The San Diego Padres (84-71) close out their weekend series against the Chicago White Sox (58-97) Sunday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field. As heavy -179 favorites, the Padres look to take the rubber match from a White Sox team that’s provided few highlights during a difficult season.
Game Details
Date: Sunday, September 21, 2025
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET / 1:10 p.m. CT
Location: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago
TV Coverage: Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), San Diego Padres Audio
Betting Lines: Padres -179, White Sox +149
Run Total: 8 runs
Spread: Padres -1.5
Pitching Matchup: King vs Burke
Michael King Gets the Ball for San Diego
Michael King makes his 14th start of the season with a 4-3 record and 3.84 ERA across 65⅔ innings. His 69 strikeouts show he can miss bats when needed, and the Padres will count on his experience to close out the series victory.
King represents the type of reliable starter that’s helped San Diego maintain their playoff positioning throughout the season.
Sean Burke Looks to Build on Development
Sean Burke takes the mound for his 22nd start, carrying a 4-10 record that reflects the team’s overall struggles more than his individual performance. The young right-hander represents the type of developing talent the White Sox are evaluating for future seasons.
This represents another opportunity for Burke to gain valuable experience against playoff-caliber competition.
White Sox Offense: Finding Individual Success
Lenyn Sosa Continues Strong Season
Lenyn Sosa remains the bright spot in Chicago’s lineup, leading the team with a .261 batting average, 21 home runs, and 71 RBIs. His development has been one of the season’s few genuine positives for White Sox fans to celebrate.
Limited Supporting Cast
Andrew Benintendi provides 20 home runs while batting .240, and Miguel Vargas contributes 15 homers despite a .230 average. Chase Meidroth adds contact hitting at .267, but the overall numbers reflect an offense that ranks 26th in baseball with just 616 runs scored.
The White Sox’ .233 team batting average (27th in MLB) highlights their offensive struggles throughout this challenging season.
Padres’ Playoff Push
Star Power Throughout the Lineup
San Diego brings legitimate talent with Manny Machado leading the team with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs. Fernando Tatis Jr. contributes 154 hits with a .433 slugging percentage, while Luis Arraez paces the team with a .286 batting average.
Ramon Laureano adds depth with 122 hits and a .519 slugging percentage, giving the Padres multiple offensive threats throughout their lineup.
Contact-Heavy Approach
The Padres’ offensive philosophy emphasizes contact over power, ranking 7th in baseball with a .252 team average while striking out just 7.1 times per game (3rd in MLB). This approach should be effective against a White Sox pitching staff that ranks 22nd in strikeouts per nine innings.
Statistical Reality
The talent gap shows clearly in every major category:
Runs per game: Padres 4.3 vs White Sox 4.0
Team ERA: Padres 3.69 (3rd) vs White Sox 4.25 (20th)
Batting average: Padres .252 vs White Sox .233
Strikeouts per 9 innings: Padres 8.9 (7th) vs White Sox 8.0 (22nd)
San Diego’s elite pitching staff provides a significant advantage that should control this game.
Betting Perspective
The White Sox have struggled heavily as underdogs this season, winning just 22 of 72 games (30.6%) when facing odds similar to Sunday’s +149. San Diego has been reliable as heavy favorites, going 18-11 (62.1%) in comparable situations.
The 8-run total reflects both teams’ recent offensive output, with both clubs going over roughly 42-45% of the time this season.
Key Injuries
Padres: Xander Bogaerts (foot) remains on the 10-day IL, though their offensive depth can absorb his absence.
White Sox: Luis Robert (hamstring) continues to miss time, depriving Chicago of their most dynamic player when healthy.
What to Watch For
For White Sox fans, this game provides another opportunity to evaluate young talent against quality competition. How players like Burke and the developing position players handle a playoff-caliber team offers insights into their potential roles moving forward.
Individual performances from players like Sosa remain important bright spots in an otherwise difficult season.
Game Prediction
Final Score: Padres 6, White Sox 3
Total: Over 8 runs
The talent disparity between these clubs should prove decisive in the series finale. While the White Sox will compete at home, San Diego’s superior pitching staff and more consistent offense should control the game’s flow.
King should provide quality innings for the Padres, while their contact-heavy lineup finds ways to score against Chicago’s pitching staff. The White Sox may manage some runs through individual efforts, but San Diego’s depth should prove overwhelming.
This represents the type of game where the rebuilding process meets playoff-level competition – a learning experience that’s part of the long-term development plan, even if the immediate results aren’t what home fans hope to see.
Let´s gooo White Sox!
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