The Chicago White Sox (45-37) take on the Toronto Blue Jays (42-41) on Friday evening, sending SP Jake Peavy to the mound.
The Blue Jays sit in last place in the AL East Division, despite being a game above .500. And though the Jays trail the New York Yankees by 8.0 games, OF Jose Bautista has not been to blame for the standings. Bautista, who started the season cold, leads the majors with 27 home runs and had a scintillating 1.158 OPS in the month of June with 14 home runs.
If the Sox hope to keep the Jays in last place by the end of the day, they will need Peavy -- who nearly made the All-Star Game -- to keep Bautista's bat quiet. Here's a look at the full lineups, courtesy of Baseball Press:
| Blue Jays Lineup | White Sox Lineup |
|---|---|
| 1. Brett Lawrie (R) 3B | 1. Alejandro De Aza (L) CF |
| 2. Colby Rasmus (L) CF | 2. Kevin Youkilis (R) 3B |
| 3. Jose Bautista (R) RF | 3. Adam Dunn (L) DH |
| 4. Edwin Encarnacion (R) 1B | 4. Paul Konerko (R) 1B |
| 5. Adam Lind (L) DH | 5. Alex Rios (R) RF |
| 6. Yunel Escobar (R) SS | 6. A.J. Pierzynski (L) C |
| 7. Rajai Davis (R) LF | 7. Dayan Viciedo (R) LF |
| 8. Kelly Johnson (L) 2B | 8. Alexei Ramirez (R) SS |
| 9. J.P. Arencibia (R) C | 9. Gordon Beckham (R) 2B |
For more news and updates from around the league, drop by Baseball Nation with Rob Neyer. And for a closer look at the numbers and analysis behind the game, visit the sabermetrics blog Beyond the Box Score or keep up to date with the league's transactions at MLB Daily Dish.
