Chicago Crosstown Classic Kicks Off Tonight

Cubs vs. White Sox, 7:40 ET

Growing up there were certain series that you always looked forward to when the baseball season started. I can remember running to grab the newspaper and checking to see when the Cubs would be facing the White Sox. That was one I always had circled and always wanted to attend. As I got older and started going to college it was one of the few games I tried to make sure I had money to go to. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago and being a Cubs fan was always a focus of people's insults, but if they won the series each year, I had that to respond with. Let's see if they can take the first one today.

The Cubs have been one of the best teams in baseball this season and are on pace to win over 90 games this year. However, the bad news for them is that the Brewers are also in the same position and are the hottest team in baseball. It really shouldn't matter, but either one of the teams is likely to end up as the #1 seed in the National League, and the other is likely to be the Wild Card winner. The biggest question for both is what will happen over the next few days before the trade deadline. They could use a starter to back up the guy who is likely to open a playoff series, and starts today, Shota Imanaga. Imanaga has been great since coming over to the Majors last season. He is 7-3 with a 2.40 ERA this season and a 0.92 WHIP. He has been injured for part of the season, but he still has 75 innings under his belt, so it isn't as if he has no work done this year. Overall, White Sox hitters haven't seen much of Imanaga, but they are 4-for-12 against him. He has been better on the road this year than at Wrigley as well. 

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: The Chicago White Sox logo is seen on a jersey during their game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 21, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

The White Sox came into this season thinking that they would be one of the worst teams in the game, and they've lived up to that expectation. The good news is that they did improve on last year's disaster. I suppose it would be extremely difficult for them to be worse than last year, but the Rockies were trying for a while. The White Sox are nearly 30 games under for the season and will be lucky to not lose 100 games. They are likely to trade anyone of value at the deadline as they are still years away from a truly competitive team. I would imagine that today's pitcher, Adrian Houser, will get some interest with his 5-2 record, 1.89 ERA, and a 1.23 WHIP. This is by far his best year of his career, but his WHIP isn't too much lower than his previous years. He has had some successful seasons, bu this best was probably 2021. Cubs hitters have seen him quite a bit in the past, batting 19-for-67 against him. 

The crosstown classic hasn't been much of a rivalry the past couple of years, and even further back there hasn't been as much luster behind it as at least one team was bad, or both teams had no chance at the playoffs. The Cubs are fun to watch now, and the Sox are at least getting more competitive and not a complete embarrassment. Still in this one the Cubs should coast to a win. I'd recommend the run line and not the moneyline. I think the better play than laying the juice is taking the under. I think we see the under 8.5 if this one even gets played as it is expected to rain tonight. 

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024