Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox Preview, Thursday 7/28, 7:05 CT

More fun with Aroldis Chapman numbers:

Aroldis Chapman's pitches 103 MPH+ by year:
2016 - 40
2015 - 32
2014 - 11
2013 - 10
2012 - 0
2011 - 2
2010 - 13https://t.co/zo5gHQfoKX

— Daren Willman (@darenw) July 28, 2016

Here are today's particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Fowler CF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Zobrist RF, Contreras C, Russell SS, Baez 2B, Szczur LF, Lackey P

White Sox lineup:

Eaton RF, Anderson SS, Cabrera LF, Abreu 1B, Frazier 3B, Shuck CF, Navarro C, Sanchez 2B, Sale P

John Lackey got off to a good start this year, but he has a 5.73 ERA over his last eight starts and in that span has allowed 10 (!) home runs in 48⅓ innings. That's... not good. What was good was his start against the White Sox last year, July 1 in St. Louis. He threw seven innings, allowed two runs and struck out eight. I'll take one of those tonight. Lackey did allow a homer to Melky Cabrera in that game.

Here's the cutting-edge info on Chris Sale. After he got off to a great start this year, hitters knifed through him for a 5.56 ERA over a nine-start span from May 26 through July 8, with 12 homers in 56⅔ innings. He snipped that stretch short with an eight-inning, one-hit outing against the Mariners on July 18. But he hasn't pitched since then, after his team suspension from last weekend's jersey slicing at the Cell. Kris Bryant slashed a home run off Sale in the All-Star Game, as you know. Hopefully more Cubs homers will rip their way toward the bleachers tonight.

Today's game is on CSN Chicago with Len & JD. It's also on WGN 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.