Chicago Cubs vs. Chicago White Sox preview, Tuesday 7/25, 7:10 CT

Tuesday notes...

• A FEW THINGS ABOUT RUN DIFFERENTIAL: In their last six games, the Cubs have outscored their opponents, 46-24, to more than double their run differential, to +41. The last time it was higher was on May 13, at +42, after an 11-1 loss at Minnesota. The Cubs have played 59 games since then. Their season high was +52, one day earlier, after they beat the Twins, 6-2. They were a season-worst -13 after a 13-3 drubbing at San Francisco on June 11 that made their record 28-37. In the 34 games since then, they have outscored their opponent, 205-151, an average of 6 to 4.4, while winning 20 and losing 14. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• GUYS WHO WERE CUBS AND SOX: 202 men have played for both the Cubs and White Sox. The most recent include Clint Frazier, Jake Marisnick, Billy Hamilton, Ryan Tepera, Craig Kimbrel, Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer.
• CUBS vs. SOX: Most HR, career: Aramis Ramirez (13). Most HR, career, current member of Cubs: Patrick Wisdom (5). Highest OPS, career, minimum 10 games: Ramirez (1.033, 13 games). Highest OPS, career, current member of Cubs, minimum 5 games: Wisdom (.984). Lowest ERA, career, minimum 40 innings: Jon Lieber (3.23, 47⅓ IP). Lowest ERA, career, current member of Cubs, minimum 20 innings: Kyle Hendricks (4.83, 59⅓ IP).
• SOX vs. CUBS: Most HR, career: Paul Konerko (20). Most HR, career, current member of Sox: Yasmani Grandal (6). Highest OPS, career, minimum 10 games: Jermaine Dye (1.090, 11 games). Highest OPS, career, current member of Sox, minimum 5 games: Grandal (1.194). Lowest ERA, career, minimum 40 innings: John Danks (3.27, 41⅓ innings). Lowest ERA, career, current member of Sox, minimum 20 innings: Dylan Cease (3.45, 28⅔ innings).

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

White Sox lineup:

Kyle Hendricks, RHP vs. Michael Kopech, RHP

Kyle Hendricks has basically pitched like the Kyle Hendricks of 2018-19 since his return this year — an occasional clunker with a few home runs, but otherwise looking very Professor-like.

His last game against the White Sox was May 4, 2022 at Wrigley Field, and it wasn’t great — four runs in 5⅔ innings — but a lot of those Sox aren’t on the team anymore.

Most of the current Sox are small sample sizes vs. Hendricks, but Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert have both homered twice off him. That’s the one thing that concerns me about this game. Keep the ball in the yard and it’ll be a good night for Kyle. (The ERA number listed above for Hendricks vs. the Sox is not encouraging, though.)

The White Sox had high hopes for Michael Kopech when they acquired him from Boston in the Chris Sale deal. And in fact, he was quite good in 2021 and 2022.

This year? Not so much, and the culprit has largely been walks. Kopech leads the A.L. in walks with 57 (5.6 per nine innings), so it’s time for Cubs hitters to be patient. This has been especially true over his last four starts: 6.28 ERA, 1.954 WHIP, 18 walks in 11⅓ innings.

Kopech’s only career start vs. the Cubs was May 3, 2022 at Wrigley Field. He threw four shutout innings, but was removed after 83 pitches. No current Cub has more than five career AB against him.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here. It’s also on NBC Sports Chicago with the Sox announcers.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox. If you do go there to interact with 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 2023 Game Thread procedure will be like last year’s, similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.

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, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.