Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox Preview, Monday 7/25, 7:10 CT

In any other year, the Cubs vs. White Sox series would be a big deal in these pages.

There's a bit bigger thing that happened today. The Aroldis Chapman acquisition is the big story, but he won't be added to the roster until tomorrow.

And so, these games go on. The Cubs trail the all-time series 55-49, but the Cubs won three of the last four played between the two teams in 2015. Hopefully, that trend continues.

Here is your once-a-series reminder about SB Nation's daily fantasy partner FanDuel. If you want to play, click this link.

Here are today's particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Fowler DH, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Zobrist RF, Contreras LF, Heyward CF, Russell SS, Montero C, Baez 2B

Here is tonight's #Cubs lineup for Game 1 of the #CrosstownCup.

Preview: https://t.co/jnknNU7dck #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/cia5RVRhXO

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 25, 2016

Smart move, I think, to have Dexter Fowler DH. Keeps his bat in the lineup while not making him extend himself in CF.

White Sox lineup:

Eaton RF, Anderson SS, Cabrera LF, Abreu 1B, Morneau DH, Frazier 3B, Shuck CF, Navarro C, Saladino 2B

Jake Arrieta reversed his pre-All-Star skid with an excellent outing in his last start, against the Mets last Tuesday, even though the Cubs lost the game. Last year, Jake threw twice against the Sox, throwing a complete-game, 10-K victory at Wrigley, and allowing two runs in 6⅔ innings in a 6-3 Cubs win at the Cell. Current members of the Sox are hitting .222 (18-for-81) against Jake with one home run (Todd Frazier).

Miguel Gonzalez has one career start vs. the Cubs, August 24, 2014 at Wrigley, while he was a member of the Orioles. That one went pretty well for him -- 6⅔ innings, two runs. The Cubs won the game, and of course most of those guys aren't with the Cubs anymore. Gonzalez has been inconsistent this year, though he's been better in July (2.77 ERA, 0.885 WHIP) than before. Current Cubs are 10-for-50 (.200) against Gonzalez with two home runs (Ben Zobrist, David Ross).

Today's game is on ABC7 Chicago with Len & JD. For affiliate info in the Illinois/Iowa/Indiana blackout markets, click here. It's also on CSN Chicago with the White Sox announcers.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox. If you do go there to interact with White Sox fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2016 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used at the end of 2015. Here's how it works.

You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream™ containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in the game's StoryStream™ as noted above.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.