Chi. White Sox White Sox vs Chi. Cubs Cubs Picks and Predictions August 9th 2024

From Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, we have an interleague matchup between the Cubs and White Sox. The Cubs are currently on a two-game winning streak, and they are 57-60 overall, while the White Sox are 28-89 and have Garrett Crochet on the mound. Chicago is favored on the money line, with the odds sitting at +122 compared to the Cubs at -144. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs.

First pitch for this one is set for 8:10 PM ET, and NBCS will be carrying the TV coverage for the game. Jameson Taillon will be starting for the Cubs. In the NL Central, the Cubs are in 5th place.

Chicago vs. Chicago Key Information

Jameson Taillon gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the White Sox on the road. He has made 19 starts this season and has a record of 7-6 with a 3.25 ERA. Taillon’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.16. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going six innings and giving up one earned run on six hits. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. One positive note is that Taillon has allowed just one earned run in three of his last four outings. So far, he has made 11 quality starts this season.

Chicago’s offense is averaging 4.2 runs per game this season, which is 19th in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, the Cubs are batting .235 and have the 17th most home runs in the league. Their team on-base percentage of .310 is also below the league average.

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Over the past 10 games, Nico Hoerner has gone 12/41, but he has yet to hit a home run during that stretch. Ian Happ is the Cubs’ top power threat, as his 18 homers lead the team and is 15th in the league. However, he is batting just .226 for the season. Michael Busch has four homers over his last 10 games and is hitting .258.

White Sox starter Garrett Crochet has made 23 starts this season and has a record of 6-8 with an ERA of 3.19. This year, he has turned in 11 quality starts and is averaging 12.32 strikeouts per nine innings. Crochet’s last outing came against the Twins, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in four innings of work. Before that, he had lost three straight starts. The left-hander has given up at least one homer in each of his last three outings.

As a team, the White Sox are averaging just 3.1 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the majors. Not only are they the worst scoring team in the league, but they are also the worst hitting team in the league, with a team batting average of just .216. This has led to the White Sox having the worst on-base percentage and OPS in the league. Their team isolated power (ISO) of just .126 is also 24th in the league.

Andrew Vaughn has been the White Sox’s top run producer this season, with 51 RBIs to go along with a team-leading 13 home runs. However, he is batting just .236 for the season. Chicago is hoping that Luis Robert Jr. can get going, as he is batting just .207 this season. Over his last five games, Andrew Benintendi is 6/20 with three homers.

For a money-line pick, we are leaning towards the White Sox to come out on top at home. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 8th highest-scoring game of the day, and this one has our 9th highest total hits projection. Looking at today’s starters, we have Garrett Crochet as the 6th best strikeout pitcher in the league today compared to Jameson Taillon, who has the 6th worst projection.

White Sox Face Cubs in First Game After Managerial Shakeup

The Chicago White Sox are set to take on their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs, on Friday, marking the start of another chapter under in-between time manager Grady Sizemore. The White Sox have gotten through a turbulent 2024 season, and the new terminating of manager Pedro Grifol signals a significant shift for the striving team.

White Sox’s Battles Lead to Managerial Change

The choice to part ways with Pedro Grifol came closely following a disastrous 28-89 start to the season, a record that incorporated an American League record-tying 21-game long string of failures. Although the White Sox managed to snap that streak with a triumph over the Oakland An’s on Tuesday, saving Grifol’s job wasn’t sufficient. His residency finished with a 3-2 misfortune to Oakland on Wednesday, leaving him with a dismal 89-190 record since taking over the team before the 2023 season.

Grifol, known for his passion and dedication to the game, communicated his determination to push ahead regardless of the setback. “This won’t break me. As a matter of fact, it only motivates me,” Grifol shared in an instant message to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“The following thing I do in my life, I will do it for the love and passion I have for this game and for the sole motivation behind serving others.”

The White Sox, who have not dominated a home match since July 10, are needing a turnaround. Their last triumph at Guaranteed Rate Field, preceding Tuesday’s success, was part of a progression of battles that has seen the team lose 10 continuous series, including all six since the All-Star break.

White Sox’s Offense and Bullpen Woes

Repulsively, the White Sox have had not many brilliant spots in a generally dismal season. Andrew Benintendi, who has shown some power as of late, launched a two-run homer in Wednesday’s game — his third in four games. Nonetheless, the warm up area faltered by and by, giving three runs in the seventh inning over to the An’s and ultimately costing the White Sox the game.

As the team shifts focus over to Sizemore to stabilize the boat, finding consistency both at the plate and on the hill will be critical. The White Sox are eager to break their horrible streak at home and wake up as they enter this series against the Cubs.

Cubs Eye Wild-Card Spot

On the other side of the city, the Chicago Cubs have experienced their own ups and downs this season, though their struggles pale in comparison to those of the White Sox. Following a home series victory against the Minnesota Twins, the Cubs are within five games of the third National League wild-card spot. This marks a significant improvement from earlier in the season when the Cubs were nine games under .500 after a three-game losing streak at the start of July. They have since turned things around, boasting a record six games over .500.

The Cubs’ recent success has been driven by contributions from across the lineup. In their 8-2 victory over the Twins on Wednesday, leadoff hitter Ian Happ and second batter Michael Busch both homered, while the bottom of the order—Dansby Swanson, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Christian Bethancourt—combined for four hits, two doubles, two RBIs, and three runs.

“We’re just getting contributions from nine guys right now on any given day,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And that makes all the difference in the world, I think. It allows you to be consistent, which I think we’ve done a pretty good job of these past couple weeks. It’s the key to this team being good offensively.”

The Cubs’ steady improvement has come at a crucial time, as the team looks to secure a postseason berth. Crow-Armstrong, who has been a key player during this stretch, highlighted the team’s upward trajectory: “It’s been a lot of guys that have kind of picked their years up and kind of got it going. It’s at the right time, because we’ve still got 45 (games) left and we’re only getting better as the season goes.”

Pitching Matchup: Taillon vs. Crochet

Friday’s game features a fascinating pitching matchup between Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon and White Sox left-hander Garrett Sew. Taillon, who holds a 7-6 record with a 3.25 ERA, will hope to expand on his new performances. He took a no-choice in his past start against the White Sox on June 5, allowing five runs and 10 hits more than five innings. Notwithstanding this, Taillon has been strong in his career against the White Sox, with a 3.58 ERA across five starts.

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For the White Sox, Stitch will make his most memorable career appearance against the Cubs. The All-Star left-hander has had his workload firmly observed because of his physical issue history, and he enters the game with a 6-8 record and a 3.19 ERA. As Sew hopes to navigate the Cubs’ balanced setup, his performance could be a critical factor in the White Sox’s chances of getting a genuinely necessary triumph.

Cubs Aim to Secure Season Series

With a triumph on Friday, the Cubs would secure the season series against the White Sox, having already cleared a two-game set at Wrigley Field in June. The two games in that series were firmly challenged, with the Cubs winning each by a score of 7-6.

As the Cubs proceed with their push for a special case spot, and the White Sox hope to find stability under Sizemore’s leadership, this crosstown standoff vows to be a pivotal second for the two teams. The Cubs will aim to capitalize on the White Sox’s battles, while the White Sox will endeavor to refocus and start another chapter with a triumph at home.