Gamethread: White Sox at Rangers

Reynaldo López gets the start this afternoon in Surprise, as the White Sox take on the Rangers. López looks to improve on his first two spring outings, which did not go well. He enters with a 10.13 ERA this spring (6 earned runs in 5 ¹⁄₃ innings). Edinson Vólquez gets the start for the Rangers. Vólquez, a 13-year veteran, is making a return after missing last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

The starting lineup is as follows:

1. CF Leury Garcia

2. 3B Yoan Moncada

3. 1B José Abreu

4. C James McCann

5. LF Eloy Jimenez

6. DH Micker Adolfo

7. SS Tim Anderson

8. 2B Yolmer Sánchez

9. RF Ryan Cordell

SP Reynaldo López

As for the offense, most of today’s starters will be on the 25-man roster come Opening Day. A curious decision is the one to put McCann in the clean-up spot, ahead of hitters with far more power.

Tim Anderson enters with a slash line of .500/.500/.864, the hottest start to spring among White Sox hitters except for arguably Danny Mendick. Moncada also has been tearing it up in spring training, slashing .381/.480/.571. He does have a 36.0% strikeout rate, but I would gladly accept that if he manages to have a good slash line in spite of that.

The White Sox enter with a 5-8 record this spring. This matchup starts at 2:05 CST and is a no-visuals game.