Detroit @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 5, 2016 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Detroit 5

It wasn't all that long ago the Detroit Tigers appeared much closer to the cellar in the American League Central than the penthouse, but some inspired play combined with the recent failings of their division rivals have them closing the gap quickly. The Tigers eye their eighth win in 10 tries Monday when they begin a three-game road set with the spiraling Chicago White Sox.

Detroit fell to 15-21 and trailed Chicago by 8 1/2 games after suffering its fourth straight defeat on May 14, but the Tigers' offense started to catch fire following the return of Cameron Maybin two days later. Although Maybin has cooled a bit from his torrid start, Ian Kinsler has made up for it by batting ,347 with seven home runs, 25 RBIs and 23 runs scored in the 24 games he has played since the Tigers' dreadful 15-21 beginning to the season. Detroit, which is tied for second place in the Central with Kansas City -- three games behind Cleveland -- outscored the White Sox 22-9 at home during a three-game sweep from June 3-5 and will attempt to prolong the misery of Chicago, which has dropped 22 of 30 since building a six-game division lead with a 23-10 start. The White Sox fell to 3-7 in June following Sunday's 3-1 home setback against the Royals - the sixth time this month they have scored three or fewer runs.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, WPWR (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matt Boyd (0-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. White Sox RH James Shields (2-8, 5.06)
Boyd flirted with danger against Toronto on Tuesday, working around three hits and a career-high five walks across 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision. The 25-year-old Oregon State product has yet to produce a quality start in any of his first three turns this season and is still searching for his first win since making his Detroit debut last August with seven strong innings against Kansas City. Boyd is 0-3 with a 10.17 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) on the road entering his first start against the White Sox.
Shields turned in a disastrous first outing with Chicago following his June 4 trade from San Diego, giving up seven runs - including three homers - on eight hits and two walks over two-plus innings in Wednesday's 11-4 loss to Washington. The 2011 All-Star was even worse in his final outing with the Padres, surrendering 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings en route to another defeat at Seattle on May 31. Shields has made 12 starts at U.S. Cellular Field, going 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA.

WALK-OFFS
1. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera became the fifth-youngest player (at 33 years, 55 days old) to reach 2,400 career hits, trailing only Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Hank Aaron and Robin Yount.
2. The White Sox have lost 11 of their last 12 against divisional opponents.
3. Tigers DH Victor Martinez is batting .393 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 32 games on the road this season.

PREDICTION: Tigers 7, White Sox 4