Detroit @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2010 ) Detroit 3, Chi. White Sox 15
John Danks and the Chicago White Sox began the season with high expectations. Now, both are trying to get back on track.
Danks looks to put a difficult stretch behind him as he leads the White Sox into the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Detroit Tigers.
While his team has fallen short all season, Danks looked solid early on. The Chicago left-hander was one of the best pitchers in baseball during the first four weeks of the season, going 3-0 in four starts and giving up only five earned runs in 29 innings. The fast start was no surprise since he won 25 games over the last two seasons and there was good reason to believe he was on his way to another one.
Since then, Danks' fortunes have gone in the the same direction as his team's. And anyone who has looked at the standings lately knows that's not good news for the South Siders.
Danks' numbers haven't been pretty. The left-hander is 1-5 in his last seven starts and has given up 23 earned runs and 47 hits in 41 innings. Compounding the problem, he has lasted 5 1/3 innings or less four times during that stretch, which has put more of a burden on Chicago's shaky middle relievers.
Danks even struggled in his last start against a light-hitting Cleveland team that is missing Asdrubal Cabrera and Grady Sizemore. After throwing five shutout innings, he allowed four runs in the sixth and didn't get through the inning.
Other than a 14-strikeout performance against Oakland on May 30, Max Scherzer has been a major disappointment for the Tigers. Judging by his other nine starts, it's hard to tell where that performance came from. Scherzer hasn't been overpowering in his other appearances with only 29 strikeouts in 47 innings.
The right-hander's strong outing against the A's came after he was sent to Triple-A Toledo on May 16. Scherzer pitched well in two starts for the Mudhens and was recalled when Dontrelle Willis was let go.
Scherzer took a step back in his last start against Kansas City, allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings. The Tigers need consistency from someone other than Justin Verlander if they want to stay with Minnesota in the American League Central race.
The Tigers acquired Scherzer from Arizona in the offseason. With Willis out of the picture, it appears Detroit will stick with him for the time being.
Overall, Scherzer has allowed 65 hits, including nine home runs in 52 2-3 innings and opponents are batting .316. The White Sox swung the bats well in Wednesday night's 15-3 win, pounding out 16 hits