Cleveland @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2018 ) Cleveland 4, Chi. White Sox 0

All-Star Trevor Bauer looks to get himself ready for the postseason as he makes the start Tuesday night when the American League Central champion Cleveland Indians visit the Chicago White Sox for the second of a three-game set. Bauer, who returned last Friday for a short appearance after missing more than a month with a stress fracture in his right leg, is expected to throw between 60 and 65 pitches Tuesday.

“The health, the feeling in the ankle, has been better,” Bauer told reporters after pitching 1 1/3 innings in Boston last week. “So, everything’s trending in a very positive direction.” Corey Kluber reached 20 victories for the first time in his career with seven strong innings as the Indians took the series opener 4-0 on Monday for their fifth win in seven games overall and 13th in 17 meetings with the White Sox this season. Chicago, which needs two wins to avoid its first 100-loss season since 1970, has dropped six of its last eight contests after managing four hits and leaving five on base Monday. Nicky Delmonico registered a pair of hits for the White Sox in the series opener and Avisail Garcia extended his hitting streak to four games with a single.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), NBCS Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (12-6, 2.21 ERA) vs. White Sox RH James Shields (7-16, 4.48)

Bauer threw 34 pitches against the Red Sox while giving up two hits and issuing one walk in his first appearance since Aug. 11. The 27-year-old UCLA product, who boasts 215 strikeouts in 167 1/3 innings, had won four straight starts before the abbreviated outing against Boston. Yoan Moncada is 4-for-11 with a homer versus Bauer, who is 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA in three starts against the White Sox in 2018 and 8-3, 3.15 in his career.

Shields has registered six quality starts in his last nine outings, including two solid efforts against the Indians despite being unable to earn a victory. The 36-year-old Californian held Cleveland to two runs on five hits Thursday in a no-decision and is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts versus the Indians this year. Francisco Lindor is 7-for-15 with two homers against Shields, who is 5-8 with a 3.76 ERA lifetime versus Cleveland.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox OF Daniel Palka has 27 homers, tied with Zeke Bonura (1934) for the third-highest total by a rookie in franchise history.

2. Cleveland LF Michael Brantley, who was rested in the series opener, is 9-for-21 with a homer during a four-game hitting streak.

3. Chicago 1B Jose Abreu, who has not played since Sept. 16 due to a thigh infection, could be done for the season.

PREDICTION: Indians 6, White Sox 3