Gamethread: White Sox at Tigers

Dylan Cease starts for the White Sox to open the final road series of the season.

Back on the bump: In his last start, Dylan Cease allowed only one run in five innings against the Mariners. (Clinton Cole/South Side Hit Pen)

The White Sox (66-86) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (45-107, mercy). This three-game series will be the White Sox's final road series of 2019. For tank enthusiasts, if the season ended today, the White Sox would have the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft, while the Tigers would have the first pick for the second time in three years.

Dylan Cease will be starting for the White Sox tonight. In 67 major league innings, Cease has a 6.18 ERA, 5.51 FIP, 4.62 xFIP, and 0.4 fWAR. In Cease's last start, he lasted five innings and only allowed one run against the Mariners. While that performance lowered his ERA, he was fortunate to escape with that final line. As usual, Cease's control was an issue, as he walked three in those five innings, though he pitched around those walks. Cease's walk rate is 4.43 BB/9, which is a number he will have to lower.

Jordan Zimmermann, a 33-year-old veteran with 25.4 fWAR, will face the White Sox. Zimmermann enters with a 6.32 ERA, but he has been unlucky, as his FIP and xFIP are much lower (4.75 and 4.89, respectively). As a result, Zimmermann has been worth 1.3 fWAR. Zimmermann has pitched against the White Sox once this season, and that was back on April 19, when he allowed five runs (all earned) in six and one-third innings.

Here are tonight's starting lineups:

Tonight’s #WhiteSox starters: pic.twitter.com/TQdER7HX5y

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 20, 2019

We're back at Comerica Park for Fan Appreciation Weekend!#MotorOn pic.twitter.com/GXe3QTP1G8

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 20, 2019

First pitch will be at 6:10 CST, NBC Sports Chicago will televise it, and WGN 720 will have your radio coverage. The White Sox have already won four more games than they did last year. Let's make it five.