The Chicago White Sox wrap up another home date at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday, September 26, when they welcome the Colorado Rockies for a 7:10 PM ET first pitch. Davis Martin gets the ball for the South Siders, squaring off against a familiar face in left-hander Jose Quintana. With the regular season winding down, every game carries weight for a roster full of young players looking to finish 2026 on a strong note. Catch the action on Chicago Sports Network or ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM.
Pitching Matchup: Davis Martin vs. Jose Quintana
Davis Martin draws the start for Chicago. The right-hander has worked to carve out a role in the White Sox rotation and Saturday represents another opportunity to put together a quality outing in front of the home crowd. Martin's ability to command the strike zone and keep the ball on the ground will be tested by a Colorado lineup that can be streaky but dangerous when it gets momentum.
On the other side, Jose Quintana makes the trip to his former stomping grounds. Quintana spent years in the American League Central and knows the South Side well. The veteran southpaw relies on pitch sequencing and changing speeds rather than overpowering hitters. Chicago's lineup will need to be patient and work counts to get into the Colorado bullpen early.
Keys to Watch for the White Sox
- Martin's pitch efficiency: If Martin can work deep into the game by limiting walks and forcing weak contact, he takes pressure off a bullpen that has been leaned on heavily this season.
- Plate discipline against Quintana: Quintana succeeds when hitters chase. The White Sox need to lay off borderline pitches and make him throw strikes deep into at-bats.
- Capitalizing at home: Guaranteed Rate Field deserves a winning Saturday. The Sox need to take advantage of a divisional opponent in the National League and treat this as a winnable game.
- Baserunning and small ball: Against a crafty veteran, manufactured runs — stolen bases, hit-and-run, sac flies — could prove to be the difference if the power game goes quiet.
Prediction
This one comes down to which pitcher controls tempo. Quintana is an experienced arm who can frustrate a lineup looking for strikeout power, but Martin has the tools to match him inning for inning if his command is on. The late-September atmosphere at Guaranteed Rate Field gives Chicago a modest edge. Look for a low-scoring, competitive game that the White Sox pull out in the middle innings by stringing together a few hits and keeping Quintana's pitch count climbing. White Sox 4, Rockies 2.
