Chicago White Sox face the Los Angeles Dodgers TONIGHT: WATCH FREE Major League Baseball: Live Streaming Online from Dodger Stadium at 10:10 PM ET
After watching Yasiel Puig take the baseball world by storm last year, fellow Cuban sensation Jose Abreu posted eye popping numbers of his own before getting hurt.
Fortunately for the White Sox, their slugging first baseman is ready to return.
Abreu will be activated from the disabled list before the White Sox open a three-game road set against Puig and the slumping Dodgers on Monday night.
It didn't take long for Abreu to make his presence felt in Chicago, belting 10 homers to go with 32 RBIs through the end of April to set big-league rookie records in both categories. Abreu was leading the majors with 15 long balls on May 17 before hitting the shelf with inflammation in his left ankle.
"I'm anxious to get started," he told MLB's official website through an interpreter. "There's really no limitations."
Abreu will be thrown into the fire against two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw (3-2, 3.57 ERA). The left-hander is 6-3 with a 2.67 ERA in 17 interleague starts, including a 0.75 ERA in his last three.
Now Abreu goes against Puig in the majors for the first time. Puig, batting .426 with nine extra-base hits over the last 13 games, ranks second in the majors with a .347 average. He's reached base in 33 straight, the longest active streak in the majors.
"He plays hard, he goes 100 percent every time," Abreu said. "That's part of the spectacle, that's what people come to see."
Fans also come to see Kershaw, who has split his last two outings but pitched well in both. He gave up three runs and struck out nine over seven innings in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Cincinnati.
The Dodgers (30-28) have dropped four of five after falling 5-3 to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Los Angeles is 6-12 against Chicago in the regular season.
The game will be live streaming tonight online at www.stream2watch.me/baseball