The interleague rivalry series have lost their luster in most cities, but in Chicago, the battle between the White Sox and Cubs still means something to those on the north and south sides. Even with the Sox trending in the wrong direction and the Cubs a World Series favorite, this could end up being a very interesting series. That includes Tuesday’s game two at U.S. Cellular.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cubs started the year on a historic pace with many thinking they might compete for the most wins in baseball history. A road block through June and July tempered the excitement, but Chicago may have come out on the other side as they’ve strung together six wins in their last nine games.
The White Sox have hit a rough patch much like their neighbors, but unlike the Cubs, there’s no signs of a turnaround for the ChiSox.
The Chicago team in the American League has dropped eight of their last nine games and have fallen out of contention.
Add in the hoopla around Chris Sale and his tantrum around the throwback uniforms and there’s no doubt that this team is a mess right now.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
James Shields will get the start on Tuesday for the White Sox.
Despite a 2-5 record a 6.00 ERA since he joined the ChiSox earlier this year, the veteran right-hander has thrown the ball very well in his last five games. In that time, he’s allowed two runs or fewer in each outing and has pitched to a 2.14 ERA over 33 2/3 innings.
In his career, Shields has made only three regular season starts against the Cubs, winning one and recording two no decisions. In those three games, he allowed eight earned runs and struck out 29 in 19 1/3 innings.
To counter Shields, the Cubs will turn to a forgotten—yet huge—part of their rotation: Kyle Hendricks.
Hendricks hasn’t allowed an earned run since July 19 and has pitched to a 0.57 ERA in the last calendar month, spanning six appearances, five starts and 31 1/3 innings.
For the season, Hendricks leads the Cubs rotation with a 2.27 ERA and is 9-5 with a 1.036 WHIP. The young right-hander is in his third big league season and has consistently improved.
The one remaining drawback to Hendricks’ game is his durability. He doesn’t often go deep into games, pitching into the eighth just twice this season and throwing more than six innings just twice over his last nine starts, despite the strong run.
As of late, you can count on Hendricks to give you five to six strong innings, but past that, it’s up to the bullpen and that remains a bit of a question for the Cubs even after the Mike Montgomery acquisition.
LIVE BETTING
Dexter Fowler is back in center field and atop the order. That makes a big difference for a Cubs team that struggled while he was on the disabled list.
Fowler had a strong first game back, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in a win on Friday night, but took an 0-for in a 6-1 loss on Saturday.
Here in July, the Cubs have gone from one of the best offenses to a mediocre one, but they’re still well above the Sox who have scored the least amount of runs of any American League squad since the beginning of July.
The White Sox have a few above average offensive pieces, but even Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier have let the team down. Frazier is hitting bombs, but has a .212 average while Abreu’s .752 OPS isn’t nearly what the team needs from him to be successful.
Meanwhile, the Cubs have a dominating infield with Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant on the corners. The team has plenty of depth, versatility and moveable parts to allow manager Joe Maddon to put together a winning offense game in and game out.
We’ve already seen Bryant and Zobrist play a number of different positions to allow Javier Baez, Willson Contreras, or Tommy La Stella to get into the lineup depending on matchups.
In all, even with injuries to Jorge Soler, Chris Coghlan and others, the Cubs have ten active players with an OPS of at least 104.
QUICK PICK
The White Sox are a mess and the Cubs, while they have a few issues yet to resolve, are a loaded team with their spark back atop the order.
The Cubs’ bullpen is still a bit of an issue to be resolved. It could have another new member by the time these two teams take the field on Tuesday. Even if not, this game isn’t likely to be one where that comes into play too much. The White Sox’s offense has gone cold and the Cubs offense is just too deep.
Take the Cubs to steal this game at U.S. Cellular, giving them a good chance of taking the season series against the ChiSox as the four game split series transitions to Wrigley.
MLB Odds: Cubs 6, White Sox 3
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26, 2016, at 7:10 p.m. ET at U.S. Cellular Field. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN and WGN.
