Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox

Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox (2026-08-05). Sean Burke vs Sonny Gray at Fenway Park.

Starters — Sean Burke enters with a 3.04 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 124.1 innings, backed by a strong 10.13 K/9, 2.68 BB/9, and 0.94 HR/9. His last three starts have been excellent: 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 10 K, 2 BB; 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 10 K, 1 BB; and 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 K, 1 BB. The trend is up, with dominant recent strikeout work and just 2 earned runs allowed across those three outings. Sonny Gray has a 2.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 113.2 innings, with 7.76 K/9, 2.38 BB/9, and 0.95 HR/9. His last three starts were more mixed: 7.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 K, 2 BB; 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 3 K, 0 BB; and 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 K, 4 BB. The listed trend is up, but his recent game log shows less consistency than Burke’s.

Teams — Chicago owns a .722 OPS and 533 runs scored, compared with Boston’s .717 OPS and 488 runs. The White Sox have been slightly more productive overall at the plate, though their team batting average sits at .238 versus Boston’s .246. On the mound, Boston has the stronger full-team profile with a 3.52 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, while Chicago sits at a 4.08 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. Recent form also favors Boston, which is 8-2 over its last 10 games, while Chicago is 5-5. That combination of better recent results and stronger season-long run prevention gives Boston a steadier team backdrop, while Chicago brings the more productive offense by OPS and total runs.