Gamethread: Rangers at White Sox
Facing not just a series, but a season sweep
After losing yesterday’s second game thanks to what may have been the catch of the year by Ranger left fielder Travis Jankowski (well, also getting just one earned run off a Texas starter with an ERA over 17, but we’d rather do a little “woe is us” over the catch), the Sox try to recover from the shock today. That won’t be easy, because the Rangers are starting a real major league pitcher this time.
Taking on the duty of emotional revivification is Nick Nastrini, just called back up for his third stab at playing with the big kids this season. His two early-season call-ups were pretty much a disaster, with an 8.39 ERA and even worse 9.10 FIP, largely because he had trouble throwing the ball in the same Zip Code as home plate, with 25 walks in 24 2⁄3 innings. Nastrini struggled with control most of the season in Charlotte as well, but had been able to hold down the wildness his last few starts.
Nastrini will be matched against Nathan Eovaldi, a 14-year veteran who was an All Star as recently as last season, The righty is 9-7 with a 3.79 ERA, but has really struggled in August (ERA 6.00), so there is hope. Eovaldi has fairly even platoon splits, and he’ll face a fairly balanced White Sox lineup, beginning with Nicky Lopez and Luis Robert, Jr., both of whom have hit him well in the past.
Nastrini will be faced with a Texas lineup that’s middle-of-the-road in taking walks, so he can’t count on a lot of wild swings at bouncing pitches.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm Central, on a perfect day for baseball — 80 degrees with light winds blowing in from left. Usual broadcast suspects.