After taking an old-fashioned Texas whoopin’ on Tuesday night, the White Sox will try to bounce back this evening and secure their 18th series win of the season. Even with last night’s 10-0 drubbing, Chicago still enters play in the thick of the AL Central race, though the Guardians’ win over the Twins means the Good Guys now find themselves tied for first place with roughly two-thirds of the season in the books. Tonight presents an opportunity to quickly erase the memory of yesterday’s blowout and regain
sole possession of the division lead.
Anthony Kay gets the ball for the South Siders, carrying a 6-4 record, a 4.24 ERA, and a 1.37 WHIP. Kay’s Baseball Savant profile suggests his raw arsenal is better than his overall results, but he’ll need to execute against a Rangers lineup that piled up 18 hits just 24 hours ago. The lefthander averages 95.5 mph on his fastball, placing him in the 69th percentile, and generates an above-average chase rate while producing a respectable number of ground balls. His path to success is fairly straightforward: pound the strike zone early, use his changeup to neutralize Texas’ right-handed hitters, expand the zone once he’s ahead in the count, and, most importantly, avoid the crooked inning. If Kay consistently falls behind hitters, a Rangers offense swinging the bat with confidence could make him pay.
Here’s how Bruce Bochy’s club will line up against Kay:
The Rangers will counter with an opener, as former White Sox old friend lefthander Tyler Alexander gets the starting assignment. Signed as a free agent during the offseason, Alexander is making his fourth opening assignment of the year. The veteran has quietly been effective, posting a 1-1 record with a 2.79 ERA and 1.31 WHIP across 44 appearances and 42 innings, though opponents are still hitting .270 against him. With Chicago sending out another left-handed heavy lineup, it’s no surprise Texas is looking to gain an early platoon advantage.
The bulk of the innings are expected to belong to righthander Cal Quantrill, who enters at 3-2 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Quantrill doesn’t overpower hitters, relying instead on limiting walks, mixing his pitches, and inducing manageable contact. His 5th-percentile strikeout rate means the White Sox should have plenty of opportunities to put balls in play. The key will be staying disciplined, refusing to chase his offspeed offerings early in counts, and capitalizing when he leaves pitches over the heart of the plate. If Chicago strings together quality at-bats, this is a matchup that should produce scoring opportunities.
Miguel Vargas continues to be Chicago’s hottest regular since the All-Star break, slashing .286/.318/.476 with a .794 OPS over his last five games. Colson Montgomery has been just as productive, hitting .267/.353/.533 with an .886 OPS during that same stretch, returning to the lineup tonight after getting Tuesday off to rest the shin contusion he suffered on Monday. Edgar Quero is also back and behind the plate after being recalled from Charlotte to replace the injured Kyle Teel.
Will Venable sends them out like this:
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT from Globe Life Field. The game will air on CHSN and can be heard on ESPN Chicago 1000.
