The Chicago White Sox (7-13, 8-12 RL, 12-6-2 O/U) battle the Tampa Bay Rays (17-3, 15-5 RL, 12-6-2 O/U) in the last of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at the Trop. The White Sox will have Lucas Giolio on the hill. The Rays will reply with Zach Eflin. The Rays posted an 8-7 win in Friday’s series opener.
Lucas Giolito will make his fifth start of the year on Sunday. Giolito was brilliant in his latest outing. He did not allow a single hit in seven shutout innings against the Phillies, resulting in a 3-0 victory. The veteran has only endured one bad outing which inflated his ERA a bit. The right-hander has only conceded one run in his last two performances. He has recorded a 4.29 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in 21 innings pitched. Giolito has dominated the Rays, compiling a 2.27 ERA and a 2-0 record in 39.2 innings pitched.
It’s been an uninspiring opening month of the season for a White Sox team that is expected to contend for the top spot in the division. They have surprisingly yet to win a series all season. Chicago went 2-6 on an eight-game homestand prior to this series and is especially having trouble on the mound. The bullpen allowed three in the ninth on Friday and has a 6.78 ERA on the season .
HI MOM! BYE BASEBALL! pic.twitter.com/7vXlKqHchW
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 21, 2023
Andrew Vaughn is consistently producing, collecting four RBIs in his last four games. The 25-year-old first baseman now has 14 RBIs accompanied by a solid .810 OPS. Vaughn was outstanding against the Rays last season, going 9 for 20, and had one hit in Friday's loss. Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada remain on the IL.
Chicago is scoring an average of 4.50 runs per game, ranking them 17th. The pitching staff has accrued a 5.61 team ERA, placing them 29th