Toronto @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( May 29, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 4, Toronto 13
THE STORY: Having already been guaranteed a losing season, the Chicago White Sox will be looking to curse the Toronto Blue Jays to a similar fate when the teams meet in their final series of the season beginning Monday at U.S. Cellular Field. Toronto sends Dustin McGowan to the hill in search of his first major-league victory since 2008. He'll be opposed by fellow righthander Dylan Axelrod, who is seeking his first career win in the big leagues.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), CSN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Dustin McGowan (0-1, 6.35 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Dylan Axelrod (0-0, 4.26 ERA).
McGowan has endured some bumps in his return from major shoulder and arm injuries, but the 29-year-old looked like his old self last time out. He limited the Los Angeles Angels to two runs over five innings while racking up eight strikeouts as Toronto ultimately dropped a 7-2 decision. McGowan is holding hitters to a .246 average but has issued 10 walks in just 17 innings.
Axelrod will make his third big-league start, and didn't look great in his previous encounter. The 26-year-old surrendered four runs on seven hits through 4 2/3 innings and wasn't around for the decision as the White Sox went on to post a 5-4 win over Cleveland. Axelrod may be auditioning for next season, with staff ace Mark Buehrle among a handful of Chicago players slated to become free agents.
ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (80-79): Toronto will likely open its last series of the campaign without its most valuable player. Jose Bautista suffered a knee contusion in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays and is expected to sit out Monday's game, though he has said he would like to return at some point. The reigning major-league home-run leader has 43 on the season to go along with 103 RBIs, 105 runs scored and a .304 average. With third baseman Brett Lawrie (broken finger) and shortstop Yunel Escobar (elbow) on the disabled list, there will be plenty of opportunity for some of the Jays' September call-ups to earn playing time.
ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (77-82): No one better sums up Chicago's struggles this season than offseason acquisition Adam Dunn. The towering designated hitter was expected to provide some much-needed pop, but instead has put himself on track to record the lowest batting average in major-league history. Entering the series opener with a .161 mark, Dunn needs 13 plate appearances over the final three games to register the worst qualifying average. That likely won't happen, since Dunn hasn't played well enough to warrant regular playing time. It's also possible manager Ozzie Guillen won't want to subject Dunn to a place in baseball ignominy and will choose to rest him at some point.
FINAL PITCH: Rob Deer owns the current major-league record for lowest average in a season after batting .179 in 1991.