Post by Grubs - Philly on Jul 13, 2019 13:49:21 GMT -5
New York Yankees (97-65) vs. Chicago White Sox (107-55)
Fresh from a walk-off Wild Card win, the Yankees come down to Earth in a hurry as they tangle with the PBA's best team by record on Chicago's South Side. The two teams split the season series, 3-3.
New York bats vs. Chicago arms
The talk will rightfully tilt toward the White Sox amazing offense this year, but the Yankees can mash. They hit a league-high 296 home runs, second only to Colorado across the PBA. Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier hit 45 homers a piece and the Yanks have power up and down the lineup. The pair teed off on White Sox pitching this year, hitting seven homers, knocking in 18 runs and batting an eye-popping .447 over six games. The Yanks did beat up on a division that's weak on the mound (save Tampa), but showed in the Wild Card that even when they get shut down, they can still win it with the long ball.
Chicago isn't the pitching juggernaut it was behind Carlos Martinez two years ago, but the team rolls out one of the league's best rotations. A rejuvenated Sonny Gray is lined up for game two with Joe Musgrove and Rob Whalen rounding out the four-man playoff plan. Despite all their starters being righties, the White Sox had the best ERA in baseball against left-handed batters. Ace Martinez has been murderous against them. Long relievers and lefties Matt Strahm and Andrew Suarez have oddly not been great against same-handed hitting, but specialist Brian Clark has been lights out. Raisel Iglesias is particularly effective against lefties, and despite having the least-intimidating name in baseball, Jimmie Sherfy is once again a formidable force closing out games. Gray, Musgrave and Whalen have been lights-out against the Yankees this year, but Martinez had one of his worst outings against them.
Chicago bats vs. New York arms
1,007 runs. Against one of the best pitching divisions in baseball. The White Sox are terrifying. Andrew Benintendi had another MVP-caliber year, driving in 149 runs and sporting an OPS above 1.000. Rafael Devers' power numbers are way down from 2020, but he still sent 30+ over the wall and his average is way up. Both have played well against the Yankees, as has right fielder Elijah Dilday, who doesn't have a nickname. The Sox run a lot, and Yoan Moncada almost swiped 50 bags this season while getting on base at a .366 clip, 99 points better than his batting average.
Overall, Chicago and the Yankees have very similar pitching numbers, but if the White Sox dominate lefties, the Yankees are clearly better against right-handed bats. While Moncada is a switch hitter, most of the rest of the team's on-base guys are righties. This could isolate the bottom half of the lineup and put pressure on Chicago's big bats. Both Masahiro Tanaka and Nate Eovaldi are out with UCL tears, and the Yankees' rotation has suffered from it. Of course, winning 97 games doesn't look a lot like suffering. As mentioned in the Wild Card preview, New York has only one lefty on their staff, closer Aroldis Chapman. Nick Rumbelow and Gio Gallegos have been solid, if unspectacular, getting the ball to Chapman.
Storylines
Will Chicago's top-flight starters be able to quell the Yankees' game-changing power?
Can the Yankees bullpen bail out a less-impressive rotation if it gets into trouble?
How will Gary Sanchez fare against Chicago's disruptive speed?
Prediction
Despite an even matchup, the White Sox are out for blood. They take it in 5.
Fresh from a walk-off Wild Card win, the Yankees come down to Earth in a hurry as they tangle with the PBA's best team by record on Chicago's South Side. The two teams split the season series, 3-3.
New York bats vs. Chicago arms
The talk will rightfully tilt toward the White Sox amazing offense this year, but the Yankees can mash. They hit a league-high 296 home runs, second only to Colorado across the PBA. Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier hit 45 homers a piece and the Yanks have power up and down the lineup. The pair teed off on White Sox pitching this year, hitting seven homers, knocking in 18 runs and batting an eye-popping .447 over six games. The Yanks did beat up on a division that's weak on the mound (save Tampa), but showed in the Wild Card that even when they get shut down, they can still win it with the long ball.
Chicago isn't the pitching juggernaut it was behind Carlos Martinez two years ago, but the team rolls out one of the league's best rotations. A rejuvenated Sonny Gray is lined up for game two with Joe Musgrove and Rob Whalen rounding out the four-man playoff plan. Despite all their starters being righties, the White Sox had the best ERA in baseball against left-handed batters. Ace Martinez has been murderous against them. Long relievers and lefties Matt Strahm and Andrew Suarez have oddly not been great against same-handed hitting, but specialist Brian Clark has been lights out. Raisel Iglesias is particularly effective against lefties, and despite having the least-intimidating name in baseball, Jimmie Sherfy is once again a formidable force closing out games. Gray, Musgrave and Whalen have been lights-out against the Yankees this year, but Martinez had one of his worst outings against them.
Chicago bats vs. New York arms
1,007 runs. Against one of the best pitching divisions in baseball. The White Sox are terrifying. Andrew Benintendi had another MVP-caliber year, driving in 149 runs and sporting an OPS above 1.000. Rafael Devers' power numbers are way down from 2020, but he still sent 30+ over the wall and his average is way up. Both have played well against the Yankees, as has right fielder Elijah Dilday, who doesn't have a nickname. The Sox run a lot, and Yoan Moncada almost swiped 50 bags this season while getting on base at a .366 clip, 99 points better than his batting average.
Overall, Chicago and the Yankees have very similar pitching numbers, but if the White Sox dominate lefties, the Yankees are clearly better against right-handed bats. While Moncada is a switch hitter, most of the rest of the team's on-base guys are righties. This could isolate the bottom half of the lineup and put pressure on Chicago's big bats. Both Masahiro Tanaka and Nate Eovaldi are out with UCL tears, and the Yankees' rotation has suffered from it. Of course, winning 97 games doesn't look a lot like suffering. As mentioned in the Wild Card preview, New York has only one lefty on their staff, closer Aroldis Chapman. Nick Rumbelow and Gio Gallegos have been solid, if unspectacular, getting the ball to Chapman.
Storylines
Will Chicago's top-flight starters be able to quell the Yankees' game-changing power?
Can the Yankees bullpen bail out a less-impressive rotation if it gets into trouble?
How will Gary Sanchez fare against Chicago's disruptive speed?
Prediction
Despite an even matchup, the White Sox are out for blood. They take it in 5.