Chicago @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2013 ) Chi. White Sox 6, Detroit 3

The Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox won their respective series finales Sunday -- in very different fashions. The Tigers defeated the Los Angeles Angels in a 2-1 pitchers' duel while the White Sox offense exploded in a 16-2 rout of the Texas Rangers. On Monday, Detroit and visiting Chicago begin a four-game set -- the first meeting of the season between the American League Central rivals.

The Tigers enter this series having won three of their last four games, including the final two contests against the Angels in which they allowed a total of three runs. They hope the string of solid pitching efforts continues as they turn to Anibal Sanchez, who has endured a bizarre start to the 2014 season. John Danks gets the nod for Chicago, which snapped a four-game slide with Sunday's victory.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, WCIU (Chicago), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH John Danks (1-0, 3.32 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (0-1, 3.21)

Danks has been steady on the young season with three quality starts in as many outings, although 10 walks in 19 innings leaves plenty of room for improvement. As a team, the current Tigers have a .303 lifetime average against Danks, highlighted by Torii Hunter (.326 in 43 at-bats), Austin Jackson (.378 in 37 at-bats) and Ian Kinsler (.387 in 31 at-bats). Opponents as a whole, however, are batting only .209 against Danks this year with righties (.205) and lefties (.214) struggling about equally.

Sanchez has a solid ERA but has yet to last more than five innings in any of his three starts. The 30-year-old Venezuelan has needed 214 pitches to get through 10 combined innings over his last two outings, including a 104-pitch effort to record 15 outs in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Cleveland. Sanchez's career numbers against the White Sox - all of which came last season - are 2-2 with a 3.04 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Adam Dunn likely is not looking forward to facing Sanchez, against whom he is 7-for-30 with 14 strikeouts.

2. One Tigers player who has not enjoyed success against Danks is Victor Martinez (8-for-42), while Miguel Cabrera's numbers are relatively modest by his standards at .286 with one home run in 35 at-bats.

3. Chicago leads the American League in runs scored and runs allowed - 106 of each.

PREDICTION: Tigers 2, White Sox 1