Matchup: White Sox (76-59) at Red Sox (79-56), 1:35 p.m. ET
Probable Starters: Gavin Floyd (160 1/3 IP, 4.71 RA, 1.23 WHIP, 114 K) vs. Tim Wakefield (152, 4.09, 1.20, 99)
Pythagorean Record: Chicago, 76-59 (689 RS, 595 RA); Boston, 80-55 (706 RS, 570 RA)
Hit List Rankings: Chicago #4; Boston, #2
Prospectus: If you’re wondering how Dustin Pedroia ended up ranking 40th on Nate Silver’s most recent Top 50 players list, this weekend’s series is a good place to start finding the answer. Last night Pedroia went 4-for-4 for the second straight game, continuing his stretch of perfection in the series: he has reached base in all 10 of his plate appearances against the White Sox this weekend, picking up eight hits (six singles, two doubles) and a pair of walks. Last night’s performance came from the cleanup spot, and even included an intentional walk in the eighth to keep Pedroia from driving in David Ortiz from third base. The excellent weekend has bumped Pedroia’s average up to a league-leading .327, and his overall line of .327/.372/.490 has him at a .293 EqA, well above the average second baseman’s .264.

This may come as a surprise, but Pedroia is now right up there with Ian Kinsler and Chase Utley for VORP at second base; he sits less than a half-win behind both sluggers. He’s closing in on his 90th-percentile PECOTA forecast, and thanks to his defense—Pedroia ranks sixth out of 19 keystoners in John Dewan’s Revised Zone Rating—he has been even more valuable than his line indicates. The best part may be that Pedroia’s performance is in line with his batted-ball data—he has a 21.7-percent liner rate and a .337 BABIP, the same as his expected figure—meaning that we can look for this kind of production to continue; not too shabby for a guy who hit .188/.278/.278 the first two months of his career.

And am currently trying to nurse the sore back I received at the hands of medieval Fenway box seats.