The White Sox are rolling out a lineup that looks nothing like their usual setup against left-handed pitching as they open against the Cincinnati Reds after a weekend series win over the Cleveland Guardians and an off day.
Chicago will send this group to the plate at Rate Field at 6:40 CT, with Brenton Doyle leading off in center field against Nick Lodolo. Doyle has gone deep off Lodolo before, and this will be his fourth time batting first this season.
Behind him, Munetaka Murakami is in the two hole, followed by Miguel Vargas. The bigger shake-up comes lower in the order, where Randal Grichuk is batting cleanup in left field despite not homering since June 24.
He is still swinging a hot bat overall, though, with a .321 average. Braden Montgomery is hitting fifth ahead of Colson Montgomery, who will serve as the designated hitter.
Colson Montgomery has struggled over his last 15 games, posting a .186/.254/.305 line.
The biggest absence is Chase Meidroth, who is sitting again because of a wrist injury. He is not expected to miss significant time, but the White Sox are clearly being cautious.
His absence pushes Sam Antonacci into the lineup at second base, where he’ll bat eighth. Antonacci has hit .203/.304/.232 against left-handers this season.
Chicago’s full order also includes Edgar Quero at catcher and Luisangel Acuña at shortstop.
The Reds counter with a lineup built around Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart at the top. Tyler Stephenson is batting fourth and comes in riding a strong stretch: over his last 30 games, he has hit .317/.389/.554 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. JJ Bleday is also part of the middle of the order, while Eugenio Suárez is hitting fifth as the designated hitter.
The bottom half of Cincinnati’s lineup has not produced much this year, and that gives the White Sox a chance to lean on Sean Burke. Burke has turned himself into one of baseball’s best in recent weeks after earlier control issues.
Over his last seven outings, he has a 1.74 ERA with 57 strikeouts and nine walks in 41.1 innings. He did, however, last only 4.1 innings in his previous start, allowing two runs.
Lodolo is making his first start in a month after dealing with a blister on his left index finger. In 12 starts, he owns a 4.60 ERA with 50 strikeouts across 62.2 innings.
His last outing came July 11 against the Chicago Cubs, when he worked five innings and allowed two runs. Walks have been an issue for him too, with 27 on the season, so Chicago will need to be patient and wait for its chances.
In Other News...
Emilio Pagn Is Creating A Reds Decision They Did Not Expect
Emilio Pagns 2026 season has taken a sharp turn for the better since he came back from a hamstring injury in late June, giving the Reds a version of their reliever they were not getting earlier in the year. After a rough start, he has settled into a much steadier role in the Cincinnati bullpen and has helped stabilize the back end of games as the summer has worn on.
What makes the situation more interesting is that Pagn is also creating a winter decision the Reds may not have anticipated when the season began. He holds a player option for 2027, and after the year he will have to decide whether to stay in Cincinnati or go explore free agency, leaving the Reds to wonder whether this late surge is the start of a longer arrangement or the setup for a difficult exit. [Read more 🡒]
Sal Stewart Just Added Fuel To A Rookie Of The Year Debate
Sal Stewarts name has moved into the center of the NL Rookie of the Year conversation, and from a Reds perspective it is easy to see why. The Cincinnati infielder has been piling up the kind of offensive production that jumps off the page, putting him ahead of St. Louis rookie JJ Wetherholt in the categories fans notice first, especially the power numbers and overall run production.
Wetherholt, though, has his own case because the Cardinals have gotten more complete value from his glove, and that has pushed his WAR well above Stewarts. It is the sort of comparison that can make the award debate feel split between old-school box score production and modern all-around value, which is why the numbers do not line up as neatly as a Reds fan might expect when looking at Stewarts resume alone. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Prospect Shakeup Puts New Pressure On Former First Round Bat
Baseball Americas final in-season update to the Reds Top 30 prospects brought a notable reshuffling, with Alfredo Duno moving into the No. 1 spot as the organizations farm system took a broader hit. Cincinnatis pipeline now sits at No. 28 overall, a step back from its preseason standing and another reminder that the clubs minor league depth has not held steady through the season.
Cam Colliers slide is one of the most telling parts of the update, especially for a player the Reds once viewed as a major cornerstone bat. The former first-round pick has been pushed down to the edge of the list after a tough run in Double-A Chattanooga, and his standing now adds a fresh layer of pressure as the organization tries to determine what still comes next for one of its most closely watched young hitters. [Read more 🡒]