Chicago has won both games in this series, but the way the teams have used their pitchers matters more to me than the final scores. The White Sox have relied on a chain of short outings, and Cleveland is bringing a rested version of that approach to Rate Field. The middle innings are where I expect this game to turn. Cleveland's pitching plan gives it a real chance to change the pattern of the first two games.
Daniel Espino is set to open for Cleveland, with Sean Newcomb opening for Chicago. Joey Cantillo worked 15 scoreless innings across three September appearances behind Espino. Chicago has leaned on its relief corps: Newcomb worked two innings in Game 2, while Grant Taylor recorded a 12-out save in Game 1 and a four-out save in Game 2.
Cleveland managed only three runs across those two games, yet both finishes were close. The clubs split their regular-season meetings almost evenly, and Cleveland's offense was much stronger over the final months than its first two games of this series suggest. I see the rested pitching options and the inning-by-inning matchup as the deciding details.
