We’re diving into another classic American League Central duel. This time, it’s the Chicago White Sox versus the Detroit Tigers. Detroit’s the slight home underdog at -107, and they’re set to face none other than Lance Lynn, the sturdy righty from the White Sox. The total is set at 8.5.

Now, let’s talk Tigers. Joey Wentz is on the mound, and let’s be real, he’s been having a season that reminds you more of a quarterback than a pitcher. Over the last 30 days, his xFIP is flirting with a big ol’ 5.00, and he’s not sending many batters back to the dugout empty-handed.

But here’s the kicker: as a left-handed pitcher, Wentz is supposed to have an advantage against left-handed batters. Nope, not happening this year. Wentz has a .417 wOBA against right-handed batters in his last 79 encounters. Looking at the White Sox lineup today, they’ve got just one lefty, Andrew Benintendi. The rest of the batters? All coming from the right side.

Switching gears to Lance Lynn of the White Sox, things are a bit rosier. Lynn’s been holding his own with a respectable 3.44 xFIP and a solid strikeout percentage near 28%. As a right-handed pitcher, he’s been mostly successful against right-handed batters.

But it’s not all sunshine for Lynn. In the past 30 days, facing 65 batters, he’s given up a .397 wOBA and a hefty .254 ISO. That’s something the Tigers’ left-handed hitters like Zach McKinstry, Riley Greene, and Akil Baddoo might exploit. Their numbers against right-handed pitching are not exactly eye-popping, but this might be their day.

The question of the day: will the Tigers’ left-handed batters come alive, or will Lynn pull off a solid start? Despite the mixed numbers, I’d lean toward trusting Lynn and the White Sox here. The Tigers’ lineup leaves a bit to be desired.

Of course, we might see a resurgence of the old-school White Sox magic against lefty pitchers, where they’d light up the scoreboard like a Christmas tree. And yes, we have to address the elephant in the room – Lynn’s 6.28 ERA. But those underlying stats might make a difference.