Gamethread: White Sox at Astros

Welcome to sunny Houston, friends! The White Sox have the best record in baseball and they’re off to face the Astros in a rematch from the 2005 postseason. Astros fans are still pretty bitter about that whole thing, from what I understand.

Astros Math:

• 2nd in AL West (2.5 GB)
• 7-3 in their last 10 games
• 22-13 at home
• 22-14 vs. RHP
• 17-14 vs. LHP
• 2-4 vs. Central
• White Sox last faced the Astros in 2019 and took the series 4-3; all-time the teams are tied at 33-33.

Players to watch:

• Yuli Gurriel: 62 games and 263 PA, slashing .317/.384/.524 with 10 home runs, 72 hits, and 48 RBIs.
• Carlos Correa: 63 games and 279 PA, slashing .293/.384/.508 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 71 hits.
• Jose Altuve: 56 games and 267 PA, slashing .294/.363/.511.

Dylan Cease is facing off against Jose Urquidy. Urquidy is a righty for those of you who care about lefty/righty. He’s 4-1 in his last seven games and has never faced the White Sox. Meanwhile Cease is 3-2 over his last seven and this is his first time at Minute Maid Park as a starter. Urquidy mostly throws the 4-seam (53.4%), slider (20.5%), change (19.3%), and curve (6.7%). He does a little better against lefties, holding them to a .161 BA, than righties who are posting a .265 BA.

Here’s how everyone is lining it up tonight:

https://www.mlb.com/astros/roster/starting-lineups

Game is on NBSports Chicago for locals, MLB.TV for non-locals, and ESPN 1000 for the radio listeners. Chrystal O’Keefe has the Six Pack of Stats. Stick with me for the recap and I’ll see y’all after the game.