We have the final regular-season meeting between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox and this game has playoff implications for the White Sox. Chicago won game one of this series by a score of 4-3 and they need to keep winning because the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians are nipping at their heels!
This preview was written prior to the start of Saturday MLB contests and all opinions are based on Friday night MLB action.
Tigers Fall in Series Opener
Detroit enters Saturday hoping to end a one-game losing streak and has lost seven of its last ten games. The Tigers have a 10-13 record away from Comerica Park and is currently eight-game behind the White Sox and its 20-24 record is going to make it difficult to reach the expanded playoffs. Infielder Johnathan Schoop leads Detroit with eight dingers and infielder Jeimer Candelario has a team-leading 28 RBI this season.
The Tigers pitching staff ranks twenty-ninth in baseball with a 5.81 team ERA and the offense ranks thirteenth with a .248 team batting average over 1429 at-bats this season.
Righty Spencer Turnbull (4-2, 3.32) is the Tigers probable starting pitcher and over 40.2 innings pitched has allowed 28 hits with 15 earned runs, one home run, and 26 walks. Turnbull has struck out 34 and is up against a Chicago offense with a 25.5 percent strikeout rate and .181 ISO over 1263 plate appearances this season.
White Sox One Game AL Central Lead
Chicago enters Saturday riding a two-game winning streak and has won seven of its last ten games. The White Sox hold a one-game lead over the Minnesota Twins and boast a home record of 12-9 while boasting a 20-10 record against the rest of the Central Division. Infielder Jose Abreu leads the club with 13 bombs and a team-high 40 RBI this season.
The White Sox offense ranks fourth in baseball with a .268 team batting average and the pitching staff checks in at number four with a 3.65 team ERA over 387 innings pitched.
Chicago is undecided as to who will start this game but whoever does is up against a Detroit offense with a 27.2 percent strikeout rate and .173 ISO over 1571 plate appearances this season.
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