Gamethread: White Sox at Rays

The Chicago White Sox are 24-27, in third place, and haven’t scored more than three runs a game in the month of June. But don’t worry about any of that right now (mostly because you don’t want to be scolded by Steve Stone,) but also because it’s Gio Day!

Lucas Giolito (3-2, 3.61 ERA) will take the hill this afternoon as the Sox face the defending American League East champion Tampa Bay Rays. In his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays, Giolito was fresh off of the Covid-IL and had a hard time acclimating himself back to the field, admitting to still be congested during the game. The eight-hit, six-run, 4⅔-inning trouncing proved to be his worst outing of the season. The White Sox will be looking to Gio to get back on track and help lead the team to a series win in today’s finale.

Now, if you would have told me in April that Danny Mendick would be leading off for the team in June, I might have laughed right in your face. But here we are — not only is Mendick leading off, but I’m honestly not that mad about it. In fact, outside of Tim Anderson (currently on the injured list), Mendick is leading the team in average. Baseball is weird.

The Rays line ’em up like this:

First pitch is scheduled for 12:40 pm CT. You can watch the game locally on NBC Sports Chicago, or listen to the call on ESPN AM 1000. I’ll have your recap, with Ashley Sanders on the Six Pack.