White Sox make themselves at home for a while starting with A's (Jun 23, 2017)

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox will look to improve upon their winning record at home when they open a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

Chicago can settle in for a while at Guaranteed Rate Field after playing 15 of its last 19 games on the road. Friday's game marks the start of a season-long 10-game homestand for the White Sox (32-39), who are 15-12 at home but 17-27 on the road.

Meanwhile, Oakland (31-42) opens a six-game trip that includes a stop in Houston. Traveling has not been fun for the A's, who are 9-25 on the road compared with 22-17 at home.

Both teams are coming off series losses and could stand to benefit from a winning weekend.

The White Sox have dropped three of their past four games but are coming off a 9-0 win on Thursday over the Minnesota Twins. That marked Chicago's third shutout victory this season, but both of the team's previous shutout wins were followed by losses.

Oakland has lost four games in a row and will try to avoid its second five-game losing streak of the season. The A's have been outscored 29-15 during their four-game skid.

Right-hander Mike Pelfrey (3-5, 3.56 ERA) will make his 12th start of the season for the White Sox. The 33-year-old is coming off a win over Toronto in which he allowed one run in six innings.

Pelfrey is looking for his first career victory against Oakland. In four career appearances, all starts, he is 0-4 with a 7.97 ERA. He has surrendered 18 earned runs and 32 hits in 20 1/3 innings.

In his first season with the White Sox, Pelfrey has focused more on breaking pitches rather than trying to overpower hitters with fastballs. He credits his development to pitching coach Don Cooper.

"I'm a totally different guy," Pelfrey said to the Chicago Sun-Times. "I'm throwing more offspeed pitches than I ever have. ...

"'Coop' has been awesome, man. He's always ready to work. He;s the big one about both sides of the plate with the fastball. It's simple. Both sides. We've continued to expand on it."

The Athletics will counter with right-hander Jharel Cotton. The 25-year-old will make his 13th start of the season and 18th start of his career.

Cotton never has faced the White Sox. He is coming off a victory over the New York Yankees in which he posted his fourth quality start of the year. He allowed three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.

One player who will not join the Athletics for the road trip is catcher Stephen Vogt. On Thursday, the team designated the All-Star veteran for assignment in the latest sign of its long-term rebuild.

"I could see it coming," Vogt told the East Bay Times. "There was infrequent playing time in what would be good matchups for me.

"It's something I understand, although I don't like it. ... Oakland is a place we love. It's a place we watched our family grow. We had success here as a family and as a team."