Cleveland @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2019 ) Chi. White Sox 7, Cleveland 1

The Cleveland Indians enter the final week of the regular season in a three-way battle for two American League wild-card spots as they open a six-game road trip with the first of three against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. The Indians are a half game behind Tampa Bay for the second wild card and two in back of Oakland for the top position after routing Philadelphia 10-1 on Sunday to win for the sixth time in the last seven outings.

“They’re going to be a blast. Exciting,” Cleveland’s rookie outfielder Oscar Mercado told reporters of the coming week after hitting his fourth homer in eight games Sunday. “There are a lot of words I could use to describe the games, but most importantly, each game is going to be the biggest game of the year. We’ve got to take it that way and lock it in and get ready to go.” Right-hander Mike Clevinger gets the ball in Tuesday’s opener for the Indians, who have lost nine of 16 in the season series, and Chicago counters with veteran lefty Hector Santiago. The White Sox are 3-1 in their last four contests and will open a season-ending, seven-game homestand Tuesday with a 35-39 record at Guaranteed Rate Field. Tim Anderson goes into the final week with the best batting average in the majors (.334) and a 10-game hitting streak (17-for-47) while Jose Abreu is tied for the most RBIs in baseball (121) - 12 of those coming against Cleveland.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, STO (Cleveland), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Mike Clevinger (12-3, 2.54 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Hector Santiago (1-1, 5.65)

Clevinger rebounded from his first loss in 2 1/2 months by scattering seven hits and a walk over six scoreless innings with six strikeouts last Thursday to beat Detroit. The 28-year-old Florida native was 9-0 combined in July and August before going 2-1 in four starts this month with a 1.98 ERA. Abreu has homered twice and Eloy Jimenez is 2-for-6 with a blast versus Clevinger, who has given up two runs over 14 innings against the White Sox this year.

Santiago makes his third start since coming back to the White Sox and first since Aug. 17 when he permitted two runs across 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision at the Los Angeles Angels. The 31-year-old New Jersey native is 0-1 with 5.23 ERA in nine games with Chicago after starting the season with the New York Mets. Carlos Santana has belted two homers in his career against Santiago, who pitched a scoreless frame versus Cleveland on Sept. 4.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland 3B Jose Ramirez (broken hand) could return to the lineup Tuesday after missing the past month.

2. Jimenez is 23-for-56 with six homers, 13 runs scored and 19 RBIs during his current 13-game hitting streak.

3. Indians OF Jordan Luplow has belted five homers and knocked in six runs over 10 games against the White Sox this year.

PREDICTION: Indians 8, White Sox 1