The Chicago White Sox head to St. Louis for a Saturday night interleague matchup against the Cardinals, with first pitch at Busch Stadium set for 7:15 PM ET. Sean Newcomb gets the ball for Chicago opposite Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy in what shapes up as a late-season test for a Sox lineup that features a mix of veterans and developing talent. With the regular season winding down, every game in September carries weight for a team still establishing its identity. Catch the action on Chicago Sports Network or ESPN Chicago WMVP 1000 AM.

Pitching Matchup: Sean Newcomb vs. Kyle Leahy

Newcomb draws the start for the White Sox in what is a significant regular-season assignment down the stretch. The left-hander will need to keep St. Louis's lineup off balance early — Busch Stadium crowds can energize a Cardinals offense quickly, and Newcomb will have to establish his command from the first inning. Kyle Leahy gets the nod for St. Louis, and the Sox will be looking to get into the Cardinals bullpen as early and often as possible.

Chicago White Sox Starting Lineup

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

Keys to Watch for the White Sox

Murakami in the Heart of the Order

Munetaka Murakami slots in at cleanup and represents the biggest power threat in this Sox lineup. If St. Louis pitching nibbles around him, Chicago needs the hitters surrounding him — Vargas at three and Benintendi at five — to make Leahy pay. Getting production from that middle trio is the offensive equation for tonight.

Teel and the Catching Spot

Kyle Teel hitting second is an interesting wrinkle. The young catcher batting high in the order signals the Sox want his bat in premium run-scoring situations. How he handles Leahy's arsenal early will set a tone for the lineup behind him.

Colson Montgomery's Development

Hitting eighth, Colson Montgomery continues to accumulate regular-season at-bats at shortstop. Every September plate appearance is part of a larger developmental picture for one of the organization's key pieces. Watch how he handles St. Louis pitching in this environment.

Newcomb's Command Early

The Cardinals lineup — with Alec Burleson, Nolan Gorman, and Masyn Winn capable of doing damage — will test Newcomb immediately. Keeping the ball down, limiting walks, and getting ahead in counts are the standard requirements. A clean first two innings would go a long way toward a White Sox win.

Prediction

This is a competitive interleague matchup with two pitchers whose current-season numbers aren't available to lean on heavily. What we know is the Sox lineup has genuine threats — Murakami, Benintendi, and Vargas give them legitimate run-scoring capability. If Newcomb can keep St. Louis in check through five innings and the Sox bullpen holds, Chicago has a real shot to steal this one on the road. Call it a 4-3 White Sox win in a close, low-scoring Saturday night game at Busch Stadium.