The White Sox are the surprise team in this matchup at 26-25, holding a winning record into late May and quietly outclassing a Giants club that has lost 4 of its last 5. San Francisco only stopped the bleeding Saturday when Harrison Bader uncorked a grand slam in a 6-run 5th inning to bury the Sox, so Chicago's revenge motive is fresh.
Noah Schultz gets the ball for Chicago, and the rookie's walk problem is the entire story. He'd issued 16 free passes in his prior 20 innings before finally posting a walk-free start against Seattle on May 18. At Oracle, against a Robbie Ray-led staff that punishes mistakes, Schultz needs that version of himself, not the 5-walk version.
Ray, meanwhile, has been the Giants' steadying force at a 2.76 ERA across his last stretch with 47 strikeouts in 45.2 frames. He's coming off 6 innings of 1-run ball against Pittsburgh on May 8, his 4th quality start of the year. The Giants' bigger problem is who's hitting behind him with Jung Hoo Lee, Heliot Ramos and Logan Webb all parked on the IL.
- 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-ILAustin Hays LF — Hays (calf) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILEverson Pereira RF — The White Sox placed Pereira on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a right pectoral strain.
- 15-Day-ILJordan Hicks RP — Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right lat strain.
- 60-Day-ILKyle Teel C — Teel (hamstring) is expected to be sidelined an additional 3-to-6 weeks after suffering a sprained LCL in his right knee during a rehab game with Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa RP — Berroa is dealing with right elbow inflammation and will have his rehab stint paused, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILMike Vasil RP — The White Sox transferred Vasil (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILTanner Murray LF — The White Sox transferred Murray (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Monday.
- 10-Day-ILJung Hoo Lee RF — Lee (back) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- 10-Day-ILHeliot Ramos LF — Ramos received a PRP injection in his injured right quadriceps and will be shut down for one week, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- 15-Day-ILLogan Webb SP — Webb (knee) is slated to make a rehab start at Triple-A Sacramento on Friday and expects to return from the 15-day injured list next week, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- 60-Day-ILReiver Sanmartin RP — Sanmartin (hip) tossed a scoreless inning in Triple-A Sacramento's 11-6 win over Sugar Land on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILJason Foley RP — Foley (shoulder) earned a hold in Triple-A Sacramento's 6-5 loss to Round Rock on Wednesday, allowing one hit in a scoreless inning.
- 60-Day-ILJared Oliva CF — The Giants transferred Oliva (wrist) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.
- 60-Day-ILRowan Wick RP — The Giants placed Wick (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
- 60-Day-ILHayden Birdsong RP — Birdsong underwent successful UCL reconstruction surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The market is treating this as a near coinflip, and that's fair. Schultz is a wild card who can either dominate or hand out 5 walks before the 3rd inning. Ray is reliable but the Giants offense is shorthanded and was getting no-hit for stretches before Bader bailed them out.
Quick read: Chicago has been the better team on paper for a month and is getting plus money on the line. If Schultz throws strikes, the Sox split the series and stomp out the Giants' baby win streak before it starts. If he doesn't, Ray and a suddenly hot Bader send Oracle home happy.