Guardians vs. White Sox: Surging Cleveland Aims to Continue Dominance Over Struggling Chicago
Preview the Guardians vs. White Sox series, including pitching matchups, team stats, and key players to watch as Cleveland looks to extend its recent win streak.
Riding a wave of momentum after snapping a long losing streak, the Cleveland Guardians head to Chicago for a pivotal four-game series against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, beginning Thursday night. The series at Rate Field presents a stark contrast between a Cleveland team that has rediscovered its form and a Chicago squad struggling to find consistency.
Series at a Glance
The four-game set will be contested from Thursday through Sunday, with comprehensive coverage available on CLEGuardians.TV and the Guardians radio network, including WTAM 1100 and WMMS 100.7 FM.
Probable Pitching Matchups
- Thursday, 7:40 p.m.: LHP Logan Allen (5-7, 4.07 ERA) vs. RHP Jonathan Cannon (3-7, 4.90 ERA)
- Friday, 8:10 p.m.: RHP Gavin Williams (5-4, 3.61 ERA) vs. RHP Shane Smith (3-7, 4.20 ERA)
- Saturday, 4:10 p.m.: RHP Tanner Bibee (4-9, 4.35 ERA) vs. RHP Sean Burke (4-8, 4.40 ERA)
- Sunday, 2:10 p.m.: LHP Joey Cantillo (1-0, 3.79 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Civale (1-6, 5.17 ERA)
Tale of Two Trajectories
The Guardians (43-48) enter the series on a high note, having completed a three-game sweep of the Astros on Wednesday. The resurgence comes after a difficult stretch where the team lost 10 consecutive games, signaling a potential turning point in their season.
Conversely, the White Sox (31-62) are mired in a difficult season, though they managed to avoid a sweep against the Blue Jays with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday. The challenge remains steep, particularly against a Cleveland team that has had their number.
Key Players and Series History
Cleveland has utterly dominated the matchup this season, sweeping the White Sox in a three-game series in April to hold a 3-0 record. This recent success is part of a larger trend, with the Guardians winning nine of their last 10 games against Chicago. While the White Sox maintain a razor-thin edge in the all-time series, 1,129-1,127, current form heavily favors Cleveland.
Steven Kwan has been a significant factor for the Guardians, hitting .364 with a home run and four RBIs against Chicago this year. For the White Sox, Mike Tauchman has found success against Cleveland pitching, batting .429 in limited action.
The pitching matchups feature some intriguing storylines. Chicago’s Jonathan Cannon and Sean Burke are both seeking their first wins against the Guardians this season, each holding an 0-1 record. On the other side, Cleveland’s Gavin Williams is already 1-0 against Chicago in 2024.
Navigating Extensive Injury Lists
Both clubs are contending with significant injuries that impact their depth. The high number of players on the injured list, particularly pitchers, will test each team’s resilience throughout the series.
Guardians Injuries
- OF Lane Thomas (plantar fasciitis)
- INF Gabriel Arias (left ankle)
- RHP Andrew Walters (right lat)
- OF Will Brennan (right elbow)
- RHP Ben Lively (right elbow)
- RHP Trevor Stephan (right elbow)
- RHP Shane Bieber (right elbow)
- LHP John Means (left elbow)
- LHP Sam Hentges (left shoulder)
White Sox Injuries
- OF Burks Baldwin (back)
- RHP Davis Martin (right forearm)
- LHP Cam Booser (left shoulder)
- 1B Ryan Noda (right quad)
- LHP Martin Perez (left elbow)
- LHP Jared Shuster (blister)
- RHP Jesse Scholtens (right elbow)
- RHP Miguel Castro (right knee)
- RHP Drew Thorpe (right elbow)
- RHP Prelander Berroa (right elbow)
- LHP Ky Bush (left elbow)
Looking Ahead to the All-Star Break
Following the conclusion of this series on Sunday, the Cleveland Guardians will begin the All-Star break. The team will resume play on July 18, when they return home to Progressive Field to host the Oakland Athletics for a three-game series.
