Detroit's riding its best stretch in weeks, but Chicago's been the American League's quietest good story all summer — Saturday's opener in Motor City pits momentum against a team that's earned its record the hard way.
Share
Predictions
White Sox———
Tigers———
Best BetTigers
Detroit's the play here off form alone — 3 straight wins and 4 of 5, with the home crowd behind them. Chicago's coming in having dropped a brutal 13-inning game to Boston and then lost to Cincinnati, the kind of stretch that tends to follow a team onto the field. The White Sox still own the better overall record, so there's real risk backing Detroit, but the Tigers are trending the right way at the right time.
White Sox
+better overall record at 61-57
+took 2 of 3 from Cleveland Guardians
+added electric prospect arm Hagen Smith
−dropped their last game
−blew a lead in a 13-inning loss to Boston
−rotation and catching corps gutted by injuries
Tigers
+won 3 straight, 4-1 in last 5
+beat Cleveland Guardians in latest outing
+offense trending up during the streak
−sit a game under .500 at 59-60
−Riley Greene's hamstring status uncertain
−outfield already thin without Perez, Vierling, Meadows
Both rotations are dealing with real attrition right now, and neither club has announced a starter for Saturday's game yet. Chicago's staff has been especially hard hit — Drew Thorpe, Ky Bush, Chris Murphy, Jordan Leasure, Prelander Berroa and Mike Vasil are all shelved — which is part of why the White Sox called up No. 2 prospect Hagen Smith on August 9, and the lefty delivered 2 scoreless relief innings in his debut against Cleveland. Detroit isn't much healthier: Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson and Justin Verlander remain out, leaving manager A.J. Hinch piecing things together outing to outing.
The bigger question for Detroit might be in the outfield, not the rotation. Riley Greene left a recent game against Cleveland in the 3rd inning with right hamstring tightness after taking a pitch off the leg, and he's officially day-to-day heading into the weekend. Losing him, even for a game or two, thins out a lineup that's carried a 3-game winning streak into this series.
Show fees
1:10 PM ET
Spread
ML
Total
CWS White Sox
DET Tigers
Records are basically a coin flip here — Chicago's a few games over .500, Detroit a game under — but how each team got there says more than the standings do. The White Sox have been one of the sport's better surprise stories most of the year, while the Tigers have had to scrap for their recent wins with a rotation running on fumes.
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Recent form.
Chicago's form has been streaky. The White Sox took 2 of 3 from Cleveland before dropping a lead-blowing 13-inning slugfest to Boston and then losing to Cincinnati in their last time out. That's been the story of their season in miniature — a genuinely good team that still finds ways to hand games away.
Chicago White Sox
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Detroit Tigers
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report via ESPN.
Detroit's already thin in the outfield with Wenceel Perez, Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows all on the shelf, so a Greene absence would push depth pieces into real playing time. Chicago's list runs just as long, spanning the rotation and the catching corps — Joey Bart and Kyle Teel are both out for extended stretches. Whichever club manages the attrition better this weekend probably walks away with the series.
