Gamethread: White Sox at Orioles

Can Baltimore be held to fewer than nine runs this time?

So far this series the White Sox have managed to make the on-field activity as embarrassing as the off-field variety, something Dylan Cease would like to stop this time around. Cease gave up four runs (two earned) in six innings to the Orioles back in April, so maybe, just maybe, despite his recent struggles he can hold Baltimore to fewer than nine runs.

The recent activity isn’t encouraging, though, since the 2022 superstar just gave up nine runs in four innings to the mighty Oakland A’s — though, to be fair, only eight of those were earned. Cease has unfortunately reverted to the big problem he seemed to have conquered last year, namely falling apart if the slightest thing goes wrong.

On the mound for the O’s will be a familiar face for the Sox, 35-year-old righty Kyle Gibson, who spent most of his long career with the Twins. Gibson sports a 4.89 ERA and had his own struggles with the A’s 12 days ago, though he gave up nine hits, not runs. Gibson will face a White Sox lineup that has two hitters who have hit a little better than .300 against him in the top two spots, but which has only managed one run in two days against any but the mop-up dregs of the Oriole pen. Yoán Moncada has the day off.

T. Anderson SS
A. Benintendi LF
L. Robert Jr. CF
E. Jimenez DH
A. Vaughn 1B
Y. Grandal C
E. Andrus 3B
O. Colas RF
L. Sosa, 2B

Cease gets one major break, since Adley Rutschman is getting a rest day.

G. Henderson 3B
A. Santander RF
R. Mountcastle DH
R. O’Hearn 1B
C. Mullins CF
A. Frazier LF
J. Westburg 2B
J. McCann C
J. Mateo SS

First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. Central, at which point should be 87° with light winds left to right. Usual broadcast suspects.