A bullpen game in September
Sean Burke was supposed to start Sunday. He will not.
Chicago scratched their right-hander from the finale against Minnesota and pushed him back to Tuesday, when the Pittsburgh Pirates come to town. The White Sox have Monday off, and Will Venable’s staff looked at the calendar and saw a chance to give the whole rotation a breather.
“(We) have a chance to line some things up,” Venable said. “We’re looking ahead and trying to get guys in the best spots. There’s some implications with rest. There’s some implications with matchups.”
The number behind the decision is 154 2/3. That is where Burke sits for innings this season, across 28 games and 24 starts. Last year he threw 134 1/3 over 28 games and 22 starts. He is already past his career high with three weeks of baseball left to play.
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Hudson opens against familiar opposition
Bryan Hudson takes the ball instead. The left-hander is 4-4 with a 3.03 ERA and has struck out 55 in 59 1/3 innings across 61 appearances, and he has seen plenty of Minnesota. Seven career outings against the Twins, a 1.23 ERA, one walk and five strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings, two saves.
Five of those came this season. Five scoreless innings, four hits allowed, both save chances converted.
Minnesota counter with Bailey Ober, 7-4 with a 4.37 ERA, making his 22nd start. He has not won since July 17 against the Cubs. His last time out he faced these same White Sox on Aug. 29 and left with a no-decision after two runs, one earned, over five innings in a 3-2 defeat. Across 16 career starts against Chicago he is 6-2 with a 3.56 ERA.
What Sunday is worth
Chicago sit 74-68 and carry a two-and-a-half game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central. The Twins are 68-74 and three and a half back of the final wild-card place, which explains why they are thinking about arms too. Joe Ryan could return as early as Monday against Detroit after a left glute strain sent him to the 15-day injured list on Aug. 7.
“We know how talented (Ryan) is,” catcher Ryan Jeffers said. “He’s a two-time All-Star, back-to-back years. He’s the ring leader of that starting pitching group.”
The season series ends today with the White Sox ahead 7-5.
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