Game Thread: Cubs at White Sox

A Chicago team will win today … but which one?

Happy Sunday, Sox fans! Today feels more intense than a regular Sunday game, as the battle of Chicago continues in the final game of the Crosstown Series at Rate Field. The winner today will take the series, and if the White Sox prevail the all-time regular-season series will remain tied — and continue on as far closer than any of the other “traditional rivalries” in baseball.

Interestingly, both teams will be trying for the series win with unorthodox starters. Hopefully it’s an entertaining game, as the South Siders offense went flat last night, but exploded for 12 runs the night before. It looks to be a great day, and great atmosphere at the park, so let’s take a look at the probables ahead of the matchup.

Starting on the mound for the Cubs today is Ben Brown, who hasn’t had the best season according to angry Cubs fans I have talked to. The 25-year-old is 4-7 with a 6.48 ERA, and has started 14 games while appearing in relief for three. His outings as of late have played out as four or five innings, so the best-case scenario would be to attack him early on to shorten those outings even more.

Grant Taylor will start for the White Sox, with Sean Burke set to appear later on. We have had an opener go one or two innings a few times this season, followed by a starter being the bulk guy, so hopefully the idea is successful today.

Taylor has appeared as a closer and late-innings guy this season, as he has a 3.93 ERA in 18 1⁄3 IP. He also has 23 strikeouts, to go along with a 1.15 WHIP. His last two outings have only been one inning, so it will be interesting to see how long Venable lets him ride, as this also takes out any opportunity of him closing things out today (Mike Vasil likely steps in). Burke will take over when Taylor vacates, with a 4.19 ERA and 4-8 record as a starter this season. His last outing against the Tampa Bay Rays was four innings with three hits, five strikeouts, and four walks — something to watch for is Burke’s tendency to strain the pen with high pitch counts.

Mike Tauchman will lead it off against his former team, after his late-inning home run last night. Chase Meidroth follows, Andrew Benintendi is in left, and Miguel Vargas back at first. Edgar Quero is behind the dish, Colson Montgomery is at third, and good news, Luis Robert Jr. is back in the lineup as the DH. Lenyn Sosa takes second, and Brooks Baldwin rounds it out in center.

Game time at 1:10 p.m. CT. Watch on CHSN, and listen on ESPN 1000 on the radio or the app.