First pitch is 6:40 PM CT at Rate Field, and the pitching card tells most of the story: Roki Sasaki (3-3, 4.03) versus Anthony Kay (5-1, 4.40). Those season numbers undersell what Sasaki has been lately and oversell what Kay just did against the Phillies.
Sasaki's last time out he carved the Angels for 7 shutout innings, 2 hits, 10 strikeouts on 98 pitches. Dave Roberts has openly said his rookie is back, and the underlying numbers back it up — a 1.48 ERA over his last 4 starts, per the writeups out of LA. Kay, meanwhile, got chased after 4 innings and 6 earned runs in Philadelphia, snapping a run that had his ERA tumbling under 4 a week earlier.
The bigger pre-game question is Shohei Ohtani's knee. He's listed day-to-day but has, per Jack Harris, a strong chance to be in the starting lineup. That matters more than usual because the Dodgers are already running short — Will Smith just hit the 10-day IL with a neck issue, Teoscar Hernandez is a month away with the hamstring, and Enrique Hernandez is looking at 6-to-8 weeks with a torn oblique. The lineup card is taped together.
- Day-To-DayJustin Wrobleski SP — Manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Wrobleski (hamstring) is expected to be able to make his next start, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports.
- Day-To-DayShohei Ohtani DH — Ohtani (knee) has a strong chance to be in the starting lineup Friday against the White Sox, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- Day-To-DayChris Campos SP
- 10-Day-ILWill Smith C — The Dodgers will place Smith (neck) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILTeoscar Hernandez LF — Hernandez (hamstring) said Saturday that he expects to return from the injured list in about a month, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILEnrique Hernandez 1B — Hernandez is expected to be out for 6-to-8 weeks after sustaining a "significant tear" of his left oblique during Tuesday's 15-6 win over the Rockies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILBrock Stewart RP — Stewart (foot) threw to live hitters Saturday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
- 60-Day-ILTyler Glasnow SP — The Dodgers transferred Glasnow (back) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.
- Day-To-DayTim Elko 1B — no
- Day-To-DayMason Adams RP — The White Sox announced that Adams underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILMunetaka Murakami 1B — White Sox manager Will Venable said Monday that Murakami (hamstring) stayed back in Chicago during the team's road trip and was given a platelet-rich plasma injection, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILNoah Schultz SP — Schultz (knee) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILTyler Gilbert RP — The White Sox placed Gilbert on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left shoulder impingement.
- 15-Day-ILJordan Hicks RP — Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right lat strain.
- 60-Day-ILAustin Hays LF — Hays has been pulled off his rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte due to a recurrence of left calf soreness, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILKyle Teel C — Teel (hamstring) has begun hitting off a tee and doing catching drills, MLB.com reports.
Don't sleep on the home side, though. The White Sox are 36-31, just took 2 of 3 from the Braves, and the series finale Wednesday was a suspended 0-0 tie — meaning Will Venable's bullpen has been carrying water in low-scoring spots and didn't burn a starter to get there. Rate Field has played fair, and Kay's cutter-sweeper mix has held lefties down all year, which is the only path to slowing the top of this Dodgers order with a banged-up roster.
The road team comes in winners of 4 of their last 5, but 3 of those came in close games against the Pirates, including a blown 8-9 loss Tuesday. If Sasaki gives them the 7 they got last time, none of that matters. If he doesn't, a White Sox club that's been winning 2-1 and 6-5 games has a real path to the upset price.