Noah Syndergaard is on the bump Saturday night, making his second start for the Guardians. Syndergaard is looking for his first victory since April 30th, when he recorded his only win of the season as a pitcher for the Dodgers, defeating the Cardinals.
Manager Terry Francona was still mad after they overturned the call and made sure to tell the press his thoughts about Malachi Moore, “I yelled at Malachi because he was two feet from there — he needs to practice more — because that’s as bad a call as you can make,” Francona said. “And when you make a call that hideous, you can’t be that arrogant.”
Moore did not call the play dead. Allowing the White Sox to challenge the call, hence why Franoca was still upset with Moore after the game.
Josh Naylor was placed on the IL on Friday after an MRI showed a strained oblique muscle. An oblique muscle return timeline is not easy to pinpoint so it could be anywhere from three to six weeks.
Tyler Freeman also landed on the IL with an achy shoulder, and there has been no further update on when he will return.
Brought up on Friday was middle infielder José Tena and the Guardians made a trade with the Dodgers outfielder Kole Calhoun. Calhoun was in triple-a at the time of the trade. The Dodgers will be receiving cash considerations.
The Cleveland Guardians have yet to embark on a significant winning streak in the current season. However, they maintain a consistent presence around the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central standings. With a recent record of 5-5 in their last ten games, it’s imperative for them to commence a sincere surge in the upcoming weeks.
During their home games, the Guardians have displayed prowess with an 8-3 performance in their most recent 11 matches. Furthermore, they have demonstrated a commendable 10-5 record in their last 15 encounters against teams with a sub-.500 winning percentage. Following a commanding victory to initiate the series on Friday, the team seems well-prepared for a formidable late-season surge.
Taking the mound for Cleveland is the seasoned pitcher Noah Syndegaard, who has exhibited reliability since joining the Guardians. Despite an unremarkable overall season record, his transition to the Guardians’ roster seems to have invigorated him. In his solitary appearance wearing the Guardians’ colors, Syndegaard delivered a stellar performance, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing only two hits and one run against the Houston Astros. Given the White Sox’s lineup limitations, Syndegaard could potentially capitalize on this opportunity and find his rhythm.
A few years back, the White Sox grabbed attention with their performance. However, despite retaining a significant portion of their core team, they’ve faced difficulties in recent seasons, struggling to meet the anticipated standards. Currently holding a 43-67 record, they occupy the fourth spot in their division, indicating another probable season without making it to the playoffs. Despite this, they still pose a threat, which could be concerning for their opponents in the upcoming months. Yet, their performance on the road might present a challenge. Their road game record this season stands at a dismal 20-38. Even though their destination isn’t far, simply playing at Progressive Field seems to impact their confidence. The fact that they’ve managed only 2 wins in their last 10 games adds to the sense that this team might have lost hope for the current season.
Michael Kopech is set to take the mound for the White Sox, as reported by MLB.com. Although he has displayed moments of brilliance in the past couple of seasons, his statistics tell a different story. He holds a record of 4-10 with an ERA of 4.49 and has faced challenges in going the distance in games. In his recent outing, he faced the Guardians and completed five innings, allowing just four hits and three runs. If he can replicate a similar performance, it could offer the offense a chance to shine.
Chicago’s collective batting average stands at .234, and they heavily rely on home runs to stay competitive. Encouragingly, they’ve managed to avoid significant injuries this season, with only Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) ruled out from the lineup. The addition of Andrew Benintendi (.279 average) has proven valuable, and Luis Robert (29 home runs, 60 RBI) stands out as a pivotal player for the team. With a wealth of experience on their side, this lineup holds the potential to be formidable if they can synchronize all their elements come Saturday night.
This has been one of the most fun, competitive rivalries in the American League over the past few years, and while only one of these teams are in position for a playoff run, there’s no doubt that there will still be plenty of passion and feeling in this matchup.
In their past 10 head-to-head battles, the score is tied at 5-5, but with the Guardians taking the last two games in dominant fashion with a combined score of 9-2, and having so much to play for means this Guardians team will bring their A-game, and after the deadline, the White Sox just can’t compete with that.
Our Pick: Take Guardians and the Money Line
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