Three true outcomes: Sox are bucking the trend; Cubs aren’t

Chicago White Sox’s Jose Abreu greets Tim Anderson outside the dugout after Anderson scored on Yoan Moncada’s single during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, April 30, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) ORG XMIT: CXS116The way baseball is played today, the White Sox are almost an anomaly.

Stringing together enough hits to produce runs has become more difficult in an age of hard-throwing pitchers and defensive shifts. Rosters have been constructed to favor home-run hitters and quick-strike offenses.

With the caution that April is always tough on hitters, we’ve seen a continuation of the trends toward fewer balls in play and offenses dominated by the three true outcomes…