The Chicago White Sox (59-102) wrap up their series against the Washington Nationals (66-95) Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park in what’s become a matchup between two teams just trying to finish the season with some dignity. Despite both clubs enduring disappointing campaigns, Washington enters as slight -117 favorites for this 3:05 p.m. ET contest.
Game Details
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2025
Time: 3:05 p.m. ET / 2:05 p.m. CT
Location: Nationals Park, Washington
TV Coverage: MASN2, Chicago Sports Network (CHSN)
Betting Lines: Nationals -117, White Sox -102
Run Total: 8.5 runs
Spread: White Sox -1.5 (+163)
Pitching Matchup: Lord vs Smith
Brad Lord Gets the Ball for Washington
Brad Lord takes the mound for his 19th start with a 5-9 record and 4.12 ERA across 126⅔ innings. His 104 strikeouts show he can miss bats when needed, and facing the White Sox’ struggling offense provides an opportunity for a quality outing.
Shane Smith Closes Out the Season
Shane Smith draws the assignment for his 29th start, carrying a 6-8 record. The right-hander has been one of the few consistent pieces for Chicago during this rebuilding season, providing innings and development opportunities.
This represents another chance for Smith to show he belongs in future rotation plans.
White Sox Offense: Individual Bright Spots
Lenyn Sosa’s Standout Season
Lenyn Sosa continues leading the team with 22 home runs, 75 RBIs, and a .263 batting average – all team-high marks. His development has been the season’s brightest individual story and provides genuine hope for the organization’s future.
Young Talent Shows Promise
Colson Montgomery has reached 21 home runs despite a .239 average, while Chase Meidroth provides solid contact hitting at .256. Miguel Vargas adds 15 homers and veteran presence.
The White Sox rank 27th in baseball with just 639 runs scored, reflecting their offensive struggles throughout this challenging campaign.
Nationals Looking to End on Positive Note
James Wood Provides Power
James Wood leads Washington with 31 home runs and 94 RBIs while batting .257. His emergence as a legitimate power threat represents the type of development the organization can build around.
Supporting Cast Contributes
C.J. Abrams leads the team with a .258 batting average, while Josh Bell and Luis Garcia provide veteran leadership. The Nationals’ 4.3 runs per game shows they can compete offensively when things click.
Pitching Staff Reality
Both teams have struggled significantly on the mound. Washington’s 5.34 ERA ranks 29th in baseball – considerably worse than Chicago’s 4.31 ERA (20th). The Nationals’ pitching woes have been a primary factor in their disappointing season.
Neither team inspires confidence from a pitching perspective, which could lead to higher-scoring affairs.
Betting Perspective
The Nationals have been historically bad as favorites this season, going just 7-20 (35%) when favored. When favored at odds similar to Sunday’s -117, they drop to 3-10 (23.1%) – making them extremely difficult to trust.
The White Sox have performed slightly better as underdogs at 58-158 (36.7%), though that’s still well below .500.
Key Injuries
Nationals: Multiple pitchers remain on various IL stints, while Keibert Ruiz continues dealing with concussion protocol.
White Sox: Luis Robert, Mike Tauchman, and Andrew Benintendi remain unavailable, further limiting roster depth during the season’s final week.
What’s at Stake
For White Sox fans, this represents another opportunity to evaluate young talent like Smith and Montgomery against major league competition. Individual development remains the primary focus as the organization looks toward next season.
Both teams are essentially playing for pride and individual statistics at this point.
Game Prediction
Final Score: White Sox 8, Nationals 6
Total: Over 8.5 runs
Washington’s terrible record as favorites (23.1% success rate) creates significant value on the White Sox. Both teams’ pitching struggles suggest a higher-scoring game, and Chicago might be the hungrier team despite their poor overall record.
The Nationals’ inability to win consistently when favored makes them a risky proposition, even against a historically bad White Sox team. Both offenses should find success against questionable pitching, making this the type of game where individual performances could swing the outcome.
This projects as an entertaining offensive showcase between two teams playing primarily for development and individual milestones.
Let´s goo Sox!!!