Gamethread: White Sox at Tigers

Happy Sunday! Today, the Chicago White Sox will play their last game in Detroit against the Tigers. Now we all know this is the biggest game of the day, it’s not like the Green Bay Packers are facing off against the Chicago Bears to start the NFL season or anything, right? Oh wait, they are.

Let’s just be lucky they aren’t on at the same time today, so maybe some people will actually tune into this contest. After taking the first game of this series, the team was held to one run and a loss last night, so let’s see if they can turn it around with Jesse Scholtens on the mound against Sawyer Gipson-Long.

Scholtens doesn’t have the best record to show for, but since joining the starting rotation he has been more solid than it seems. He is 1-7 with a 4.38 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. HIs last game against the Kansas City Royals was one of those starts that we would like to forget, as he went just 3 2⁄3 innings with nine hits, five runs, one walk, and one strikeout. He has jumped up and down from the Charlotte Knights this year, but has been sufficient when called upon. Scholtens uses a mix of four pitches, with his fastball thrown the most (43.3%). He follows with his slider (37.4%), curveball (16.3%), and changeup (3%).

If you have never heard of the last name Gipson-Long before or seen him pitch in the league, that’s because he hasn’t. The 25-year-old Georgia native will make his MLB debut this afternoon. He was taken in the sixth round of the 2019 draft by the Minnesota Twins and is currently Detroit’s No. 19 prospect. At the 2022 trade deadline, he was traded to the Tigers for Michael Fulmer, but hasn’t appeared in the league until now. With an already shorthanded rotation, the Tigers hope Gipson-Long can have a good outing today and be a solid fit for the future of this team. Who knows, he might become a new pain in our butt for years to come!

Gipson-Long has played games in both Double-A for the Erie SeaWolves and Triple-A for the Toledo Mud Hens in the Tigers organization this year. He has posted a 8-8 record, 4.33 ERA, and 1.13 WHIP across the two teams, with 126 strikeouts and 29 walks. Gipson-Long’s fastball is average, but his slider is what to watch out for. He also recently learned how to throw a cutter, and don’t forget the changeup of course. Good luck to Gipson-Long today, and let’s welcome him to the big leagues with a good offensive performance to show for.

Tim Anderson will lead it off, followed by Andrew Benintendi in left and Luis Robert Jr. in center. Eloy Jiménez will DH, and Yasmani Grandal is the catcher today. Elvis Andrus grabs second, Gavin Sheets takes first, Oscar Colás is in right, and Lenyn Sosa takes third base. Yoán Moncada (sore knee) and Andrew Vaughn will get the day off.

Game time is at 12:10 p.m. CT. Tune into NBCSCHI to watch and ESPN 1000 to listen.