Michael Kopech will get the start for the White Sox (41-60, 21-25 home) as they host the Cubs (48-51, 21-25 away) at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Cubs will give the starting nod to Kyle Hendricks. Check out my prediction for game one of this interleague matchup between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox.

CHICAGO CUBS VS CHICAGO WHITE SOX BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs -115

This game will be played at Guaranteed Rate Field at 8:10 ET on Tuesday, July 25th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • Coming into the game, the White Sox have gone just 4-6 in their last ten home games.
  • The Cubs head into the game having won three straight games.
  • In Kyle Hendricks’ five most recent starts, the Cubs are 2-1.

CHICAGO CUBS ON A RUNLINE WIN STREAK

So far this season, the Cubs have a series record of 14-13-4 and overall record of 48-51. This mark has Chicago placed 3rd in the NL Central. On the road, they have a below .500 record of 21-25.

Chicago Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks has a 3-4 record and 3.38 ERA on the season thus far. His road ERA is an impressive 2.75, but his home ERA is a less desirable 4.44. Hendricks has kept opposing teams to a WHIP of 1.06 and batting average allowed of .228, while they have managed to compile a slugging percentage of .366 against him.

Despite not factoring into the decision, Kyle Hendricks had a quality start in the Cubs’ 8-3 victory over the Nationals. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits over six innings of work.

For the season, the Cubs are 11th in batting average, hitting a combined .252. Over their last five games, they have hit .284 which is 2nd in that span. Chicago’s average of 4.9 runs per game puts them 11th in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 109 times and have a team slugging percentage of .404.

Nico Hoerner has been the Cubs’ offensive leader this season, boasting a .273 batting average. He’s also recorded a .384 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .327.

WILL THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The White Sox’s record of 41-60 has them ranked 4th in the AL Central. So far, they have a below .500 series record of 9-21-2. This season, they have gone 21-25 at home and 20-35 on the road.

Michael Kopech has had a challenging season thus far, with a 4-8 record and 4.29 ERA across 18 outings. He has been particularly prone to the long ball lately, having given up a home run in each of his last four appearances. His WHIP stands at 1.39 and opponents are hitting .326 against him with an impressive 102/57 strikeout to walk ratio.

Michael Kopech notched a victory in his last outing, as the White Sox defeated the Mets 6-2. The right-hander surrendered one run and two hits over six innings of work.

Over their last ten games, the White Sox are ranked 12th in the league in scoring at 4.1 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.2 per contest puts them 22nd in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Chicago is 22nd, with an OBP currently sitting at .296. The team’s collective batting average is .239 (16th).

Luis Robert Jr. has been one of the White Sox’s most productive hitters in 2023, boasting a .270 batting average and driving in 57 runs. The outfielder has also hit 28 home runs thus far this season.