MLB Game Preview - Chicago Sox at Philadelphia

Sun Aug 4, 2019 1:05 PM EDT

Released by two organizations in the past six weeks, left-hander Drew Smyly may finally have settled into a home with the Philadelphia Phillies.

After a pair of strong starts in his first two outings with the team, Smyly is primed to help the host Phillies win the rubber match of their three-game interleague series against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon.

"He's been kicked and he's been down," Philadelphia manager Gabe Kapler said. "He's been in the minor leagues. And he's battled back. He's given us two really strong starts. Exactly what we needed at just the right time."

Smyly is just 2-5 with a 6.85 ERA in 15 appearances, including 11 starts, this season, but his numbers in two starts with the Phillies reflect a marked turnaround.

He enters Sunday's start at 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA, scattering eight hits and one earned run over 13 innings with three walks and 13 strikeouts. Improved command of his cut fastball has boosted Smyly's confidence and effectiveness.

It's a far cry from where he started the season with the Texas Rangers, or the 16 days he spent with the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A affiliate in San Antonio.

"Just pitch usage, just sequencing and being able to tunnel certain pitches off each other," Smyly said when asked what's changed. "I think I was just a little too predictable in Texas, and I wasn't throwing strikes is the main thing. I was getting behind a lot of guys and not limiting damage. Now I feel like I'm able to get ahead, I'm able to keep the hitters guessing, and it's making all my pitches better."

Smyly has not faced the White Sox this season and is 0-1 with a 4.83 in 12 career appearances against them, including five starts.

He is set to oppose Chicago right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (5-9, 5.43 ERA), who continues to deliver on his pledge to improve himself in the second half of the season. In four starts since the All-Star break, Lopez is 1-1 with a 2.05 ERA, striking out 31 batters in 26 1/3 innings while limiting opponents to a .194 batting average.

"Like I said before, I'm a completely different pitcher in the second half," Lopez said. "I'm in a better mindset, my mind is in a better place right now. I think that I am a better pitcher because of that. I was able to clean up a few things, and mentally I'm much better. And that's the biggest difference."

A former member of Philadelphia's National League East rival, the Washington Nationals, Lopez has not faced the Phillies in his career.

After finishing a season-high, 10-game homestand with a 2-8 record, the White Sox are bidding to win their first series since taking two of three games at Tampa Bay from July 19-21.

The White Sox won Friday's series opener 4-3 in 15 innings, before the Phillies responded with a 3-2 victory on Saturday night behind seven strong innings from Aaron Nola and back-to-back home runs from Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins.

--Field Level Media