Chicago White Sox (13-6) at Toronto Blue Jays (10-10)
DATE/TIME: Monday, April 25 - 7:07 PM EST
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
The Chicago White Sox have leaned on pitching and defense while climbing into first place in the American League Central and lead the AL in runs allowed. That pitching staff will take on the most powerful offense in the league when the White Sox visit the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Chicago’s 47 runs allowed is the best in the AL, and the staff has been even stingier of late with a total of eight runs surrendered in winning five of the last six games. The White Sox yielded four runs in sweeping a three-game set at home against the Texas Rangers over the weekend and closer David Robertson bounced back from a blown save on Saturday by striking out the side in a perfect ninth in Sunday’s 4-1 triumph. The Rangers entered that series as one of the highest scoring teams in the league along with the Blue Jays, who pounded out 15 runs in two games over the weekend to earn a series win over Oakland. Jose Bautista slammed a two-run homer on Sunday after Troy Tulowitzki snapped out of a slump with a pair of blasts in Saturday’s 9-3 triumph.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Miguel Gonzalez (2015: 9-12, 4.91 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (3-0, 4.13)
Gonzalez was released by the Baltimore Orioles toward the end of spring training and ended up with Chicago on a minor league deal. The Mexico native is coming up to give the rest of the rotation at least a one-day break after going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts for Triple-A Charlotte. Gonzalez is 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 13 career games – 12 starts – against the Blue Jays, including 1-1 with a 2.38 mark in two turns last season.
Stroman has turned in three quality starts in four chances and picked up a win at Baltimore on Tuesday while allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings. The Duke product surrendered a pair of home runs in that turn after keeping the ball in the yard in the two previous outings. Stroman is making his third career start against Chicago and looking for his first win after yielding a total of seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in the first two chances.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays C Russell Martin (neck) was scratched from Sunday’s lineup and is day-to-day.
2. White Sox C Alex Avila (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day DL on Sunday and C Kevan Smith was recalled from Charlotte.
3. Chicago LHP John Danks (0-3, 6.23 ERA in three starts) will not pitch in the series.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, White Sox 3
DATE/TIME: Monday, April 25 - 7:07 PM EST
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
The Chicago White Sox have leaned on pitching and defense while climbing into first place in the American League Central and lead the AL in runs allowed. That pitching staff will take on the most powerful offense in the league when the White Sox visit the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Chicago’s 47 runs allowed is the best in the AL, and the staff has been even stingier of late with a total of eight runs surrendered in winning five of the last six games. The White Sox yielded four runs in sweeping a three-game set at home against the Texas Rangers over the weekend and closer David Robertson bounced back from a blown save on Saturday by striking out the side in a perfect ninth in Sunday’s 4-1 triumph. The Rangers entered that series as one of the highest scoring teams in the league along with the Blue Jays, who pounded out 15 runs in two games over the weekend to earn a series win over Oakland. Jose Bautista slammed a two-run homer on Sunday after Troy Tulowitzki snapped out of a slump with a pair of blasts in Saturday’s 9-3 triumph.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Miguel Gonzalez (2015: 9-12, 4.91 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (3-0, 4.13)
Gonzalez was released by the Baltimore Orioles toward the end of spring training and ended up with Chicago on a minor league deal. The Mexico native is coming up to give the rest of the rotation at least a one-day break after going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts for Triple-A Charlotte. Gonzalez is 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 13 career games – 12 starts – against the Blue Jays, including 1-1 with a 2.38 mark in two turns last season.
Stroman has turned in three quality starts in four chances and picked up a win at Baltimore on Tuesday while allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings. The Duke product surrendered a pair of home runs in that turn after keeping the ball in the yard in the two previous outings. Stroman is making his third career start against Chicago and looking for his first win after yielding a total of seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in the first two chances.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays C Russell Martin (neck) was scratched from Sunday’s lineup and is day-to-day.
2. White Sox C Alex Avila (hamstring) was placed on the 15-day DL on Sunday and C Kevan Smith was recalled from Charlotte.
3. Chicago LHP John Danks (0-3, 6.23 ERA in three starts) will not pitch in the series.
PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, White Sox 3