The Cleveland Guardians (51-51, 51-51 RL, 42-57-3 O/U) collide with the Chicago White Sox (41-61, 51-51 RL, 45-51-6 O/U) in the first of a three-game divisional series on Thursday evening. The Guardians will send Tanner Bibee to the rubber. The White Sox will have Dylan Cease on the mound. The White Sox lead the season series 4-2.
Tanner Bibee will get the nod. Bibee was spectacular last time out, completing seven shutout innings against the Phillies, marking the best performance of his young career. The rookie has been outstanding, issuing a minuscule 1.14 ERA this month and a 3.04 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP accompanied by a 6-2 record in 83 innings pitched on the season. Bibee has collected 85 strikeouts. This is his first career meeting against Chicago.
Cleveland is playing with confidence, winning three consecutive series, and is now just two games back of Minnesota atop the AL Central. They won two of three against the Phillies last weekend and collected a series win against the Royals this week, scoring 13 runs in the series. They stand at 5-5 in their last ten games.
A notha one. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/JB3kVdpOZl
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 26, 2023
Josh Bell is producing, collecting 11 RBIs and a .794 OPS on the month. The veteran DH is having a decent season, bashing 11 homers with 48 RBIs and a .729 OPS. Bell is 4 for 19 with three RBIs against the White Sox this season and 4 for 10 with zero RBIs against Cease.
Cleveland has been productive at the dish and is now averaging 4.16 runs on the year, landing them 24th. The pitching is strong, producing a 3.85 team ERA, placing them seventh.