A pair of teams that have faded in the AL Central continue a series on the diamond in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The Chicago White Sox are on the road as they play the middle game of a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins Wednesday night. Chicago was swept at home in a three-game set by the Tigers as they were dropped 4-1 in the finale of that set Sunday afternoon. Minnesota was blasted 10-3 at home in the rubber game of their three-game series with the Angels Sunday afternoon in their most recent game. This article was published prior to the conclusion of the series opener at Target Field Tuesday night.
Chicago lost for the sixth straight game as they were drubbed by the Tigers in the finale of a three-game set at home Sunday. The White Sox entered Tuesday second in the AL Central, 10 games behind the Guardians for the top spot in the division. They were 7.5 games behind the Mariners for the final wild card spot in the American League with nine games to play. On Sunday afternoon, Chicago got two of their six hits off the bat of AJ Pollock while Yoan Moncada hit his 12th homer of the season in the loss. Dylan Cease was brilliant, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing four hits with three walks and five strikeouts, yet didn’t factor in the decision. Kendall Graveman (3-4) took the loss as he allowed three runs on four hits with no walks or strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning of relief.
Johnny Cueto is on the mound as he logs his 24th appearance and 23rd st art of the season for the White Sox in this contest. He comes in 7-9 with a 3.15 ERA, a 1.215 WHIP, 32 walks and 91 strikeouts over 145.1 innings of work this season. Cueto took the loss in his last start, which came at home against the Guardians Thursday. He threw six innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a 4-2 White Sox loss. In his last three starts, Cueto is 0-3 with a 4.86 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, five walks and nine strikeouts over 16.2 innings of work. Cueto makes his sixth career start against the Twins in this contest. He comes in 4-0 with a 1.41 ERA, a 1.188 WHIP, 13 walks and 29 strikeouts over 32 innings of work. Cueto is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA, a 1.727 WHIP, six walks and nine strikeouts over 11 innings in two career starts at Target Field.