White Sox, baseball’s biggest surprise, take on Yankees in a battle of strong arms

There are some games that I think about more than others when I lose. I took a big L on the Spain vs. Cape Verde game yesterday. They didn’t technically lose, but bettors like myself certainly did. They tied despite being -1200 favorites and they didn’t even score. I’m going to play a game that will actually have a winner today and no ties. 

The Chicago White Sox are the biggest surprise of the season. We are almost 50% of the way into the season, and the team is over .500. This was a club that most expected to be among the worst in the league. They made only one major free agent signing in the offseason, and while he has been a masher, the rest of the team has also stepped up. Their numbers on offense actually line up very closely with the New York Yankees, who have significantly more well-known and established players. 

Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y., on May 19, 2024. (New York Yankees/Getty Images)

They also have gotten great starts from today’s hurler, Davis Martin. For the year, Martin is 9-2 with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He is doing a great job and likely will be considered for a Cy Young Award if he can keep this up. Martin is also probably going to be the guy most teams call the White Sox about if there is any chance to steal him away at the trade deadline. Yankees’ hitters have done well against Martin in the past, going 12-for-32. 

The Yankees are one of the better teams in baseball, but you have to be watching with extra caution at the moment. Aaron Judge, the annual MVP candidate, is injured and typically that has spelled doom for the Yankees. For the season, they are 43-27 with a 19-12 home record. The Yankees have gone 7-4 since Judge went down with injury, so they’ve at least maintained to this point. 

Chicago White Sox’s Braden Montgomery watches his walk-off two-run home run in the 10th inning to defeat the Atlanta Braves in Chicago on June 9, 2026. (Paul Beaty/AP)

It helps to have guys like Gerrit Cole available to take the ball for them every five games. Cole came back to the team after injury around the time Judge went down, and he has delivered his typical great performances. In his first two games, he went 12.2 innings, allowed six hits and no earned runs.

In his past two games, he has gone just 9.1 innings and allowed six earned runs. If he is anything like normal, he will be closer to his first two games than the past two. The White Sox only have two guys who have faced Cole, but they have a lot of experience, going 7-for-42 against him. 

This should be a good game overall. You have two strong arms battling each other. Cole hasn’t looked great in his past two starts, but that’s not a major concern, because he has been so good throughout his career. Martin does have a couple of blips on the game log recently as well.

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Pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning of a spring training game at Sloan Park on March 24, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

I’m not into the total for this game. I think we could see it go over the 7.5 if either one of these starters struggles. I also think we could see a ton of zeroes given how good both of them can be. In a game like this, I’ll take the White Sox through five. This is mostly about me believing there is good value on Chicago considering who they have on the mound and Cole’s current form.