White Sox Face Kershaw in Game 2 After Dodgers Dominate Series Opener

Kershaw isn't what he once was, but even in his 18th season, he's crafty enough to dice up this White Sox offense. And who knows, maybe Will Venable will help speed things along by penciling his worst bats for nostalgia's sake.

On the flip side, Sean Burke takes the mound. Burke has been consistently shaky in the early innings, a less-than-ideal trait when two of the first three batters you will face are Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. Luckily for Burke, lefty Brandon Eisert has been named the opener.

Burke has the benefit of unfamiliarity, as the Dodgers haven't seen much of him. But, even after an opener, LA boasts a powerful lineup of lefties and Burke's walking lefties at a 15% rate. If he can't locate early, we might see a sequel to Monday's blowout.

Threading the Needle

The White Sox haven't hit for power, so the only way out is through—and that means timely hitting, disciplined at-bats, and rock-solid defense. 

This team has zero margin for error against a Dodgers lineup that leads the league in most offensive categories that matter (and probably some that don't).

Put simply, they'll need a miracle to even the series. They'll need two to win it.

What's On Tap Next?

Even if Wednesday goes poorly, the White Sox still have one more shot on Thursday to avoid the sweep. It's LA—miracles are a cliché here. But for this Sox team, even a competitive loss might count as progress.

Until then, we'll be watching, hoping to witness something that isn't another midweek meltdown—and maybe even watching history, depending on how quickly Kershaw racks up those three Ks.