Yankees head to Wrigley to face Cubs, with Will Warren set for a key matchup versus Shota Imanaga

The New York Yankees conclude their road swing with three games at Wrigley Field, starting with a matchup against the Chicago Cubs that pairs Will Warren on the Yankees side with Shota Imanaga for Chicago. The game matters beyond the setting, because New York’s recent run creation has been uneven enough to force sharper execution at the plate against a Cubs lineup that has been consistently productive.

According to the preview coverage, the Yankees’ offense has scored just two unearned runs in their last 22 innings. That is the kind of stretch that can happen in baseball, but it also has a compounding effect, since it forces a team to win more often on thin margins. In this case, the pressure is amplified by the Cubs’ form: Chicago ranks second in the majors with 5.17 runs scored per game and third with a 111 wRC+, indicating strong overall offensive outcomes rather than isolated bursts.

The same report underscores New York’s challenge turning at-bats into meaningful plate appearances. It notes that the Yankees have failed to dent home plate in 28 of their last 32 innings played. Even when a team is managing innings, it cannot afford extended stretches without baserunners or productive contact, especially on the road where run prevention often depends on keeping damage to a minimum.

There is at least one reason New York is not entering the matchup only looking at the Cubs’ strengths. The preview describes Chicago pitching as more vulnerable than its offense, ranking seventh-worst in the majors with a 4.68 FIP. That matters because FIP is designed to strip away fielding noise and focus on outcomes the pitcher controls most directly, such as strikeouts, walks, and home runs. It suggests the Cubs can be challenged, even if the opponent still has to cash in.

The Yankees, however, are not granted a simple path forward. The report points out that the White Sox, a team that was not much better on the same pitching metric, were still able to largely silence New York in the final two games of their just-completed series. That detail implies the Yankees’ immediate priority is not just drawing a favorable statistical matchup, but sustaining rallies across multiple at-bats so early momentum does not fade.

For New York’s coaching staff and hitters, the chess game is likely to center on limiting free bases and making contact that turns into actual scoring chances. Against a Cubs offense capable of piling up runs, New York cannot afford long innings that end without damage, because the longer the game stays in the Cubs’ preferred rhythm, the harder it becomes to climb back.

As the series begins, the key question is whether the Yankees’ offensive issues are temporary and fixable in-game, or whether they reflect a deeper pattern that will carry into consecutive Wrigley contests. The Warren-versus-Imanaga pairing sets an early test of both teams’ approach, with Chicago’s run production serving as the main benchmark for how much New York can solve quickly.

If the Yankees are to reverse the recent trend of low scoring, they will need more than isolated innings. Their best window may come early, when getting runs before Cubs bats settle can reduce the number of at-bats New York must manage later under greater urgency. The final result of the opener will also shape how New York handles the remaining two games of the road set, particularly if either side establishes a clear offensive advantage.