Two first-place teams, two notable absences, and a starting-pitcher matchup of left-handers headline Wednesday night in the Bronx, where the New York Yankees host the Chicago White Sox. New York’s Carlos Rodón takes the ball against Chicago’s Anthony Kay in the middle game of the series.
How To Watch
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, N.Y.
TV: YES Network (New York) · CHSN (Chicago)
Radio: WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM (New York)
Pitching matchup: Chicago’s Anthony Kay (6–1, 4.34) vs. New York’s Carlos Rodón (2–2, 3.19)
Prediction
The Yankees are heavy home favorites at -186 on the moneyline, with the total set at 8.5 runs. The case for New York is straightforward: this lineup punishes left-handed pitching better than any team in baseball — an MLB-best .792 OPS against lefties — and Kay, for all his 4.34 ERA, has been one of the season’s more fortunate arms (his expected ERA sits closer to the mid-5.00s). Rodón, meanwhile, has settled into a groove since returning from injury, with a 3.19 ERA over six starts and no outing worse than three earned runs. His one wart is walks, so the White Sox path is patience. But on paper this is a tough spot for a fly-ball lefty in a hitter’s park. The pick: Yankees, with the run line (-1.5) the sharper play if you want value over the steep moneyline.
Chicago White Sox’s Anthony Kay throws during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Chicago.
Chicago White Sox starter Anthony Kay delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball against the Detroit Tigers in Chicago, Saturday, May 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón (55) throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón (55)throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Two Lineups, Two Big Bats Missing
What makes this matchup more even than the records suggest is that both clubs are without their most dangerous hitter. The Yankees are navigating an extended absence from captain Aaron Judge, who is sidelined roughly six weeks with a stress fracture in his right rib and isn’t expected back before mid-July. Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger have carried the load in his place, but there’s no replacing a reigning MVP in the middle of the order. Chicago, for its part, is missing rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami, out with a Grade 2 hamstring strain since late May, though he’s running again and trending toward a return. Two contenders, both shorthanded — which is exactly why a “lesser” pitching matchup can still tilt the night.
The Battery to Watch
Chicago White Sox catcher Edgar Quero greets pitcher Anthony Kay, left, after the third inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Kevin Ng)
Catching Kay tonight, and hitting sixth, is Edgar Quero — the 23-year-old Cuban-born switch-hitter who profiles as Chicago’s catcher of the future. Quero has scuffled at the plate of late, but the White Sox rebuild runs through young, internationally sourced talent like him, and how he handles a veteran lefty against the sport’s best lefty-mashing lineup is a quiet subplot worth tracking.
A Note on the Visitors
One last bit of color the Bronx faithful may appreciate, or not: the team in the visiting dugout is the favorite club of Pope Leo XIV, the Chicago-born pontiff and lifelong South Sider who was famously caught on camera at the 2005 World Series. The White Sox don’t have much going for them in the standings this year, but they may have the most powerful fan in the world. (We wrote about that improbable story here.)
All times Eastern.
Odds via DraftKings, accurate as of Wednesday and subject to change. Gambling content intended for those 21 and older. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
