Diamondbacks Head to South Side of Chicago to Face the White Sox

Ketel Marte leads the third best offense in the major leagues against a team in the American League cellar dweller.

Jun 21, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) reacts after a double in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in Chicago this week to face the White Sox at Rate Field for a three-game series. The last time the D-backs visited the South Side of Chicago was in late September 2023, when Arizona won two of three. The D-backs also took two of three from the White Sox at Chase Field in 2024.

The D-backs are coming off a series victory in Colorado, taking the first two games 14-7 and 5-3, before dropping the finale 4-2 on Sunday. The D-backs are 39-38 and now trail the Milwaukee Brewers by 3.5 games for the third and final NL Wild Card spot. Arizona is also fourth in the NL West, 8.0 games behind the Dodgers with the Giants and Padres 4.5 and 3.0 games ahead of them respectively.

It's been a disappointing and inconsistent first half for Arizona. Lately, their season has turned into an injury marred one, endangering their Postseason hopes.

Gone for the season are Ace starter Corbin Burnes, and co-closers Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk, all lost to elbow surgery. Catcher Gabriel Moreno is on the injured list with a hairline fracture in his finger and is likely to miss at least four weeks. Corbin Carroll is getting an MRI on his hand Monday in Chicago. He was hit by a pitch in Toronto on June 18 and has not played since.

The White Sox are 25-53, a .321 winning percentage. While that's a pace for just 52 wins, it would be an 11-game improvement over where they finished last year in a record-setting 41-121 season. Chicago is coming off a series win against the Toronto Blue Jays, taking two of three over the weekend. It's notable that just earlier in the week, the D-backs lost two of three to the Blue Jays.

Another point to note about the White Sox is that they are just 4-20 in one-run games. Their expected won-loss record based on a -73 run differential is 31-47, six games better than their actual record. The White Sox are not a good team, by any definition. But they still win roughly one out of every three games played and have beaten some good teams.

Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox Pitching Matchups

The White Sox have a lower team ERA than the Diamondbacks, and that applies to both the starting pitching and the bullpen. The White Sox 4.21 team ERA ranks 22nd in MLB while the D-backs 4.81 ERA ranks 25th. See graphic below for game by game matchup.

Diamondbacks and White Sox Pitching Matchups / Jack Sommers

Game 1

Eduardo Rodriguez gets the start in game one for Arizona. He has made three starts since coming off the injured list, throwing 16 innings and giving up five earned runs, lowering his ERA to 5.93 for the season. Rodriguez has made 10 career starts versus the White Sox and is 4-0 with a 3.36 ERA.

Rookie Shane Smith has been the White Sox most effective starter this year, posting a 2.85 ERA in 14 starts. He was an undrafted free agent signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021 after having Tommy John surgery, and was a Rule 5 draft selection by the White Sox in 2024.

Game 2

Ryne Nelson is coming off a strong but short outing his last time out. He went 5.2 innings, allowing only one run on a solo homer in a win against the Blue Jays. He was hit on the leg by a comebacker and experienced some swelling, but appears to be all set to make this start after receiving treatment.

Sean Burke was a third round draft pick from the University of Maryland in 2021. He made his major league debut in 2024, getting into four games. In his most recent outing against the Cardinals, he went 5.1 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, in a no-decision. Over his last nine starts, dating back to May 1, he has a 3.67 ERA and a 3.98 FIP.

Game 3

Zac Gallen is having a terrible season. He has the highest ERA (5.60) of any qualified starting pitcher. He has issued the most walks in the National League (41) and allowed the second-most homers (17). Gallen, a Scott Boras client, is a free agent at the end of 2025.

Tyler Alexander posted a 6.19 ERA for the Brewers this year and got released. Signed by the White Sox June 8, he's made four relief appearances for the White Sox, giving up four runs, three earned in 11.2 innings. This will be his first start for Chicago.

Diamondbacks and White Sox Offense

The D-backs are third in all of MLB in runs scored (396) and team OPS, (.780). They're led by Ketel Marte, who is batting .310 with a 1.002 OPS and 13 homers despite missing four weeks with a hamstring injury. Eugenio Suarez leads all of MLB with 67 RBI and is fourth with 25 homers.

Carroll has 20 homers, a .914 OPS and 57 runs scored, but it's not known as of this writing if he'll be able to play in the series. Josh Naylor is hitting .303 with 49 RBI, and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo already has career highs with eight homers and 51 RBI in 75 games played.

The White Sox have scored the third fewest runs in MLB with just 272 and have the lowest OPS at .636. They have only two hitters with over 100 plate appearances over .700 OPS. Third baseman Miguel Vargas is batting .243 with a .761 OPS, 10 homers and 34 RBI. Andrew Benintendi is batting .239 with eight homers, 29 RBI, and a .739 OPS.

D-backs and White Sox Bullpens

The D-backs bullpen ERA is 5.25 and ranks 27th in MLB. The White Sox's reliever ERA is a full run lower at 4.26, ranking 19th in MLB.

Shelby Miller is closing for the D-backs. He has a 2.03 ERA in 31 innings pitched with eight saves in 12 chances.

Grant Taylor appears to have taken over as the closer for the White Sox. He recorded his first MLB save on Sunday, pitching a scoreless ninth against the Blue Jays. Brandon Eisert pitched a scoreless eighth.