White Sox @ Athletics

Who will WIN this matchup?

Chicago White Sox (42-44)

@ Oakland Athletics (50-41)

Starting Pitchers:

Covey (CHW): 1-4; 4.58 ERA

Bassitt (OAK) 5-4; 4.29 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Chicago White Sox: 6-4

Oakland Athletics: 8-2

Current odds:

Chicago White Sox: (+180)

Oakland Athletics: (-200)

• The Oakland Athletics have gone nearly a month without losing a series as they continue their chase for a postseason berth. They attempt to improve to 6-0-1 in their last seven sets when they host the Chicago White Sox on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series. Oakland, which hasn’t lost a series since dropping two of three against Seattle from June 14-16, returned from the All-Star break to post a 5-1 victory over Chicago on Friday. Ramon Laureano, Jurickson Profar and Mark Canha belted solo home runs for the Athletics, who climbed within one-half game of Cleveland for the second wild-card spot in the American League.

• Chicago received most of its offense from the top two players in the lineup, as Leury Garcia and Yoan Moncada combined for five of the team’s 10 hits and Garcia drove in the club’s lone run. Moncada went 3-for-5 in the series opener and enters Saturday with a 14-game hitting streak during which he has recorded seven multi-hit performances.

• Covey is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list, where he landed early last month due to inflammation in his right shoulder, to make his eighth start of the season and first since June 5. The 27-year-old Californian settled for a no-decision at Washington in that outing after giving up two runs and seven hits over five innings. Covey made his lone career start versus Oakland on June 23, 2018, when he yielded four runs on two hits and four walks in four frames of a no-decision.

• Bassitt is coming off a loss last Saturday at Seattle, where he was tagged for six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 30-year-old native of Ohio went 2-0 over his previous three turns and allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his previous six outings. Bassitt has made two career starts against Chicago, going 0-1 while surrendering nine runs – eight earned – and 14 hits in 10 2/3 frames.

• Athletics SS Marcus Semien has gone 5-for-10 with a homer and two RBIs over his last two contests.

• Chicago 1B A.J. Reed was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, four days after claiming him off waivers from Houston, and went 1-for-4 in his team debut.

• Oakland sent C Nick Hundley (back) to its Arizona League affiliate on a rehab assignment.