Crosstown rivals are set to meet up at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night as the Chicago White Sox visit the Chicago Cubs. It was the Cubs that swept the first two games from their rivals, and they will look to do the same this week.
It has been a miserable season for the Chicago White Sox as they come into this series with an overall record of 47-72. The White Sox were supposed to contend in the AL Central this year, but they were big sellers at the Trade Deadline.
The Chicago Cubs have been red-hot since the month of July, and they are now back in the playoff race. The Cubs are coming into this series with a record of 61-57, and they always tend to play well at home.
The Cubs are the moneyline betting favorites at -170 over the White Sox in game one of the series on Monday night.
White Sox Struggling to Get Outs
The Chicago White Sox come into this series with a team ERA that is approaching 5.00, and they traded away plenty of pitchers last month. This team blew a huge lead in the first series with the Cubs, and no lead is safe with that bullpen.
Touki Toussaint will make the start for the White Sox in the series opener, and he is just 1-5 with a 4.27 ERA to begin the year. Toussaint was not supposed to be in the starting rotation but is getting a chance out of necessity.
Luis Robert Jr. leads the White Sox with 31 home runs and 65 RBIs this season. The Cubs might want to pitch around the All-Star, as there are some other holes to take advantage of.
Bellinger, Cubs, Racking Up Runs
The Chicago Cubs lead MLB in a number of offensive categories since the All-Star Break, and it’s Cody Bellinger leading the way. Bellinger was the NL Player of the Month in July, and he could very well be looking to win that award again.
The Cubs have scored 107 more runs than the White Sox this season, and they have a positive run differential of 64. This team can score runs in bunches, and they have enjoyed the warmer weather at Wrigley Field.
Kyle Hendricks will make the start on Tuesday night, and he has gone 4-6 with a 3.96 RA this season. The Cubs have a bullpen full of big arms, and they know how to protect a lead when given a chance.
Cubs Crush the White Sox
Kyle Hendricks is one of the best starting pitchers in Cubs’ history, and he will step up and deliver for his team in this game. The White Sox still have some thunder in their lineup, but they have lacked consistency all season long.
Pitching has been a major problem for the White Sox this season, and they are facing a red-hot Cubs team. Look for the Cubs to do some serious damage at the plate on Tuesday night as they break this game wide open.
Bet on the Chicago Cubs -1.5 as they beat their rivals by at least two runs to begin this short two-game series.
