Cubs vs White Sox Series Preview (August 6-8) TV and Game Info, Starting Pitchers, Insights
It’s that time of year again as the Cubs are taking on the White Sox for a chance to win the fabled Crosstown Cup. Things are going great on the South Side, where the Sox are firmly in command of first in the AL Central. Expect a lot of black and white in the stands at Wrigley this weekend as the home team’s rebuilding status has Cub fans somewhere between apathetic and irate.
The White Sox are good on both sides of the ledger, starting with a pitching staff that has the seventh-best ERA in the league. They’re led by veteran Lance Lynn, who has been dominant with a 2.07 ERA that earned him the extension Jed Hoyer envies so much. What was already a quality bullpen has been further improved by the acquisitions of Ryan Tepera and Craig Kimbrel from the Cubs.
The offense is also seventh-ranked in runs scored behind Yoan Moncada and Tim Anderson, who leads the team in hits while setting the tone from the top spot in the order. José Abreu has fallen off a bit at 34 years old, but he’s still a very dangerous hitter and loves facing Cubs pitching. The Sox have also welcomed back slugger Eloy Jiménez after he missed the first half of the year with an injury.
The roles have clearly reversed between the Cubs and White Sox over the past two or three seasons, as one side is ready to compete for a title while the other is ready to reset its competitive window. If nothing else, maybe the Cubs can play spoiler in the underdog role this weekend.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, August 6 at 1:20pm CT on MLB Network (out of market only) and Marquee Sports Network
- Saturday, August 7 at 1:20pm on Marquee Sports Network
- Sunday, August 8 at 6:08pm CT on ESPN/ABC
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 8/6 | Kyle Hendricks | 31 | R | 3.71 | 13-4 | 4.67 | 3.62 |
| Lance Lynn | 34 | R | 2.07 | 10-3 | 3.08 | 3.70 | |
| 8/7 | Adbert Alzolay | 26 | R | 4.85 | 4-11 | 5.29 | 3.19 |
| Carlos Rodon | 28 | L | 2.49 | 8-5 | 2.69 | 5.32 | |
| 8/8 | Zach Davies | 28 | R | 4.79 | 6-8 | 4.88 | 1.32 |
| Dylan Cease | 25 | R | 3.92 | 8-6 | 3.45 | 3.24 |
What to Watch For
- Hendricks has not lost a game since May and continues to be the one bright spot in the Cubs rotation.
- Rafael Ortega has a seven-game hitting streak and remains the hottest hitter in the Cubs lineup.
- Kimbrel has not recorded a save in two Sox appearances and likely won’t this weekend, either because he’s not the closer or because there won’t be an opportunity.