Gamethread: Dodgers at White Sox

It’s the St. Patrick’s Day fight for Camelback Ranch!

The White Sox face the Dodgers this afternoon in their last Camelback Ranch grudge match of spring training. Fresh off a win against the Padres, the South Siders look to Lucas Giolito to avenge the 8-0 whomping Los Angeles laid on them on March 8. The White Sox ace, recently named the 2021 Opening Day starter, has had a solid preseason with nine innings pitched, one earned run and 11 strikeouts. It doesn’t get any better than that … besides all zeros.

The Sox have had a tough spring, but as the roster dwindles and players find their footing, the promises of them turning into an American League contender become more feasible. Nick Madrigal returned to the lineup yesterday, Carlos Rodón threw a three-inning gem striking out four, Eloy Jiménez’s bat has been red-hot, and Dylan Cease looks like he’s ready to win the Cy Young Award.

Tony La Russa’s lineup today features a majority of the core that is expected to start Opening Day against the Anaheim Angels (tickets are currently going for $200-plus on some websites, I looked!) Luis Robert is back for today’s game after a lower abdominal strain. Madrigal and Yasmani Grandal are both sitting.

Here’s who the old Tone Bone has in the lineup today:

The Dodgers throw Walker Buehler on the bump. He is 0-1, with a 6.75 ERA and 6 K’s this spring. Buehler was a Vanderbilt University teammate of former Sox pitcher Carson Fulmer. Both were drafted in 2015. This is the first time Chicago will see Walker Buehler, and possibly not the last … ahem, World Series? Maybe?

Los Angeles lost to the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday, 7-2, but still have had a successful spring. They continue to ride the high of a World Series win, with a lot of returning players. We’ll likely see some of their Opening Day starters as well.

Hopefully, the Sox can knock L.A. down a peg before the season starts. Plus, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, so Chicago deserves the win.

The game starts at 3:05 p.m. CT. NBCSCH will have coverage, along with ESPN 1000. MLB.TV will have the game for its subscribers.

So sit back, crack open a Guinness, and enjoy the fight for Camelback Ranch!