One of the few intriguing storylines left in the White Sox season is Chris Sale's final strikeout total.
At 250 with three weeks to go, the left-hander is within reach of Ed Walsh's club record of 269, set in 1908. He has an outside shot at 300 strikeouts if he makes four more starts.
But Sale's rough outing against the Twins on Sunday, in which he allowed six earned runs in three innings, brought into question whether the team would shut down the ace early to preserve his valuable arm.
Manager Robin Ventura said before Monday's game against the A's that while the Sox are not focusing on Sale's strikeout numbers, they will let him pitch as long as he feels healthy.