Blue Jays at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox came up short in their bid for a season-high fourth straight win as another member of their starting rotation was dealing with an ailment, but they will get no sympathy from the pitching-strapped Toronto Blue Jays. The White Sox will host the Blue Jays in the opener of a four-game set on Thursday after taking two of three in Toronto last weekend.
In a week where starter Carlos Rodon and reliever Nate Jones underwent season-ending surgeries, Chicago also saw left-hander Manny Banuelos exit Tuesday's 9-0 loss to Cleveland with a shoulder strain. "Every team goes through it," catcher James McCann said. "You look at teams that stay healthy, a lot of times they're playoff teams. They can count on five, six guys throughout the course of a season." That certainly is not the case with the Blue Jays, who have four starting pitchers on the injured list and fell to 3-11 in their last 14 games with Wednesday's 4-3 loss at San Francisco. The primary reason for optimism in Toronto is 20-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who clubbed a pair of home runs -- his first in the majors -- in Monday's 7-3 victory over the Giants.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, Sportsnet One (Toronto), NBCS Chicago-Plus
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (1-6, 3.12 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Dylan Covey (0-2, 5.91)
Stroman was demonstrably upset when he was removed from last week's matchup versus the White Sox and was charged with four runs (three earned) and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings in losing his third consecutive start. Although he has been tagged for 15 runs during the three-start slide, Toronto has provided him with a paltry eight runs of support in nine appearances. Jose Abreu is 6-for-22 with a homer off Stroman, who fell to 2-4 with a 5.28 ERA in eight starts against Chicago.
Covey will make his third start since he was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte and will look to improve upon last weekend's listless outing against the Blue Jays, when he served up two homers and allowed four runs on three hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings. Randal Grichuk had the big blow versus Stroman with a three-run homer in the first inning. He also pitched 4 2/3 innings in his previous turn versus Boston and did not factor in the decision after permitting two runs on five hits.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays SS Freddy Galvis has four doubles during a six-game hitting streak.
2. White Sox SS Tim Anderson was 5-for-12 with two homers and four RBIs versus Toronto last weekend.
3. Grichuk has hit safely in 14 of his last 17 games.