The Chicago White Sox head to Globe Life Field on Wednesday, July 22, to face the Texas Rangers in an 8:05 PM ET first pitch. Anthony Kay gets the ball for Chicago, squaring off against Texas left-hander Tyler Alexander in what shapes up as a pitching matchup worth watching. The White Sox carry a lineup that mixes veterans like Andrew Benintendi and Miguel Vargas with younger pieces like Colson Montgomery and Braden Montgomery, making this a useful measuring-stick game against an AL West opponent.

White Sox Probable Starter: Anthony Kay

Anthony Kay draws the assignment in Arlington. Kay has been part of a White Sox rotation that has leaned heavily on its younger arms this season, and every outing is a data point in the larger project of figuring out what this staff can be. He'll face a Rangers lineup with real pop, so command and sequencing will matter from the first inning. If Kay can work deep into the game and keep the Rangers' middle of the order — Jake Burger at first, Brandon Nimmo in right, Ezequiel Duran at third — from doing damage, the Sox offense will have a chance.

Rangers Probable Starter: Tyler Alexander

Texas counters with Tyler Alexander, a left-hander who relies on soft contact and deception rather than overpowering hitters. That profile could give the White Sox lineup some trouble, particularly if Alexander is locating well. Chicago's lineup will need to be disciplined and work counts early to get to the Rangers bullpen.

White Sox Lineup to Watch

• Sam Antonacci leads off in left field, tasked with setting the table at the top of the order.
• Munetaka Murakami bats second at first base — a notable name in the lineup with power potential against left-handed pitching.
• Miguel Vargas slots in at third and bats third, bringing versatility and bat-to-ball ability.
• Colson Montgomery hits cleanup at shortstop, a sign of the confidence the organization has placed in the young infielder.
• Braden Montgomery follows in the five-hole in right field, giving the Sox a second Montgomery in the lineup and a legitimate right-handed bat.
• Chase Meidroth bats sixth at second base, adding contact and on-base skills in the bottom half.
• Andrew Benintendi slides into the DH spot batting seventh — a veteran presence who can still hurt a pitcher who leaves something over the plate.
• Edgar Quero catches and bats eighth, with Tristan Peters rounding out the order in center field.

Keys to the Game

• Kay's command against a patient Rangers lineup: Texas can make a pitcher work, and if Kay falls behind in counts early, the Rangers will make him pay.
• Getting to Alexander: Left-handers who live off soft contact can be neutralized by disciplined at-bats. The Sox need to fight pitches and not chase early.
• Colson Montgomery in the cleanup spot: The young shortstop batting fourth is a moment. How he handles that responsibility against a crafty southpaw will be telling.
• Bullpen depth: If Kay doesn't go deep, Chicago's relief corps will need to hold the Rangers' lineup — particularly the dangerous Wyatt Langford and Jake Burger — in check.

Prediction

This is a competitive spot for the White Sox on the road against a Rangers club with a capable lineup. Anthony Kay will need to be sharp from the jump. The matchup is close enough that the game likely comes down to which bullpen holds later in the contest. The Sox have the offensive pieces to scratch out runs, and the Colson Montgomery-led middle of the order could be the difference. Lean White Sox in a tight one, 4-3, if Kay gives them five solid innings and the bullpen locks it down in Arlington.