The New York Yankees will face the Chicago White Sox on Monday night, seeking to narrow the gap in the American League East standings. The series opener features a pitching matchup between the Yankees' Max Fried and the White Sox's Noah Schultz.
Despite the presence of Fried, Gerrit Cole, and Cam Schlittler on the mound during the four-game set, the Yankees' offensive capabilities are diminished due to injuries. Key players like Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton are currently sidelined. Their absence leaves a lineup that, at full strength, is considered formidable, with temporary fill-ins such as Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm, Jasson Dominguez, and Paul Goldschmidt.
The White Sox, meanwhile, are positioned to surpass their preseason win total of 63.5 games, currently sitting nine victories shy of that mark. They hold a 2.5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central.
Chicago's starting pitcher, Noah Schultz, a 22-year-old, has struggled this season. Through 12 starts, Schultz's record is 3-7 with a 6.04 earned run average, a 5.28 expected fielding independent pitching (xFIP), and a 1.46 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP). His performance against opposing batters places him in the 11th percentile league-wide, according to Baseball Savant, with an expected batting average against of .273.
Despite the Yankees' offensive injuries, the pitching matchup is seen as a significant advantage for New York. Fried, in his second start since May, showed a return to form in his last outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and is expected to contain a White Sox lineup described as average against left-handed pitching. The Yankees are considered road favorites at -136.