Gamethread: Rays at White Sox

Time: 1:10 p.m. CST

TV: NBC Sports Chicago

Radio: WGN 720

Ugh...it’s been rough this past week. From bullpen blowouts to critical errors to going ice cold with runners in scoring position, the Chicago White Sox have lately not been fun to watch. Let’s hope they get back on track today.

• James Shields starts for the White Sox today. Sorry to report that on this lovely Wednesday afternoon. Shields has racked up 11 innings, but man are those some flat, juicy fastballs he’s been serving up to opponents. He has recorded only one strikeout and boasts a 5.73 ERA (which should be higher with the amount of loud outs he’s gotten) this season.
• The Rays are trying something new this year. They will have a “bullpen day,” where one of their eight relievers will start the game and see how far he can get. This year, that man has been Yonny Chirinos, who has been lights-out good and starts today. Chirinos has one start and one relief appearance, totaling nine innings of shutout baseball. It’s not what Gabe Kapler is attempting in Philadelphia, but the idea is there to protect the team’s starting pitchers from overuse — we think.
• White Sox catcher Welington Castillo will have an MRI on his right knee today after injuring it in yesterday’s game. 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine tweeted that Castillo will be available today, per sources.

Lineups: