From Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, we have an interleague matchup between the Cubs and White Sox. The Cubs are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -253 compared to the White Sox at +207. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.
First pitch for this one is set for 7:15 PM ET, and FOX will be televising the game. Justin Steele is on the mound for the Cubs, and they are looking to extend their three-game winning streak. The White Sox are starting Chris Flexen and they are 28-90, while the Cubs are 3rd in the NL Central.
Chicago vs. Chicago Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Cubs at White Sox
- Where: Guaranteed Rate Field Chicago
- Date: Saturday, August 10th
- Betting Odds CHC -253 | CHW +207 O/U 8.5
Cubs vs White Sox Last Game Recap
Chicago picked up a 7-6 road win over the White Sox in the most recent game of this crosstown series. The Cubs had a three-run 1st inning but didn't score another run until putting up four in the top of the 9th. As for the White Sox, they scored four runs in the 4th and added two more in the 7th.
Jameson Taillon got the win for the Cubs, going five innings and giving up five earned runs. He finished the game with just four strikeouts and allowed two home runs. Garrett Crochet had a rough outing for the White Sox, taking the loss after going just 2 1/3 innings and giving up seven earned runs.
Cody Bellinger and Pete Crow-Armstrong each had three hits and two RBIs for the Cubs' offense. Andrew Benintendi also had a two-home run game for the White Sox, going 2/4 with four RBIs.
Cubs Preview
Chicago is 58-60 overall and they have won three straight games, entering today's matchup against the White Sox. The Cubs are 9.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and have a 17-26 record in divisional games this season. Their series record is 14-20-3, and they have won two straight series.
On the run line, the Cubs have been a better bet on the road, with a 34-25 ATS record, compared to 23-36 at home. As underdogs, they have a 43-21 ATS record, while as favorites, they are 14-40 ATS. The Cubs' games have averaged 8.4 runs this season, and their over/under record is 52-62. The over is currently on a three-game streak for the Cubs.
Left-hander Justin Steele gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the White Sox on the road. He has made 18 starts this season and has a record of 3-5 with a 3.33 ERA. In his last outing, Steele picked up the win, going 6 2/3 innings and giving up two earned runs on six hits. Before that, he had taken the loss in three straight starts. Steele has made nine appearances on the road, going 1-2 with a 3.63 ERA. At home, his record is 2-3 with a 3.85 ERA.
So far, the Cubs offense has been about average in terms of scoring runs, averaging 4.2 runs per game. Their home run numbers are also 17th in the league, and they have a team batting average of .236. Chicago has been good at drawing walks this season, and they are also one of the better teams in terms of avoiding strikeouts. Currently, the Cubs have the 7th fewest strikeouts in the league.
Coming into the game, Ian Happ is the Cubs' top power threat, as he is 15th in the league with 19 homers. Happ is also the team's leader in RBIs, with 65. However, he is batting just .229 for the season. Isaac Paredes has 18 homers this season, but is batting only .239. Over his last five games, Paredes has gone 5/18 with two homers. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been hot of late, going 8/19 in his last five games.
White Sox Preview
Chicago has struggled mightily this season, with an overall record of 28-90 and a 1-9 mark in their last ten games. They are 40 games out of the AL Central lead and have gone 8-34 against divisional opponents. The White Sox have lost ten straight series, and their overall series record is 6-30-2.
On the run line, the White Sox are 51-67, with an average run differential of +3.0 in wins and -3.7 in losses. Their games have gone over the total in 53 of 113 games this season, and the average total line for their games is 8 runs. When the total line is set at 8.5 runs, the over has hit in 16 of 33 games, representing 19.5% of their matchups.
Chris Flexen will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Twins, as he got the start and took the loss after giving up six earned runs in just 1 2/3 innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three home runs. Before that start, Flexen had a decent outing vs. the Royals, going six innings and giving up two earned runs. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. Flexen's record for the season is 2-11, and his ERA is 5.53. Opponents have hit .271 off Flexen this season. Out of his 22 starts, Flexen has seven quality starts.
Chicago's offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, as they are dead last in on-base percentage, and OPS, and are 24th in home runs. As a team, they are averaging just 3.1 runs per game. This lack of production has been a trend both at home and on the road. The White Sox also have a team batting average of .218, which is 22nd in the league.
Andrew Vaughn and Andrew Benintendi are the White Sox's top home run hitters this season, but both are batting under .235 for the season. Benintendi has been on a tear of late, going 8/20 in his last five games with five homers and nine RBIs. Vaughn is also on a five-game hitting streak.
Cubs vs. White Sox Prediction: White Sox ML +207
With the White Sox paying out at +207 on the money line, that is the direction we recommend going for this Cubs vs. White Sox matchup. Our predicted final score is 5-4 in favor of the White Sox, giving us a good amount of value on the White Sox to pick up the win.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Justin Steele finishing with six strikeouts compared to Chris Flexen with four. If you're looking at some other markets, you could look at the over/under line, and with this one sitting at 8.5 runs, we would take the over, as we have this one finishing with a combined nine runs.
