MLB Game Preview - Chicago Sox at Cleveland
Tue Sep 3, 2019 7:10 PM EDT

BAL
4
TB
2
F
TEX
1
NYY
10
F
BAL
0
TB
2
F
PHI
6
CIN
2
F
MIA
5
PIT
4
F(10)
NYM
10
WSH
11
F
MIN
6
BOS
5
F
CHW
6
CLE
5
F
TOR
2
ATL
7
F
HOU
2
MIL
4
F
SF
0
STL
1
F
SEA
1
CHC
6
F
DET
5
KC
6
F
SD
1
ARI
2
F
LAA
5
OAK
7
F
COL
3
LAD
5
F
Indians look to build on home win vs. White Sox
Tue Sep 3, 2019 1:28 AM

The Cleveland Indians, who snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday, will aim for another win on Tuesday as a key bat nears a swift return.

Cleveland opened a four-game series against Chicago with an 11-3 win on Labor Day, the White Sox's seventh consecutive loss.

The Indians also learned that second baseman Jason Kipnis could be back in the lineup as soon as Wednesday. Kipnis experienced pain in his right wrist upon swinging and missing at a pitch Saturday during a road loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kipnis saw Dr. Thomas Graham, New York-based hand specialist, over the weekend, and the prognosis was positive.

"He's got some tendinitis that he's dealing with, that we knew, and nothing more," Indians manager Terry Francona said Monday of Kipnis. "We're going to have him be down today, probably hit (Tuesday), and hopefully, if all goes well, he'll play the next day."

Kipnis said the wrist issue has lingered in recent weeks.

"Kind of when it overextends, it really gets you a little bit," he said.

Cleveland enters play Tuesday 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Minnesota Twins in the American League Central. The Indians are a half-game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the top American League wild-card spot, and Cleveland is one game ahead of the Oakland A's for the second wild-card position.

The Indians will turn to right-hander Mike Clevinger (10-2, 2.72 ERA) on Tuesday. Clevinger struck out 10 Detroit Tigers over eight shutout innings in his most recent outing on Thursday, and he has been similarly effective against the White Sox in his career.

Clevinger is 3-2 with a 2.53 ERA in eight appearances, six starts, against Chicago, including seven scoreless innings of one-run, 12-strikeout ball in a no-decision in Cleveland on April 1.

Rookie righty Dylan Cease (3-7, 6.92 ERA) will oppose Clevinger in his 11th career start and first against Cleveland. Cease lasted just two-plus innings in his most recent outing, on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins, yielding eight runs on 10 hits, including a pair of home runs.

Cease has logged 52 innings at the major league level after starting 15 games and pitching 68 1/3 innings for Triple-A Charlotte to start the season. White Sox manager Rick Renteria recently told reporters the organization hasn't been considering an innings limit for Cease over the final month of the campaign.

"Certainly some of the games that have been a little shortened have expanded his ability to have an extra inning or two available to him," Renteria said. "But I'm sure if we get to some particular point which does not make it, as far as we're concerned, conducive to him continuing to progress, we'll make an adjustment. But we haven't really been talking about that."

Before Monday, the White Sox and Indians last met on June 2, when a 2-0 Chicago victory put the White Sox one game under .500 at 29-30. The White Sox are 31-47 since that day.

The rotation has struggled to a 10.87 ERA during the seven-game skid, which has left Chicago 17 games below .500.

"Right now, we're not making any plans of changing the rotation," Renteria said, "but we know we have guys available that can slot in there if we need."

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Team Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Chicago Sox            
Cleveland            

Scheduled Starting Pitchers

Dylan Cease - SD
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. Cleveland
Mike Clevinger - (N/A)
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. Chicago Sox

Hot Batters (Last 10 team games)

Injury Report

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