The set-up: The A's swept the three-game series against the White Sox in Chicago from June 23-25 but opened a three-game home series with Chicago by losing 7-2 on Monday night. The defeat marks Oakland's sixth straight overall and the 35-48 A's also fell for the eighth straight time at home (both streaks are season highs!). The 37-45 White Sox are hardly making a surge but they have now won four of their past five games.

The pitching matchup: James Shields (2-1 & 3.98 ERA) will get the nod for Chicago and Daniel Gossett (1-3 & 5.57 ERA) for Oakland. Shields had a nightmare 2016 season pitching first for San Diego and then Chicago, but opened the 2017 season allowing exactly one run in each of his first three starts (he was 1-0 and Chicago 2-1 while posting a 1.62 ERA). However, a strained right lat sidelined him for two months. He is coming off his first win in three starts since returning, a 4-3 triumph over the New York Yankees on Thursday in which he allowed three runs (two earned) and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. Shields was battered for six runs on seven hits and three walks in three innings of a June 24 start in Chicago, losing 10-2. That setback evened Shields' career record against the Athletics at 6-6 and raised his ERA to 4.64 in 18 outings (teams are 10-8). Gossett allowed five runs on seven hits over five innings in a 6-1 loss at Houston on Thursday and will be making just his fifth overall start in the major leagues. Gossett posted his only career win opposite Shields at Chicago on June 24 after giving up two unearned runs and five hits in six innings of that 10-2 rout.

The pick: The A's are in a slump but the White Sox are still just 18-27 on the road and it sure doesn't help that their closer, David Robertson, is on the paternity list and is expected to miss the entire three-game series. Make Oakland an 8* play.