White Sox will give the ball to Lynn to start ALDS against Houston

Lance Lynn said he knew as early as last week that he would be the Game 1 starter for the White Sox in their best-of-five American League Division Series against the Houston Astros starting Thursday.

A bigger greater uncertainty, however, is how effective Lynn can pitch while still being available for a potential Game 4.

Manager Tony La Russa selected Lynn as his starter over Lucas Giolito even though Lynn is 3-6 with a lifetime 4.92 ERA in nine career starts at Minute Maid Park, including a June 19 loss in which he was tagged for six runs in four innings.

Lucas Giolito, who will start Game 2, had a 2.21 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings in his final four starts. Giolito pitched a three-hit complete game against the Astros on July 17, so it's possible La Russa could opt to pull Lynn sooner than usual with a fresh bullpen and rely on Giolito to pitch deep in his Game 2 start.

Martin Maldonado (.500), Yordan Alvarez (.455), Alex Bregman (.400), Michael Brantley (.385) and Jose Altuve (.382) have fared well against Lynn with at least 11 career at-bats against Lynn.

"The better you pitch and defend, the less you have to score," La Russa told reporters Wednesday. "That's a real challenge because they have an outstanding lineup. But we don't concede anything because we have an outstanding lineup."

McCullers was 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the White Sox. But the White Sox were without fellow sluggers Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert because of injuries.

"I feel I can pitch against anyone, pitch against anybody," McCullers said. "(Jimenez and Robert) are great players, so we'll have to find a game plan. It's about execution."

Second baseman Cesar Hernandez is 2-for-4 with two doubles lifetime against McCullers but was acquired from Cleveland after the Sox played the Astros. Outfielder Billy Hamilton is 2-for-3 against McCullers but didn't face him in 2021.

McCullers, 28, set career highs with 28 starts and 162 1/3 innings but will be pitching on six days' rest.

"You see player that you think he's reached his ceiling," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "He might get a little bit better, but not a whole bunch. But this guy (McCullers), he has a lot (left). He's a tremendous athlete, very confident but very humble at the same time."