Cross-town opponents get another chance to go at each other Wednesday night when the Chicago White Sox visit Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs. The matchup will be the second of the teams’ interleague season series. The White Sox won the first, 3-1, on Tuesday.
The Cubs (9-14) have lost six of their last eight and are second-to-last in the National League Central, in front of only lowly Cincinnati.
The White Sox (10-13) have won three of five and had only played American League teams up until Tuesday’s victory. Recently, they split a four-game bill with the Los Angeles Angels, who sit atop the AL West. In their own grouping, the White Sox are chasing Cleveland and Minnesota.
Shortstop Tim Anderson, center fielder Luis Robert, and second baseman Josh Harrison have turned in worthwhile efforts at the plate over the last week. Each batter in that trio hit at least .313 during that span for the South Siders.
Anderson’s .329 average ranks within the league’s top 15 at the moment. His four home runs are tied with designated hitter Andrew Vaughn for most on the team. Vaughn’ on-base (.367) and slugging (.566) percentages lead the Chi Sox.
However, Vaughn missed Tuesday’s contest with a hand injury and is listed as day-to-day.
White Sox at Cubs Odds
The White Sox are favored to down their geographic rival in this one. They are -1.5 on the run line at +136, while the Cubs are -164 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the White Sox are -152 and the Cubs +128 underdogs. The total has been set at seven runs, with the over being +100 and the under -122 at the time of this writing.
MLB picks should take into account one particular trend.
The Cubs have one of the 10 highest averages at the dish in all of the MLB, but it hasn’t translated to as many triumphs as they’d prefer. Hitting .243 collectively, they are one of 13 groups with less than 90 RBIs at this point.
The chance that the hosts pull it together and generate some runs to go with their knocks muddle these MLB odds. The Cubs have the third-best on-base percentage (.326) in the big leagues.
The past seven days, though, catcher Wilson Contreras is the only Cub with at least 10 plate appearances to post an on-base mark of greater than .261.
Right fielder Seiya Suzuki has come down to Earth after a thrilling start, but still has 15 runs driven in.
Matchup Information
White Sox at Cubs Betting Preview
On the bump for the Cubs, ninth-year right-hander Kyle Hendricks has posted a 1-2 record thus far. In his last time out, at Milwaukee, he went 4.1 innings and allowed six earned runs. His team bowed, 11-1.
It was the second time in 2022 that Hendricks gave up a half-dozen runs in a start, as he did so at Pittsburgh on April 13.
He’s spent 24.2 innings on the mound so far in this campaign and sports a 5.47 ERA. He’ll want to improve that in this one.
The White Sox’ Lucas Giolito is still searching for his first win this season. His team has fallen in each of his three starts, most recently to the Angels.
In his last 10 innings of work, he’s allowed 11 hits and four earned runs. Giolito has a career 4.16 ERA in 120 appearances.
White Sox at Cubs Picks and Predictions
These crews are in similar situations with almost identical records. Neither hurler particularly stands out, so it might be on the lineups to make their presences known.
Although the hosts haven’t been able to bring base runners home at the clip required to win, a clash with Giolito might help wake them up. Those making MLB betting picks today should watch out for an upset.
Get to betting on baseball with this in mind. The MLB expert pick is the Cubs will even the season series before these two play again at the end of this month.
Bet Cubs Moneyline (+124) and the over at 7 runs (-122).
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