Sunday, August 23, 2026 • 2:10 PM
Rate Field • Chicago, IL
RHP Nolan McLean (9-8, 3.34) vs. LHP Sean Newcomb (1-3, 2.44)
SNY

The New York Mets look to take the series from the first-place Chicago White Sox Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The White Sox won the series opener Friday night on a walk-off home run, slowly erasing a 4-0 Mets lead throughout the night. The Mets roared back on Saturday recording 1- runs on 16 hits including five home runs. Now Nolan McLean looks to lock down the series win.

Mets Lineup

  1. Francisco Lindor – SS
  2. Bo Bichette – 3B
  3. Carson Benge – RF
  4. Luis Robert Jr. – LF
  5. Eric Wagaman – 1B
  6. Christopher Morel – DH
  7. Marcus Semien – 2B
  8. A.J. Ewing – CF
  9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

Nolan McLean has made 25 starts totaling 142 2/3 innings this season with a 3.34 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 1.157 WHIP, and a 122 ERA+. He’s also leading the league with 14 hit-by-pitches. In his last two starts he has pitched 12 innings allowing two runs on seven hits and six walks while striking out six batters. In his last nine starts he has a 2.19 ERA (3.49 FIP) striking out 56 batters in 53 1/3 innings.

The only hitter on the White Sox to officially face Nolan McLean is Jake Rogers (0-for-2, BB, K).

Nolan McLean by Berto Carlo

White Sox Lineup

  1. Sam Antonacci – LF
  2. Munetaka Murakami – 1B
  3. Miguel Vargas – 3B
  4. Andrew Benintendi – DH
  5. Braden Montgomery – RF
  6. Colson Montgomery – SS
  7. Chase Meidroth – 2B
  8. Tristan Peters – CF
  9. Jake Rogers – C

Starting Pitcher: Sean Newcomb

Sean Newcomb will open this afternoon’s game for the White Sox. Over 47 games this season he has pitched 70 innings with a 2.44 ERA, 3.04 FIP, 1.100 WHIP and a 172 ERA+. He has pitched as an opener three times this season, including twice in his last three games, allowing no runs over 6 1/3 innings. In his last eight games he has pitched 12 1/3 innings allowing two unearned runs and nothing else. Newcomb can probably pitch between two and three innings depending on how well the Mets hitters do against him. The Mets have the following career stats on Newcomb:

  • Brett Baty 0-1
  • Bo Bichette 2-7, K
  • Francisco Lindor 1-1, HR, BB
  • Christopher Morel 2-3
  • Luis Robert Jr. 1-3, K
  • Marcus Semien 2-8, 2 HR, 2 K
  • Luis Torrens 0-2, BB

Game Notes

In his return to Chicago, Luis Robert Jr. homered twice last night. In his last 13 games, Robert is 14-for-44 (.318 batting average) with five homers and 10 RBIs.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Erick Fedde. Fedde is in line for the bulk work Sunday afternoon behind Newcomb. This season Fedde has pitched in 27 games, including 12 starts, totaling 114 1/3 innings with a 4.33 ERA, 5.33 FIP, 1.399 WHIP, and a 97 ERA+. Home runs has been a problem for Fedde this season. Hitters are hitting 1.7 HR/9, the highest rate since 2020 (career is 1.4). He’s coming off of a great relief outing where he held the Cubs scoreless for 4 2/3 innings scattering three hits and two walks. Bo Bichette has gone 6-for-11 with four doubles and two strikeouts against Fedde.
  2. Luis Robert Jr. All it took for Robert Jr. to heat up was to face his old club. In two games against the White Sox he has gone 3-for-8 with a double and two home runs. How now has three home runs in his last four games played and his best SLG% (.404) since 2023.
  3. Luis Torrens. Torrens has been on another level for the last few weeks. He came off of the bench last night and smacked his third home run in four games played. Since the trade deadline, Torrens has played in 10 games going 11-for-25 at the plate with six home runs, slashing .440/.517/1.160. The Mets are 7-3 in the last 10 games that Torrens has had a plate appearance.