Detroit @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2018 ) Detroit 2, Chi. White Sox 4

The Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers entered the series with identical records, and Monday's tilt showed off how close the two teams are. The rebuilding American League Central foes will vie for supremacy over each other again when the White Sox host the Tigers in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Chicago and Detroit are both spending the last month looking for signs that their respective rebuilding efforts are moving in the right direction, and the teams entered the ninth inning deadlocked in Monday's series opener before the young players for the White Sox asserted themselves. Rookie right fielder David Palka hit a tying homer in the bottom of the ninth and first baseman Matt Davidson continued a hot streak with a walk-off, two-run blast. Chicago is making a spirited run of late with wins in 14 of their last 20 games, including a series victory over the New York Yankees and a four-game split with the Boston Red Sox. The White Sox will show off another piece in the rebuilding project with right-hander Lucas Giolito opposing Detroit veteran Francisco Liriano on Tuesday.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Francisco Liriano (3-9, 4.96 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (10-9, 5.66)

Liriano surprisingly remained on the Detroit roster through both the non-waiver and waiver trade periods and will try to continue to supply a veteran presence in the rotation. The Dominican Republic native is winless in his last 17 appearances and served up at least four runs in each of his last three outings, totaling 11 1/3 innings. Liriano last faced Chicago on May 26 and was ripped for five runs on six hits and three walks over five innings to absorb a loss.

Giolito is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in his last four outings and held the major league-best Boston Red Sox to one run and two hits over 6 1/3 frames on Thursday. The 24-year-old matched a season high with eight strikeouts against the Red Sox and owns 27 Ks across 25 1/3 innings across his last four turns. One of those outings came at Detroit on Aug. 25, when Giolito limited the Tigers to one run and three hits over seven innings while striking out six.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox RF Avisail Garcia (knee) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.

2. Detroit RHP Michael Fulmer was forced out in the sixth inning on Monday after taking a comebacker to the shin.

3. Chicago C Welington Castillo made his first start on Monday since serving an 80-game suspension for a positive PED test and went 1-for-4.

PREDICTION: White Sox 7, Tigers 3