The Battle of the Windy City Starts Monday
On Monday, the Battle of the Windy City starts when the Chicago Cubs visit the Chicago White Sox in the first game of an interleague series at U.S. Cellular Field. The current line has the Cubs favored at -201, the White Sox at +185 and the over/under run total sitting on 8.5.
Entering this game, the Chicago Cubs are 59-38 overall and 29-22 on the road. The Cubs are 7-3 over their past 10 games played. The White Sox entering this matchup are 48-50 overall and 26-24 at home. The White Sox are 3-7 over their past 10 games played.
The Cubs will send Jake Arrieta to the mound on Monday. The Cubs right-hander is 12-4 with an ERA of 2.60 on the season. The White Sox will counter with Miguel Gonzalez. The White Sox right-hander is 2-5 with an ERA of 4.41 this season.
Arrieta ended his run of four poor outings in his last start by holding the Mets to one run on five hits during seven innings but did not get the decision.
Gonzalez has had four consecutive quality starts. However, he has only one win during his past seven.
The thought these two teams would battle in the World Series this season has lost steam as the White Sox have dropped down in the American League Central standings following a strong start to their season. Nevertheless, this short two-game series will be full of intrigue.
The matchup will move to Wrigley Field after two games for another two games between the cross town rivals.
The Cubs have the National League’s best record following a third consecutive series win by defeating Milwaukee 6-5 on Sunday. The White Sox once had the best record in the AL, but are now four games below the .500 mark after dropping eight of their past nine games.
However, on Sunday the White Sox had two walk-off wins to give them extra momentum leading up to this first game of the series on Monday.
Cubs third baseman and outfielder Kris Bryant has a hitting streak of nine games entering this series but has not hit a home run in 14 straight games.
White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera has a hitting streak of nine games as well entering this contest.
Cubs shortstop Addison Russell bruised his heel on Sunday and left the game, but called the injury not serious.
Prediction: The Cubs are just too strong for the White Sox. Lean toward the visitors in this one.
