Cleveland Guardians at Chicago White Sox

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
CLE	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0	0	3	11	1
CWS	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	1	—	6	7	0

Gavin Williams takes the ball for the Guardians on Saturday, August 8, fresh off a start where he needed just 5.2 innings to strike out 10 and allow one hit against Arizona. Anthony Kay counters for the White Sox at 6:15 PM CT, coming off his own gem, 6.1 scoreless innings against Tampa Bay his last time out. Both arms have been the calm during their team's respective storms.

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FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Guardians(57-59)

LLLWL

3

-1.5+141-122o7.5+130

White Sox(59-55)

LLLWL

6

+1.5-144+120u7.5-130

Best BetGuardians -132

Pregame

Cleveland's lost 3 straight but Gavin Williams is red hot, needing just 5.2 innings to strike out 10 and allow one hit in his last start. Chicago's reeling too, and with the White Sox bullpen already thinned by injury, the Guardians look live as underdogs. Backing the arm over the record feels right here.

Chicago won't have Joey Bart behind the plate Saturday; he's day-to-day, one more subtraction from a lineup already down catcher Kyle Teel, who's expected to miss 6-to-12 weeks, and outfielder Tanner Murray, who's on the 60-day injured list. The White Sox still have enough thump to matter, evidenced by a 9-1 rout of the Rays earlier this stretch, and the market hasn't fully priced out that ceiling.

Gavin Williams

(12-7)·3.72 ERA

Aug 2 vs Diamondbacks

W

5.2IP

0ER

10K

1BB

89P

08/08 Lineup

Anthony Kay

(9-6)·3.96 ERA

Aug 2 @ Rays

W

6.1IP

0ER

3K

1BB

89P

08/08 Lineup

The bigger issue for Chicago is pitching depth. Starters Drew Thorpe and Ky Bush are both on the 60-day injured list, and the bullpen has bled relievers too, with Jordan Leasure, Prelander Berroa and Mike Vasil all out long-term. That's a lot of innings for Kay and whoever follows him to soak up against a Cleveland lineup that, while cold, has shown it can score in bunches.

Cleveland Guardians

(57-59)

Aug 6Lvs Mets6-13

Aug 5Lvs Mets5-6

Aug 4Lvs Mets2-6

Aug 2Wvs Diamondbacks5-0

Aug 1Lvs Diamondbacks8-12

Chicago White Sox

(59-55)

Aug 6L@ Red Sox11-12

Aug 5L@ Red Sox0-4

Aug 4L@ Red Sox2-14

Aug 2W@ Rays9-1

Aug 1L@ Rays0-1

Cleveland's version of misery came at the hands of the Mets, who completed a 3-game sweep of the Guardians that knocked them out of the third American League wild-card spot, per MLB.com. That's the kind of series that lingers, and Cleveland hasn't found consistent offense since, managing just 2, 5 and 6 runs across its last 3 outings.

Cleveland Guardians

(1)

• 60-Day-ILShawn Armstrong (RP) — The Guardians transferred Armstrong (calf) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.08/05

Chicago White Sox

(9)

• Day-To-DayJoey Bart (C) — Bart is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.08/07
• 10-Day-ILKyle Teel (C) — Teel is expected to miss 6-to-12 weeks due to left high-ankle sprain, MLB.com reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILJordan Leasure (RP) — Leasure (forearm) has resumed throwing bullpen sessions, MLB.com reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILDrew Thorpe (SP) — Thorpe (elbow) will make his next rehab start with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.07/31
• 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa (RP) — The White Sox announced Saturday that Berroa (elbow) will start throwing again in 1-to-2 weeks, MLB.com reports.07/07
• 60-Day-ILKy Bush (SP) — Bush (elbow) has resumed participating in long toss, MLB.com reports.07/05
• 60-Day-ILMike Vasil (RP) — The White Sox transferred Vasil (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTanner Murray (LF) — The White Sox transferred Murray (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Monday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Baldwin (LF) — The White Sox transferred Baldwin (elbow) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08

Neither team looks especially hot walking in, which makes Saturday feel like a coin flip decided by whichever bullpen holds up. With both pens shorthanded and both offenses capable of scoring in bunches, don't be shocked if this one turns into a slugfest before it's over.