Gamethread: Tigers at White Sox

It’s a battle of fourth- and fifth-place teams, with worlds of difference between them

The White Sox are back home to start a four-game set that collars the weekend. Here are the bats backing starter Chris Flexen tonight:

Lineup construction is a massive topic and a hotly-debated one. It’s also something fans most like to pick on. But, depending on your stance on lineups, Grady Sizemore has largely sidestepped controversy by emphasizing defense and keeping his lineup card pretty consistent. This does mark two straight games with Miguel Vargas sitting, so Grady might also be a proponent of the hot-hand lineup, even if the hitters had all of Thursday’s off-day to cool.

Detroit comes to town a massive disappointment. If you’d said they’d have the AL Cy Young pitching all year in their rotation but STILL not for a moment were competitive in this division, most folks would have laughed.

The Tigers don’t have their lineup out yet, so hell with ’em. Maybe they don’t want to incur our Javy Báez mockery.

Gametime is the usual 7:10 p.m. Central, usual broadcast spots.