Gamethread: Twins at White Sox

Last night’s now-typical 10-2 embarrassment in the rear-view mirror, the White Sox must muster their hopes once again against the Minnesota Twins in the second of a four-game set that will conclude the Sox’s slate against the AL Central this season. The Sox have lost three in a row, and sit at 3-10 for the month of September. The Twins have climbed to seven games over .500 at 77-70 and are now looking towards October.

Jesse Scholtens is charged with ending the losing streak, making his 11th start of the year. The Sox have a 5-19 record when Scholtens pitches this season. I feel a little bad for the guy. He spent much of the first half being the guy that Pedro Grifol called upon whenever a Sox starter got shelled and yanked after a few innings, then entered the rotation only after everyone had completely given up. Either way, whoever’s on the mound is almost immaterial at this point. Once again, we are tasked with finding some kind of meaning in games in which half of the names involved will be elsewhere next April. Or maybe we aren’t. Whatever gets you through game 162!

The Twins are sending Bailey Ober to the mound, who’s put together a quite solid third big league season out of their rotation, making 22 starts to the tune of a 3.67 ERA and solid peripherals. The 6’9” righthander doesn’t light up the radar gun, but the extension and unconventional angle that comes from Ober’s height makes it get on a hitter in a way that feels a few miles per hour faster than the scoreboard reading.

Here are the lineups for the evening’s matchup:

As per usual, the game is being broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago and ESPN AM 1000. See you in the comments!