Oakland @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( May 14, 2014 ) Chi. White Sox 4, Oakland 2

After being shuffled to the Oakland Athletics in a trade last week, Adam Dunn didn't have to wait long to see his former team again. The veteran slugger returns to U.S. Cellular Field as the visiting Athletics open a four-game series versus the Chicago White Sox on Monday. Dunn has homered twice to make an immediate impact with his new team, and is 3-for-7 with two blasts in his career versus Monday starter Hector Noesi.

While Dunn has flourished, the Athletics' swoon continued as they have dropped two of three to Houston and 18 of their last 25 to see their bulge atop the American League wild card race dip to 2 1/2 games. Chicago knows a thing or two about struggling after getting swept by Cleveland and losing 14 of its last 18 to spiral out of control. Despite his team's considerable troubles, rookie Jose Abreu is riding a nice streak by going 17-for-36 with five RBIs in his last 10 contests.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (13-8, 3.25 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Hector Noesi (8-9, 4.70)

Gray fell to 1-5 in his last seven outings after yielding six runs in five innings in an eventual 6-5 setback to the Mariners on Tuesday. The 24-year-old is struggling to find the form that he displayed in July, when he posted a 5-0 mark with a rail-thin 1.03 ERA. Gray has pitched well away from home, compiling a 5-3 record with a 2.81 ERA while limiting the opposition to a .218 batting average.

Noesi settled down after allowing three runs in his first two innings to toss five scoreless frames in a no-decision versus Minnesota on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Dominican faced Oakland while beginning the season with Seattle, permitting one run without recording an out April 3. Noesi has yielded six homers in his last four contests and has been taken deep in nine of his last 10 outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland CF Coco Crisp went 6-for-14 in the series against the Astros and is 10-for-26 in his last six games.

2. Chicago SS Alexei Ramirez is mired in a 1-for-16 stretch in September.

3. Athletics manager Bob Melvin told reporters that C John Jaso (concussion) is expected to be activated from the disabled list this week, as early as this series.

PREDICTION: Athletics 4, White Sox 2