing criticism from Chicago and Cleveland.

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Venable Pulls Schultz

White Sox manager Will Venable removed starter Noah Schultz after a second mound visit in the first inning.
Schultz faced five batters and hit one batter before reliever David Sandlin allowed six runs as Chicago lost 8-2 to the Guardians.
Venable called the move “an inexcusable mistake by me” and said the club must move on despite the fourth straight loss, with the White Sox still atop the AL Central.

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