If your favorite baseball team isn't playing tonight, make the games more interesting by betting on MLB odds at BookMaker Sportsbook! This is the only online wagering outlet that offers early MLB moneylines, runlines and totals. First pitch for the game between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox is scheduled for Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at 8:08 p.m. ET at U.S. Cellular Field. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.
The four-game home-and-home series between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox continues Wednesday, transitioning from the North Side down south to U.S. Cellular. The Cubs will try and continue their strong second half run back into contention while the Sox could be unloading even more talent by the midweek.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The White Sox have sent Todd Frazier to the Yankees, taking away another bat from the team ranked second to last in runs scored during the month of July.
While Frazier’s departure could be a downgrade offensively, there’s potential for an even better return from Yoan Moncada who got the call to the big leagues after the trade.
Moncada has gone just 1-for-11 since the promotion, having another weak start akin to his struggles in his big-league debut with the Red Sox last year. In the long run, he figures to be a huge offensive piece in the future, but the present offense is a bit lackluster.
Avisail Garcia still has a .312 average, but the power from the beginning of the year has gone away. He’s been good, but not great for the last couple months.
The Cubs have seen their offense struggled all year, but the names are better than the numbers and some of the Cubs’ young bats are starting to come around.
There’s far more depth in the Cubs’ order and more power, too, with Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant combining for 42 homers.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Much like the rest of the Cubs, Wednesday’s starter Jake Arrieta has been excellent since the break. In two starts, he’s pitched 12.2 innings, allowing four runs—three earned—while giving up nine hits and striking out nine.
Overall, Arrieta is 9-7 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.263 WHIP in 114 innings. This has been his worst season since coming over to Chicago. The right-hander’s past couple starts certainly help build confidence and we’ve seen over the last few years what Arrieta can really do when he’s on his game.
The righty has always been a starter with great stuff. His issue has always been fastball command early. He’s been prone to a troublesome inning in his career. He minimized that the last few years, but it has plagued him some in 2017. If the opposition can get to him he can lose his concentration for a couple batters. The Sox, however, do present a good matchup for the Cubs’ ace.
In his career against the White Sox, Arrieta is 3-1 with a 4.14 ERA in seven starts.
Pitching opposite of Arrieta is James Shields.
Shields has been bad with Chicago. In parts of two seasons, he’s now 6-14 with a 6.48 ERA. This year, he’s made must nine starts and is 2-2 with a 5.79 ERA.
The veteran right-hander went just 4.1 innings in his last start, giving up six runs and 10 hits. He’s allowed at least four runs in the last three games. And has given up six runs in three of his last five games.
In those five games, Shields has pitched to a 10.13 ERA, allowing eight home runs in 21.1 innings. He’s also walked 14 batters and struck out 15.
LIVE BETTING
In the first eight games since the break, the Cubs have gone 7-1. There was only one real dud game, losing to Cardinals 4-11.
Other than that, it’s been a nice resurgence for the team projected by most to win the World Series.
Save that loss, six of the last seven games have resulted in the team giving up three runs or less. That’s largely due to an improved rotation, but the bullpen has continued to pitch well. That’s been the one consistent piece of this team all year.
As for the Sox’s bullpen, they’re a rebuilt unit after David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle went to New York.
Anthony Swarzak is still on the team, but he and Dan Jennings are the lone remaining quality relievers. The rest of the bunch are all question marks, including newly acquired Tyler Clippard who—in his first appearance for Chicago—looked just as lost as he did in New York.
QUICK PICK
The Cubs are better than the White Sox at every facet of the game. It doesn’t matter where the game will be played, the Cubs have the bigger following in Chicago and will have plenty of home-town fans in attendance.
Look for the Cubs to continue their climb up the standings with another win on Wednesday. Arrieta is throwing the ball extremely well right now and has a strong pen behind him.
Meanwhile, the Cubbies also have an offense that’s starting to click on all cylinders again.
MLB Odds: Cubs 6, White Sox 4
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