White Sox at Yankees
As the New York Yankees slowly get players back off the injured list, the outlook for the season begins to look a whole lot better. Sparked by the momentum generated from one returnee, the Yankees will try to make it back-to-back wins when they host the Chicago White Sox on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Veteran left-hander CC Sabathia (chest, knee) made his season debut on Saturday and allowed one hit without walking a batter in five scoreless innings to lead a New York pitching performance that featured nine strikeouts, no walks and just the lone hit. The 4-0 victory ended a four-game slide for the Yankees, who are still missing key players like right-hander Luis Severino (shoulder), third baseman Miguel Andujar (shoulder), catcher Gary Sanchez (calf), outfielder Giancarlo Stanton (biceps), shortstops Troy Tulowitzki (calf) and Didi Gregorius (elbow) and right-hander Dellin Betances (shoulder). The White Sox, who earned a 9-6 victory in Friday's rain-shortened series opener, are losers of six of their last seven contests and scored two or fewer runs four times in that span. Chicago will try to scratch out some hits on Sunday against New York right-hander Masahiro Tanaka in support of lefty Carlos Rodon.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Chicago, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Carlos Rodon (1-2, 3.38 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 1.47)
Rodon allowed a total of two earned runs in 11 1/3 innings over his first two starts at Kansas City and Cleveland but was not quite as sharp last time out. The North Carolina State product was reached for four runs on eight hits and five walks across 4 2/3 innings to suffer a loss against Tampa Bay on Monday. Rodon breezed through seven innings while giving up two hits to earn a win in his lone start against New York last season.
Tanaka allowed one earned run in each of his first three starts but could not get enough support from the offense or the bullpen to come away with the win in either of the last two turns. The Japan native held the Houston Astros to one run and three hits over six innings on Monday and left with a 3-1 lead before Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino combined to allow three runs over the next two frames. Tanaka was knocked around for four runs and 10 hits in seven innings to suffer a loss in his lone start against the White Sox last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees RF Aaron Judge belted his fourth homer on Saturday - a solo shot to right.
2. Chicago 1B Jose Abreu is 1-for-19 over his last five games.
3. Betances received a cortisone injection in his shoulder on Saturday, targeting a bone spur.