The White Sox are trying to squeeze out one more series win against a strong AL opponent before Monday’s trade deadline, and Sunday’s lineup comes with a notable twist.
Chicago scratched rookie Braden Montgomery from the original card, shifting Everson Pereira into the mix. The move raised plenty of questions at first, but the club quickly said Montgomery was out because of a superficial skin infection on his right ankle. So, no blockbuster deal is brewing around the organization’s former No. 1 prospect.
The rest of the White Sox lineup stays mostly intact. Andrew Benintendi remains in the DH spot, Chase Meidroth moves up a bit against a right-hander, and Drew Romo gets the start behind the plate in place of Edgar Quero.
Here’s how Chicago lines up at Tropicana Field:
- Sam Antonacci, LF
- Munetaka Murakami, 1B
- Miguel Vargas, 3B
- Colson Montgomery, SS
- Andrew Benintendi, DH
- Tristan Peters, CF
- Chase Meidroth, 2B
- Everson Pereira, RF
- Drew Romo, C
There’s also a good chance the catching picture changes again soon. With Luis Castillo now on the roster, GM Chris Getz may be ready to focus on upgrading that spot next.
Tampa Bay counters with this order:
- Yandy Días, DH
- Jonathan Aranda, 1B
- Junior Caminero, 3B
- Ryan Vilade, 2B
- Cody Simpson, LF
- Jonny DeLuca, RF
- Ben Williamson, SS
- Cedric Mullins, CF
- Nick Fortes, C
The pitching matchup gives Chicago a tough assignment. Anthony Kay has allowed at least two earned runs in each of his last four starts, and the White Sox need the self-inflicted damage to stop. He’s had trouble with hit batters and with handing out free passes, and that’s a dangerous combination against a Rays team that puts the ball in play more than almost anybody.
That means Chicago’s infield defense could be busy.
On the other side, Griffin Jax has been a bright spot for Tampa Bay, carrying a 3.74 ERA and posting chase and whiff numbers that sit among the best in baseball. His four-pitch mix gives him plenty of ways to attack, with righties likely to see a heavy dose of the sweeper and lefties having to deal with a nasty change-up.
For a White Sox team that has leaned on the home run lately, that could make for a long afternoon.
In Other News...
Rays Linked To An All-Star Bat Who Could Change Everything
A familiar trade-market name is starting to surface again, and it makes sense for a Rays club always looking for ways to squeeze more offense out of its roster. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Tampa Bay is viewed as the heavy favorite to land a three-time batting champion from San Francisco, with the Giants expected to sell and several contenders monitoring the situation.
The appeal is obvious for a Rays team that values contact, versatility and run creation in the margins. Philadelphia, Boston and Texas are also said to be in the mix, so Tampa Bay is not alone here, but any move that adds that kind of bat would reshape the conversation around the lineup in a hurry. For now, it is a matter of whether the Rays can turn a strong position into an actual deal. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Catching Picture Just Got A Lot More Interesting
The Rays have been busy reshaping the roster, and their latest move adds another layer to a catching mix that already had some intrigue. According to MLB insider Jeff Passan, Tampa Bay has landed Liam Hicks from the Miami Marlins, continuing a stretch of aggression that also brought in starter Freddy Peralta from the New York Mets.
Hicks is expected to give the Rays more flexibility behind the plate and in the defensive alignment, while also adding some offense to a lineup that can always use another productive bat. For a club that has spent the week making clear it wants more depth and more options, this is the kind of move that could matter in more ways than one, especially once the full catching picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Just Missed On A Deadline Target That Could Sting
The trade deadline brought another aggressive move in Philadelphia, where the Phillies continued adding to their roster by landing second baseman Luis Arraez and reliever Caleb Kilian from the Giants for starting pitcher Ramon Marquez and reliever Marty Gair. They also separately added pitcher Brooks Raley from the Mets, underscoring how active they were in the final stretch before the deadline and how quickly the market can move when contenders start picking off available talent.
For the Rays, the larger takeaway may be less about what the Phillies gained than where this particular player ended up. Arraez had been a name on Tampa Bays radar, and for a while the club looked like it had a real shot to bring him in before the deal swung in another direction. In a deadline market built on thin margins and fast decisions, missing on a target like that can linger, especially when the player fits so neatly into the kind of lineup the Rays like to build. [Read more 🡒]