Tristan Peters on the bench against southpaw

Fernando Cruz got a huge double play ball in the 10th to send the game to the 11th, but he couldn’t come up big again after getting no lead to work with. Munetaka Murakami was intentionally walked to start the inning. Cruz struck out Miguel Vargas, but then Sam Antonacci collected an infield single. Cruz bounced back to strike out Colson Montgomery after falling behind 3-0, but he then walked Peters on four pitches. Peters, a very surprising AL All-Star, didn’t start the game against lefty Ryan Weathers, but he was in his second plate appearances off the bench. He’s hitting .095/.188/.119 in 48 plate appearances since the break.

Randal Grichuk will start in left field and bat fourth, while Everson Pereira will start in center field and bat sixth. Both Antonacci and Tristan Peters will head to the bench, and both players seem to be falling into strong-side platoons. It makes some sense since Antonacci has hit .200/.288/.231 in 74 plate appearances against lefties this season.

The 25-year-old has gone 6-for-35 in 22 games played for the White Sox this season. There is now an open spot on the White Sox active roster, but the belief is that one of Austin Hays (calf) or Everson Pereira (concussion) will be activated from the injured list before Monday’s game against the Yankees.

Peters gets the call to Philadelphia alongside teammate Munetaka Murakami for next week’s Midsummer Classic as a replacement for an injured Nick Kurtz (thumb). The unheralded 26-year-old hit for the cycle during Friday’s blowout win over the Athletics and has been an unexpected revelation for the upstart White Sox, slashing .303/.357/.484 with six homers and five steals in 89 games. This is his first career All-Star Game selection. It comes just a few years after Peters played for the Savannah Bananas back in 2021. He’ll add some much-needed flair to the All-Star Game for the American League.

Peters was at the heart of this White Sox blowout win over the Athletics. First, he contributed a run-scoring single during their four-run outburst against Aaron Civale. Then, he helped break it open with a two-run home run as they poured it on in the seventh inning. The White Sox managed to bat around in that inning and Peters came to the plate next needing a triple to complete the cycle. He yanked a ball down the first base line, got on his horse, and slid into third safely as the crowd roared. That was the first cycle by a White Sox player since José Abreu – yes, really – in 2017. This is a fantastic exclamation point on a stellar first half for Peters’ with a .303/.357/.484 slash-line to go along with six home runs and five stolen bases.

Montgomery takes a seat against his former organization, receiving his first day off since June 19. The 23-year-old top prospect has delivered a couple memorable clutch hits for the upstart White Sox while slashing a respectable .233/.309/.395 with two homers and eight RBI in 97 plate appearances over 23 games since being called up last month. It’ll be Junior Perez getting a turn in right field on Tuesday night.

Antonacci takes a seat following 10 consecutive starts in left field since June 19. The 23-year-old rookie has settled in nicely as Chicago’s top-of-the-order table-setter, hitting .291/.391/.413 with 43 runs scored, four homers, 22 RBI and 11 steals in 263 plate appearances through 65 games. He’s definitely lived up to fantasy managers’ most optimistic projections. It’ll be Kyle Teel moving up to the leadoff spot with Junior Perez in left field on Tuesday night.

Perez collected his first career hit with a two-out single off of Tarik Skubal in the fourth inning. He was then caught trying to steal second base. The 24-year-old outfielder then broke a 2-2 tie with a 375-foot (101.6-mph EV) solo shot off of Skubal in the sixth inning. That would wind up being the extent of the White Sox’ offense though. Perez finished the night 2-for-3 and with memories that he’ll cherish for the rest of his life.

It’s not a bad idea to give the 23-year-old rookie a night off with star southpaw Tarik Skubal toeing the slab for the Tigers. Montgomery has hit just .194 (6-for-31) with a homer, four RBI and a 10/1 K/BB ratio over 32 plate appearances in his first eight games with the White Sox. Junior Perez will start in his place in right field and bat sixth for the White Sox on Friday evening in Motown.

Perez had hit .230/.326/.432 in 87 plate appearances with Charlotte after being claimed off waivers by the White Sox in May. He’ll head up to the South Side to fill in for Everson Pereira.