On deck: White Sox
Series: Four games at Rate Field (formerly Guaranteed Rate Field), Chicago
First pitch: Monday-Wednesday — 7:40 p.m.; Thursday — 2:10 p.m.
TV/radio: All four games on FanDuel Sports/97.1 FM
Probables: Monday — RHP Jack Flaherty (3-6, 3.94) vs. RHP Jonathan Cannon (2-6, 4.15); Tuesday — TBD vs. RHP Shane Smith (1-3, 2.68); Wednesday — *RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Sean Burke (3-6, 4.20); Thursday — RHP Casey Mize (6-1, 2.82) vs. RHP Davis Martin (2-5, 3.67).
*Tentative
Flaherty, Tigers: He had it all working last time out against the Giants, allowing two hits and striking out eight in six scoreless innings. He was dotting his four-seamer wherever he wanted it, especially at the bottom rail of the strike zone and he deftly played his knuckle-curve and slider off of it. Those two pitches have been elite this season, in good times and bad. Opponents are hitting .145 with a 47% whiff rate against the knuckle-curve, .200 with a 32% whiff against the slider.
Cannon, White Sox: The Tigers sent him to the showers early back on April 4, scoring three times in 3.2 innings. Once the calendar turned to May, his command locked in and he ran off three straight quality starts, though he was roughed up by the Mets in Queens last time out. He will throw cutters and changeups to lefties, sinkers and sweepers to righties, with elevated four-seamers mixed in.
Hinch hasn’t set the pitching plan for the White Sox series in stone just yet, other than Jack Flaherty will start Monday in the opener. He said Mize likely will start Thursday, and Sawyer Gipson-Long is on track to come off the IL and start Wednesday. Tuesday could be a bullpen game.
… Skubal’s next start is scheduled for Friday in the series opener against the Cubs at Comerica Park.
… Olson, who is out with a strain in his right ring finger, threw a bullpen Saturday but still isn’t throwing all his pitches. The finger was most impacted when he threw his changeup. Most likely, Olson will need to make a rehab start or two.
… Center fielder Parker Meadows is on track to rejoin the active roster in Chicago. “He is doing really well,” Hinch said. “We will have a plan shortly.”
