The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians are deadlocked atop the American League Central standings after Cleveland's comeback win on July 3, 2026.
The Guardians secured a victory in the series opener after a ninth-inning bullpen mistake by Chicago's Grant Taylor erased a late White Sox lead.
The loss halted Chicago's recent momentum, as they had entered the series with a 6-3 record over their previous nine games.
Pitching Matchup for the Decisive Series
Cleveland will start right-hander Gavin Williams, who holds a 9-4 record with a 3.81 ERA. However, he struggled in June, posting a 6.04 ERA.
Williams previously faced Chicago on June 22, allowing two earned runs over five innings.
Chicago counters with left-hander Anthony Kay. In that same June 22 matchup, Kay threw six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits.
Kay aims to bounce back from a 6.35 ERA in June after a stellar May where he went 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA.
The three-game series continues with both teams vying for sole possession of the division lead.
