Game Thread: Dodgers (44-25) at White Sox (36-31)

Anthony Kay looks to get back on track against the Dodgers. For the first time in four years your Chicago White Sox are atop the AL Central, after two impressive wins over the Atlanta Braves. With the team getting a rainy Thursday night off, the South Siders had a breather before another big series,

What is the story about?

For the first time in four years your Chicago White Sox are atop the AL Central, after two impressive wins over the Atlanta Braves. With the team getting a rainy Thursday night off, the South Siders had a breather before another big series, this one with the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

This series with the Dodgers is the third of four matchups that will test the team’s ability and give fans an indication if this year’s team is for real or not. So far, so good for the White

Sox as they went 3-2 combined against the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves. With this series against the Dodgers being the final one at home before a road trip to New York and Detroit, a win against Los Angeles would put them in a great position.

Just as he did against the Phillies last week, Anthony Kay will lead off as the first starter against the Dodgers. Kay entered last week’s game after a sizzling month of May, going 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA. Unfortunately, the Phillies knocked the southpaw out of the game early, as he could only manage four innings and allowed six earned runs along the way. Tonight, his task doesn’t get much easier with a Dodgers team that ranks first in the majors in runs scored. With that said, Kay has been on another level at home this year, sporting a 4-0 record and an ERA of three at Rate Field.

As for the Dodgers, they will throw Roki Sasaki out on the mound, and it’s anyone’s guess how he will fare. Sasaki has flashed his elite talent this season, but has struggled mightily with consistency. After a solid start in March, Sasaki had an ERA of more than seven in April, before getting back on track in May. Most recently, Sasaki pitched a seven-inning gem against the Angels, allowing just two hits over seven innings of work and punching out 10 in the process. Sasaki seems to either pitch very well, or completely fall apart, so early on we should be able to tell what kind of outing the White Sox will be facing.

With just a half-game separating the White Sox and Cleveland Guardians at the top of the division, taking even two out of three against a team like the Dodgers would do wonders with the Guardians currently in freefall. No matter what happens tonight, there is no doubt that Rate Field will be ready to go and rocking early.

Here is the starting lineup for the White Sox: