Kyle Hendricks will get the start for the Cubs (61-57, 32-28 home) as they host the White Sox (47-72, 22-39 away) at Wrigley Field. The White Sox will give the starting nod to Touki Toussaint. Check out my prediction for game one of this interleague matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX VS CHICAGO CUBS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Chicago Cubs -169

This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 8:05 ET on Tuesday, August 15th.

WHY BET THE CHICAGO CUBS:

  • The Cubs are riding a two game home win streak heading into today’s game.
  • Chicago is taking on the White Sox at the right time, as the White Sox have dropped three straight games.
  • The White Sox are just 1-2 in Touki Toussaint’s last five starts.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX LOOKING FOR UPSET AS ROAD UNDERDOGS

The White Sox enter today’s game with an overall record of 47-72 which includes going 24-49 against teams with above .500 records. As of today, they are 4th in the AL Central. Across their 38 series, Chicago is 11-24-3 and have records of 22-39 and 25-33 on the road and at home, respectively.

Toussaint will take the mound for the White Sox with a 1-5 record in 11 appearances. His ERA is 4.27, K/9 is 9.13, FIP is 4.63, and OBP is .324.

Toussaint’s latest start resulted in a 7-1 defeat to the Yankees, with the right-hander giving up four earned runs and six hits over five innings.

The White Sox have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 9 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 10th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 19th in home runs and 22nd in slugging percentage. Overall, Chicago is averaging 4.1 runs per game (23rd).

Keep an eye on the White Sox’s starting lineup as Luis Robert Jr. is listed as questionable on the injury report. The outfielder has been a major contributor to the team’s offense this season, leading with 31 home runs and 65 RBIs. He also boasts an impressive .271 batting average.

WILL THE CHICAGO CUBS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Entering game 119 of their season, the Cubs are 3.5 games out in the NL Central and are in 3rd place. So far, their overall series record stands at 19-14-4. Chicago’s road winning percent is currently 50.0% (29-29) compared to 53.3% at home (32-28).

Kyle Hendricks has been impressive in 15 appearances this season, boasting a .390 slugging percentage allowed and a 1.12 WHIP. His overall record is 4-6 with an ERA of 3.96, and he has 57 strikeouts, averaging 5.94 per nine innings. On the road, Hendricks has gone 3-2 with an ERA of 3.03; however, his home record is 1-4 with an ERA of 6.05.

Kyle Hendricks was unable to secure a win in his most recent outing, going five innings in the Cubs’ 4-3 defeat to the Mets. Despite not earning the decision, he allowed two runs on five hits.

This season, the Cubs are 5th in the league at 5.1 runs per game. Over their last five games, they have a combined batting average of .221 (20th) leading to 4.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.6 walks per game compared to 9 strikeouts. Chicago’s on-base percentage of .332 has them 4th in the MLB.

Nico Hoerner has been a bright spot for the Cubs’ offense in their last five contests, leading the team with a .411 batting average. The 23-year-old infielder has also put together an impressive season overall, boasting a .278 average and 59 RBIs.