Series preview: White Sox at Rays

With 10 games remaining in the season, it's all about the Paul Konerko watch at this point.

Konerko is back in the lineup Friday night in the series opener at Tampa Bay after fracturing a bone in his left hand on Sept. 2, giving him six final road games to get in some swings in advance of his final four home games Sept. 25-28 against the Kansas City Royals.

Konerko said he would like to see some pitches in advance of that final home series to dial in his swing before playing in front of White Sox fans for the last time.

How many games he gets in advance of that final series likely will be determined by how his left hand reacts from Friday's game against the Rays. Just two weeks ago, Konerko couldn't even grip a bat, so there isn't a ton of expectation that he will be productive.

But with the White Sox long out of playoff contention, sending Konerko off into the sunset in style is about as good as it gets for the next week and a half. And that isn't a bad thing, considering that Konerko is the White Sox's all-time leader in total bases (4,008) and is second in home runs (432), RBIs (1,383) and extra-base hits (846).

The six-time All-Star has a White Sox record of 13 seasons with 20 or more home runs.

The White Sox plan to honor their team captain with Paul Konerko Night on Saturday, Sept. 27.

HEAD TO HEAD

The White Sox's Alexei Ramirez is 3-for-9 (.333) against Rays right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, while Moises Sierra is 3-for-7 (.429) with a home run. ... White Sox hitters Adam Eaton, Tyler Flowers and Ramirez all are 2-for-4 (.500) against Rays right-hander Chris Archer, while Jose Abreu is 2-for-3 (.667). ... Rays starter Nathan Karns has made four career starts (three with the Washington Nationals) and has never faced the White Sox. ... Rays hitters are a combined 4-for-17 (.235) against White Sox starter Jose Quintana with one RBI. ... The Rays' Matt Joyce is 4-for-7 (.571) against White Sox starter Hector Noesi, while David DeJesus is 4-for-5 (.800). ... The Rays' Yunel Escobar is 6-for-12 (.500) against White Sox starter John Danks, while Sean Rodriguez is 6-for-14 (.429).

NOTES

Abreu needs one home run to set a White Sox rookie record. He is tied for the mark at 35 with Ron Kittle. ... Quintana, who starts Friday night, is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 23 strikeouts over his last three starts, all quality. ... The White Sox are just 2-10 over their last 12 road games and have been outscored 59-35 in that stretch. ... If the White Sox can win four more times in the last 10 games they will avoid consecutive 90-plus loss seasons for the first time since 1988-89. ... White Sox starters have a 3.20 ERA over the last 13 games, with nine of those quality starts. ... The White Sox are tied for second in the American League with a .261 batting average since the all-star break. ... The White Sox and Rays haven't met since April, when the White Sox took three games in a four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field. ... Hellickson, who starts for the Rays on Friday, hasn't won at home since July of last year ... when he faced the White Sox.

PITCHING MATCHUPS

Friday: White Sox LH Jose Quintana (8-10, 3.30 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jeremy Hellickson (1-3, 3.63), 6:10 p.m. CST

Saturday: White Sox RH Hector Noesi (8-10, 4.77) vs. Rays RH Chris Archer (9-8., 3.54), 6:10 p.m. CST

Sunday: White Sox LH John Danks (9-11, 4.88) vs. Rays RH Nathan Karns (1-0, 0.00), 12:40 p.m. CST