SERIES PREVIEW » A’S AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Friday: RHP Kendall Graveman (8-8, 4.37) vs. RHP James Shields (5-14, 5.78) CSNCA 5:10 p.m.

Saturday: LHP Ross Detwiler (1-1, 4.15) vs. LHP Chris Sale (14-6, 3.30) CSNCA 4:10 p.m.

Sunday: TBA vs. LHP Jose Quintana (9-9, 2.85) CSNCA 11:10 a.m.

A’s update: The A’s come into this series at a season-worst 17 games under .500 (52-69) and a season-high 19 ⁄ games out of first place in the American League West. Oakland has lost five in a row and 14 of its last 19 games, due in large part to an offense that has scored three or fewer runs in 12 of the 19 games. The A’s are the only team in the A.L. to have a run differential in triple digits. They’ve been outscored by 104 runs. Starting pitchers have begun to get a little deeper into games, going at least six innings in eight of the 19 games, but the pitching has major issues, too. The 586 runs allowed by the A’s is second to the Twins’ 636. Oakland has used Thursday’s day off to move up lefty Ross Detwiler a day; he will now start Saturday’s game. Sunday’s starter is expected to be Jesse Hahn, who will be coming off the disabled list. That move would push Zach Neal out of the rotation and into the bullpen.

White Sox update: The White Sox were leading the A.L. Central by as many as six games in mid-May, but now Chicago is struggling for relevance in the Central. After starting the season 23-10 on May 9, the Sox are 34-53 to fall into fourth place in the division. Shields was 2-7 with a 4.28 ERA when the Padres traded him to the White Sox in the first week of June. Since joining the Sox he’s 5-8 with a 7.34, although he’s 6-4, 3.82 career against Oakland. Sale seemed to be the odds-on favorite for the Cy Young Award when he started the season 14-2 with a 2.92 ERA. He’s hit the skids since, however, going 0-4 in his last six starts with a 4.43 ERA. Quintana, in the hunt for the A.L. ERA title, has lost his last two starts in his bid to get to double digits for the first time in his career. Former A’s third baseman Brett Lawrie could come off the D.L. to face Oakland this weekend.