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| 3:40 PM PT4:40 PM MT5:40 PM CT6:40 PM ET18:40 ET22:40 GMT6:40 3:40 PM MST5:40 PM EST6:10 PM VEN2:40 UAE (+1)4:40 PM CT, May 25, 2023 Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan Attendance: 15,003 |
White Sox attempt to continue resurgence in Detroit
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers
- Chicago has gone 45-21 against Detroit since the start of 2019, including 20-11 at Comerica Park, where the White Sox won eight of nine last season. The Tigers swept a three-game set to end last season, however, outscoring the White Sox 16-6 in Chicago.
- The White Sox have gone 14-9 since April 30 and have a 3.53 ERA in that span, including a 3.10 mark from their bullpen. The South Siders had gone 7-21 prior to that date, with a 5.88 ERA as a team and a 6.59 mark from the relievers.
- Since allowing seven earned runs on 12 hits over four innings on April 7 in Pittsburgh, Lucas Giolito has posted a 2.66 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over eight starts, including a win against Kansas City in his last outing in which he allowed just one run on six hits.
- Tim Anderson is slashing just .214/.258/.214 since returning from injury on May 2. He has a 13-game hitting streak against the Tigers dating back to June 12, 2021 and a .347 career average against Detroit, best among active players (min. 150 PA).
- The Tigers' bullpen has a 2.75 ERA this month, third in MLB behind the Padres (1.37) and White Sox (2.49). Detroit has a 3.69 ERA in the seventh inning or later this season -- ninth in MLB -- and the Tigers are 14-1 when leading after six innings.
- Riley Greene is hitting .373 this month, second in the AL behind Texas' Leody Taveras at .380 (min. 50 PA). Greene has 146 hits through 138 career games -- in the last three decades, the only Tigers to reach 150 hits in fewer than 140 games are Austin Jackson (119 games) and Juan Encarnacion (136 games).
The Chicago White Sox are trending in the right direction heading into a four-game series at Detroit that begins on Thursday.
Chicago has won seven of its past nine games, though it is still nine games below .500 entering the set against the Tigers.
"It doesn't matter how many games we're back, we have to worry about us being prepared to win games. The standings will take care of themselves," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said.
Chicago made the most of its four hits and three walks on Wednesday as it shut out the Cleveland Guardians 6-0. The White Sox, who scored five runs in the fourth inning, left only one runner on base.
"Guys can hit the baseball over the wall, so I don't want guys just giving themselves up hitting a ground ball to the second baseman," Grifol said. "I want guys driving the ball and get guys over to the deep part of the outfield somewhere. They were focused on that (Wednesday)."
Right-hander Lucas Giolito will start the series opener for the White Sox on Thursday.
Giolito (3-3, 3.62 ERA) has been a workhorse by modern-day standards, going at least six innings in each of his past eight appearances. All but two of those outings were quality starts, including his six-inning performance against Kansas City on Saturday. Giolito limited the Royals to one run and six hits en route to a 5-1 win.
Salvador Perez's first-inning solo homer was the only run the Royals could muster off Giolito.
"He's got four pitches that he can go to at any time," Grifol said. "He commands the fastball up in the zone, which is big."
Giolito has displayed excellent control this season with a 5.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has only issued 12 walks in 10 starts.
The 28-year-old veteran is quite familiar with the Tigers. Giolito has 19 career starts against them, going 6-6 with a 4.46 ERA. He has had trouble with Detroit shortstop Javier Baez, who owns a .417 average in 24 at-bats against him, collecting five extra-base hits.
He will be opposed by right-hander Alex Faedo, who will be making his fourth start this season. Faedo (0-2, 4.60 ERA) will be seeking his second career victory.
In his latest outing, Faedo was charged with three runs and five hits in five innings at Washington on Saturday. He threw 53 strikes among 72 pitches and took the loss in the 5-2 setback.
"I felt pretty good mechanically," Faedo said, "and when I'm synced up, the fastball definitely comes out better. That's something good to work off of. I think we did a good job. There's a few pitches I have to execute better. But other than that, we had a great plan, I thought we threw it pretty good."
Faedo, who has only issued one walk in his three starts, endured the worst outing of his young career against the White Sox last June. He surrendered seven runs on nine hits in three-plus innings during a 13-0 loss.
The Tigers are also coming off a victory. They defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-4 on Wednesday take a three-game series and complete a 3-3 road trip.
Detroit got offensive contributions from unexpected sources. Zack Short blasted a pinch-hit, three-run homer, while Jonathan Schoop drove in his first two runs this season with a double.
"He doesn't play very much," manager A.J. Hinch said of Short. "His role on this team is a defensive specialist and a spot start here or there. He provides a lot of energy. The guys go crazy when he does stuff."
--Field Level Media
Updated May 25, 2023
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