The Chicago White Sox welcome the New York Yankees to Guaranteed Rate Field on Monday, July 27 for a 7:40 PM ET first pitch in what shapes up as one of the more compelling pitching matchups the South Siders have hosted this season. Left-hander Noah Schultz gets the ball for Chicago against Max Fried, the veteran southpaw the Yankees acquired to anchor their rotation. The game airs locally on Chicago Sports Network and on radio via ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM.

Pitching Matchup: Noah Schultz vs. Max Fried

Schultz is the story on the Chicago side. The young left-hander represents exactly the kind of homegrown arm the White Sox rebuild has been banking on, and starts against a lineup as dangerous as New York's are the ones that define where a pitcher actually stands. This is a measuring-stick moment for Schultz, plain and simple. His command and ability to generate weak contact early in counts will determine how deep he can go.

Fried is a different kind of challenge for the Sox lineup. The left-hander has shown throughout his career that he commands both sides of the plate and keeps hitters off-balance with pitch sequencing. Chicago's lineup will need to work counts, take pitches, and find a way to get into the Yankees bullpen if Fried is dealing.

Chicago White Sox Starting Lineup

• 1. Randal Grichuk, LF
• 2. Munetaka Murakami, 1B
• 3. Miguel Vargas, 3B
• 4. Colson Montgomery, DH
• 5. Chase Meidroth, 2B
• 6. Braden Montgomery, RF
• 7. Everson Pereira, CF
• 8. Edgar Quero, C
• 9. Luisangel Acuña, SS

Keys to Watch for the White Sox

Murakami and Vargas Setting the Table

Batting second and third respectively, Munetaka Murakami and Miguel Vargas are the engine of this lineup. Murakami's power potential makes him a genuine threat even against a polished left-hander like Fried. Vargas hitting third puts pressure on the Yankees to pitch carefully to Murakami, knowing what's behind him. If those two get on base consistently, Colson Montgomery gets a chance to do real damage from the cleanup spot.

Colson Montgomery as the Lineup's Anchor

Montgomery hitting fourth as the designated hitter is the spot that matters most. The young infielder has the bat speed to punish mistakes, and Fried will eventually leave something over the middle. Whether Montgomery can capitalize in a big spot will go a long way toward deciding this game.

Schultz Limiting Traffic Early

The Yankees are going to put the ball in play and make Schultz work. If he falls behind hitters early and starts nibbling, New York will grind through his pitch count and get him out of the game before the sixth inning. Schultz needs to attack the zone from the first batter and trust his stuff.

Prediction

This is a tough draw. Fried is an experienced postseason-caliber arm, and the Yankees lineup doesn't give away at-bats. But Guaranteed Rate Field is home, the White Sox lineup has enough pieces to make noise, and Schultz has shown flashes of being the real deal. Expect a tight, low-scoring game. If the Sox can scratch across two or three runs and Schultz gives them five quality innings, Chicago has a path. Call it Yankees 4, White Sox 2 — but don't be surprised if this one goes down to the wire.