Chicago @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2018 ) Cleveland 9, Chi. White Sox 7

The Cleveland Indians became the first team to clinch a division title over the weekend and will spend the remainder of the regular season making sure its players are healthy and fine-tuning the roster in advance of the postseason. The Chicago White Sox, who visit the Indians for the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday, have no playoff plans but are still trying to end the season strong.

The White Sox dedicated their season to developing young players and have to be pleased with some of the results after watching Daniel Palka take the team lead and set a club rookie record for a left-handed hitter with his 23rd and 24th home runs on Sunday. "It's not really something I thought about - leading or not leading," Palka told reporters after passing Jose Abreu (22) for the team lead on Sunday. "I kind of thought I knew what I could do, and I'm sitting right around there. ... Yeah, it was a good day." The Indians enjoyed plenty of good days of late and should be well rested after giving most of the regulars a day off on Sunday following Saturday's clinching celebration. Cleveland will get back to the business of tuning up for the playoffs when ace Corey Kluber takes the mound on Tuesday opposite Chicago lefty Carlos Rodon.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, STO (Cleveland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Carlos Rodon (6-5, 3.10 ERA) vs. Indians RH Corey Kluber (18-7, 2.91)

Rodon is struggling with his control of late and issued a total of 10 walks over 10 2/3 innings across his last two outings. The 25-year-old managed to limit the damage to two runs over six innings at Kansas City last Wednesday but settled for a no-decision in his third straight winless outing. Rodon's best start of the season came at home against Cleveland on Aug. 10, when he yielded four hits across eight scoreless innings and struck out five while issuing a pair of walks, but he was held out of the decision.

Kluber is coming off a rare dud after getting knocked around for four runs on five hits and a walk over 1 2/3 innings at Tampa Bay on Sept. 10. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner yielded a total of one run and four hits over 13 2/3 innings while beating the Rays and Kansas City in his two previous turns. Kluber is making his third start of 2018 against Chicago and did not allow a run in either of the first two, scattering a total of four hits over 13 innings while striking out 17.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians 3B Josh Donaldson is 2-for-13 with four strikeouts in four games since coming off the disabled list.

2. White Sox OF Avisail Garcia (sore knee) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.

3. Chicago 1B Jose Abreu is 0-for-20 with seven strikeouts over his last five games.

PREDICTION: Indians 3, White Sox 2