With the Trade Deadline fast approaching and a final sprint looming when it passes next Monday, the Yankees are back to playing winning baseball, coming out victorious in 11 of their last 15 games after a 4-14 death spiral shook them to their foundation. While most of the American League struggles to figure out what they want to be, the Bombers are persevering through injuries to stay afloat, taking the first two games against a first-place White Sox team with an opportunity to take the series tonight.
Cam Schlittler will get the start, looking to further bolster his Cy Young candidacy. The exhilarating 25-year-old leads the Junior Circuit with a 2.07 ERA (202 ERA+) and is third with a 2.59 FIP in 130.1 innings. His combination of volume and production has him ahead of Toronto’s Dylan Cease in the current AL Cy Young odds, and he’ll look to follow up his 7.1 brilliant innings against the Phillies last Friday. In his one prior career game against the White Sox in late August 2025, he allowed one run in six strong innings.
On the other side, Davis Martin is looking for redemption after getting absolutely pummeled by a weakened Yankees offense in the Bronx last month. The fourth-year righty is having a strong season, pitching to a 3.49 ERA (123 ERA+) and 3.07 FIP in 111 innings, but gave up a season-high nine runs in 3.1 innings to the Yanks on June 16th, allowing three of the six home runs he’s allowed all season through 20 starts.
Martin’s peripherals tell the story of a season that should be much worse, as he allows too much hard contact with middling whiff, strikeout, and ground ball rates. He’s great at getting batters to expand the zone and doesn’t walk a lot of batters. He’s overhauled his arsenal since last season, throwing less four-seamers and changeups at the expense of his sinker and cutter. His slider to righties and his curveball to lefties are his money pitches, where he gets a majority of his swings and misses.
The Yankees will be happy to finally see a righty in a six-week stretch where they’ve seen more LHP than anyone in the sport. Trent Grisham will lead off, followed by Ben Rice and Jasson Domínguez. Paul Goldschmidt, who homered off Martin in June, will clean up, followed by Spencer Jones and Jazz Chisholm Jr. Ryan McMahon draws his first start of the series, while José Caballero takes over at shortstop with Austin Wells batting ninth behind the plate.
Sam Antonacci leads off for the ChiSox, followed by a dangerous trio of Munetaka Murakami, Miguel Vargas, and Yankee killer Colson Montgomery. Andrew Benintendi and Braden Montgomery follow, with Tristan Peters, Chase Meidroth, and Drew Romo rounding out the lineup for the current AL Central leaders.
How to watch
Location: Rate Field — Chicago, IL
First pitch: 7:40 pm ET
TV broadcast: Chicago Sports Network, WCIU TV, MLB Network (out-of-market only)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM, 107.9 La Ley (CHW)
Online stream: Amazon Prime Video, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
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