White Sox at Tigers
The Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers own two of the five worst records in the American League, but both teams really only need a hot streak to get right back in the thick of things in the AL Central. The White Sox seek payback for a three-game sweep early last month at the hands of the Tigers beginning Friday when they visit Detroit for the opener of a three-game set.
Chicago (15-32) has been sitting at the bottom of the AL for much of the season, but it also has never trailed by more than 9 1/2 games in the Central in large part because division-leading Cleveland has hovered right around .500 most of the season. Despite Thursday's 9-3 home setback against Baltimore, the White Sox have been playing better baseball of late, going 5-3 over their last eight contests after opening the season 10-29. The Tigers (21-28) were one game out of first place in the division just over a week ago, but they return home - where they are 12-10 - four games off the pace entering Thursday following a 2-5 road trip. Detroit ended a five-game slide with a 4-1 victory at Minnesota on Wednesday and hope to rediscover the form that led to its first three-game sweep of the season, April 5-8 in Chicago.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Reynaldo Lopez (1-3, 2.98 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Mike Fiers (4-3, 4.57)
Lopez bounced back from one of the worst outings of his career with perhaps his best Sunday against Texas, yielding two hits and two walks while fanning eight over eight scoreless innings. The 24-year-old Dominican turned in a similar performance in a losing cause versus Detroit, permitting one unearned run on two hits and five walks April 8. Lopez has logged at least five innings in all but one turn and allowed more than two earned runs just twice in his nine starts this season.
Fiers took the loss Saturday in Seattle, surrendering four runs on six hits - including a pair of homers - across five frames. The Nova Southeastern product has struggled with the long ball in recent years and this season has been no different, giving up two home runs in four of his eight starts. Fiers' best outing of the campaign came opposite Lopez last month when he blanked the White Sox over six innings, improving to 2-0 with a 0.70 ERA in four starts versus Chicago.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers OF Nicholas Castellanos, who has two hits in four consecutive games, is batting .375 with nine runs scored, five doubles and three homers over his last 17 contests.
2. White Sox C Welington Castillo was suspended for 80 games Thursday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
3. Detroit has outscored Chicago 28-8 while winning each of the last four meetings, recording two shutouts over that span.