Opposite dugout: Free-spending White Sox dodge rotation issues with appeals

Manager: Robin Ventura (4th season)

Record: 8-9

Last 10 games: 5-5

Who to watch: 1B Jose Abreu (.313/.370/.642 with 5 HR, 14 RBIs, DH Adam LaRoche (.210, 3HR, 9 RBIs), LHP Chris Sale (2-0, 2.37 ERA, 16 Ks), LHP Jeff Samardzija (1-1, 3.33 ERA, 17 Ks), RHP David Robertson (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 saves)

Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (1-5 in 2014)

Pitching probables:

April 27: RHP Hector Noesi vs. RHP Ubaldo Jimenez , 7:05 p.m., MASN2
April 25: LHP Jeff Samardzija vs. RHP Chris Tillman, 7:05 p.m., MASN2
April 26: LHP Chris Sale vs. RHP Miguel Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m. MASN2

Inside the White Sox:

For a while, it looked as if the White Sox were going to be in a bind for their first meeting against the Orioles in 2015. The top two pitchers in their rotation, left-handers Jeff Samardzija and Chris Sale, were both handed five-game suspensions by Major League Baseball on Saturday for their parts in an ugly brawl with the Royals on Thursday night. With Samardzija slated to start the Monday series opener and Sale scheduled to follow him the next night, the White Sox were in danger of being without two starters and having to retool their rotation to accommodate the discipline. TBA, anyone?

Well, both Samardzija and Sale will appeal their bans, meaning the suspensions will be held in abeyance until appeal hearings can take place. That means both are in, though weather has forced the White Sox to jockey their regular rotation and start right-hander Hector Noesi on Monday night. He'll be followed by Samardzija and Sale, rather than have lefty Jose Quintana, a third southpaw, face the Orioles.

Noesi has made two starts this year, was the loser in both, and has yet to crack the six-inning plateau (though he did only fall one out short in his last start on April 21 against Cleveland). He's been hittable in his career - to the tune of a .277 batting average for opposing hitters - and will appear in his 100th career game. The Orioles have had their way with Noesi, who is 1-5 with a 5.34 ERA and 1.640 WHIP in nine games (including four starts) against them. In three career games at Camden Yards, Noesi is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA, but he's still yielded 13 hits and four walks in 12 innings.

Samardzija, acquired by the White Sox in a December trade with the A's, has been pretty reliable and durable in his first season on the South Side. He's started four games, gone at least six innings in each and is coming off perhaps his best performance of the year, six shutout frames versus the Indians on April 22. History says Samardzija starts slowly - a 6-10 record but a decent 3.46 ERA in March/April. Current Orioles are hitting a combined .196 against him, with Manny Machado hitting the only homer.

Sale, who missed the beginning of the season while recuperating from a broken right foot, is a favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award in 2015. So far, he's 2-0 in there starts, and his seven-inning outing against the Royals on April 23 marked the third time he's logged at least six innings. He's struggled against the Orioles, going 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in nine games (including three starts) lifetime and 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in four games (one start) at Camden Yards.

Regardless of who is on the hill for the White Sox, some offseason maneuvering has provided some length to the lineup and increased the offensive potential. The key additions were left fielder Melky Cabrera (three years, $42 million) and first baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche (two years, $25 million) on free agent deals. With speedy center fielder Adam Eaton and Cabrera (a lifetime .281 hitter at Camden Yards) atop the lineup, there have been plenty of run producing opportunities for first baseman Jose Abreu (the reigning AL Rookie of the Year who has the team leads with five homers and 14 RBIs), right fielder Avisail Garcia, shortstop Alexei Ramirez and LaRoche.

So far, Ramirez and LaRoche have been flirting with the Mendoza line; Ramirez is usually a slow starter who heats up with the weather, and LaRoche can be excused since he's spent most of his career in the National League, though he has homered three times). The White Sox haven't been generating much offense: They are 26th in the majors in runs scored (60), 24th in home runs (12) and 26th in total bases (207).

The Sox also bolstered their bullpen in the offseason with a pair of free agent signings, inking former Yankees closer David Robertson to a four-year, $46 million deal and lefty setup man Zach Duke to a three-year, $15 million pact. With Samardzija and Sale appealing their suspensions, manager Robin Ventura won't be tempted to give rookie Carlos Rodon, their first-round pick in last June's draft, a spot start. He's been called up to serve an apprenticeship in the bullpen, but could be in the rotation by the time the Orioles head to U.S. Cellular Field in early July.

Since 2010, the White Sox are 13-23 against the Orioles. The White Sox had a three-game winning streak two weekends ago and have not been able to put together a sustained run of success since. In fact, the next time they win two straight games will be the first time since that three-game binge from April 11-14.