Since the trade deadline, the New York Mets (58-70) have the best record in baseball. They’ve gone 11-4 across that span, sweeping the Cleveland Guardians and the Washington Nationals over that stretch. It’s been evident that they are playing more free, and as a result, their confidence is growing with every win.

That will be put to the test against the Chicago White Sox (66-61), a team that has drawn a ton of attention this season. They currently hold a 3 1/2-game lead at the top of the American League Central, largely due to their lineup. It’ll be a very good test for the Mets’ pitching staff. Let’s take a look at some notes ahead of the three pitching matchups this weekend.

Christian Scott by Berto Carlo

PITCHING MATCHUPS

  • Friday: Sean Manaea (4-5, 4.22 ERA) vs. Sean Burke (7-6, 3.15 ERA): Manaea has impressed since returning to the rotation, especially in recent weeks. Over his last five starts, he has pitched to a 2.87 ERA across 31 1/3 innings. Manaea also has five straight outings with at least six innings pitched, length he hadn’t previously been able to consistently provide since 2024. He is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in four career outings (three starts) against the White Sox. Burke has developed into the ace of Chicago’s staff, building off a promising 2025 campaign. He is in fantastic form, pitching to a 2.14 ERA over his last 59 innings. Burke has been more vulnerable to the home run ball as the season has progressed, allowing 11 of his 16 since the start of June.
  • Saturday: Christian Scott (4-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. Luis Castillo (4-9, 4.99 ERA): Scott is coming off a noteworthy performance against the Nationals last weekend. For the first time since his big league debut in 2024, he recorded an out in the seventh inning. Scott allowed three runs on five hits, while also striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings. Scott has been great since returning to the majors, but the next step is to provide length more regularly. He has thrown six innings or more in two of his 18 starts this season. After being a dependable piece of the Mariners’ rotation for the last handful of years, Seattle dealt Castillo to the White Sox at the deadline. It has been a mixed bag for the right-hander so far, pitching to a 4.60 ERA in three starts with Chicago. Castillo is 2-1 with a 4.98 ERA in six career starts against the Mets.
  • Sunday: Nolan McLean (9-8, 3.34 ERA) vs. TBD: McLean is back to the level he showcased as a rookie last year. Since June 30, he is 5-3 with a 2.19 ERA across 53 1/3 innings. His uptick in length has been reliable as well, turning in eight quality starts over his last nine outings. Home runs have also been an issue for McLean, giving up at least one in four of his last five appearances. The White Sox have yet to name a starter for Sunday’s game. Erick Fedde would be on normal rest if they decide to go in that direction, as he last pitched on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. If Fedde is their choice, it will likely be in long relief. He has not been used as a starter since July 31 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

WHAT’S THE STORY?

For the first time since being traded this past offseason, Luis Robert Jr. is making his return to the south side of Chicago. Despite the concerns coming in, there was optimism that a change of scenery could unlock more of his talent. Unfortunately, injuries have been the story of his Robert’s season. He missed a few months with a severe lumbar spine disc herniation in his back, before returning in July. While he has had an underwhelming season, Robert is hitting .267 with a .752 OPS in the month of August. Let’s see if he can play spoiler this weekend.

PREDICTION

Among the teams in the AL Central, only the Kansas City Royals are worse against teams below .500 than the White Sox. If they were better in that area, they would have a much bigger lead in the division. They are 19-30 against those teams and it could get worse, given how the Mets have played in recent weeks. I think the White Sox take two of three, but all three games will be close.