The D-backs lost 7-3 to the White Sox on June 26, 2025, as Josh Naylor's early homer was wasted and Zac Gallen struggled. Read why the offense went cold.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It started with a bang and ended with a whimper. Josh Naylor launched a two-run homer in the first inning, giving the Diamondbacks a dream start in Chicago. But the dream quickly turned into a familiar nightmare, as the offense went cold, squandering chance after chance in a deflating 7-3 loss to the White Sox on Thursday night.
One two-run homer in the first, one RBI single in the eighth, and a whole lot of missed opportunities in between. That was the story of the D-backs' offense.
For a moment, it looked like the D-backs were ready to cruise. Josh Naylor continued his torrid June, smashing his 10th home run of the season to give Arizona an immediate 2-0 lead. The energy was palpable. Unfortunately, that was the last time the D-backs would hold the lead. The offense couldn't build on the momentum, repeatedly failing to cash in with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, the White Sox chipped away, with Andrew Benintendi and Lenyn Sosa both taking Zac Gallen deep. Sosa, in particular, had a monster night with two homers, tormenting Arizona pitching and sealing the home team's victory.
It was an uncharacteristically short and difficult outing for ace Zac Gallen. Lasting just four innings, Gallen was tagged for four earned runs, surrendering the two costly home runs that erased Arizona's early lead. While the bullpen didn't fare much better, Gallen's inability to provide a shutdown performance after being handed a lead set a negative tone for the rest of the game. The D-backs rely on their ace to be a stopper, but on this night, the White Sox hitters simply had his number.
If you're looking for the primary culprit in this loss, look no further than the team's performance with runners in scoring position (RISP). Outside of Naylor's homer and a late RBI single from Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the lineup was silent when it mattered most. Innings came and went with D-backs left on second and third, opportunities vanishing into the Chicago night. This isn't a new problem, but it was glaringly obvious in this game. To contend in the tough NL West, where the team sits at 41-39, they have to find a way to manufacture runs and deliver clutch hits. Tonight was a painful reminder of how far they still have to go in that department.
With this loss, the D-backs drop to 41-39, still looking up at the leaders in the NL West. The power is there, as Naylor proved again, but consistency is king. The team will need to shake this one off quickly and find an answer to their RISP struggles. The talent is on the roster, but the execution needs to follow if they hope to make a serious push in the second half of the season.
