Scouting report White Sox vs. Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field

Posted September 20, 2018 1:00 am

TV:

NBC Sports Chicago, WGN Friday and Saturday; NBC Sports Chicago, ABC 7 Sunday

Radio:

WGN 720-AM, WSCR 670-AM

Pitching matchups:

The Sox's Reynaldo Lopez (6-9) vs. Jose Quintana (13-10) Friday at 3:10 p.m.; Lucas Giolito (10-11) vs. Jon Lester (16-6) Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Carlos Rodon (6-6) vs. Kyle Hendricks (12-11) Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

About the White Sox:

This is their final homestand of the season. The Sox have lost five straight at Guaranteed Rate Field. The White Sox lost 2 of 3 to the Cubs at Wrigley Field in mid-May. They were outscored 19-6 in the two losses. Giolito beat the Cubs in the final game of the series, giving up 3 runs on 2 hits and 7 walks in 5⅔ innings. Lopez has been the Sox's best starter down the stretch. Over his last 4 outings, the 24-year-old righty is 2-0 with a 0.67 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 27 innings. Jose Abreu missed the three-game series at Cleveland after being briefly hospitalized with a right thigh infection. Abreu was also sidelined from Aug. 22-Sept. 9 after having testicular torsion surgery. The White Sox hope to have their all-star first baseman back in the lineup this weekend.

About the Cubs:

The Cubs finally got a day off Thursday, after going 30 straight days (29) games without a day away from the park. They hold a 2½-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central. The Cubs slipped to fifth in runs scored and to 11th in homers in the NL entering Thursday. They were first in batting average and on-base percentage while their ERA (3.65) was second in the league. MVP candidate Javier Baez has a line of .294/.329/.569 with 33 homers and 107 RBI. Ben Zobrist is in the hunt for the batting title, and his line is .312/.384/.452. Kyle Schwarber may see time at DH this weekend if his back has healed. He did not make the trip to Arizona. The Cubs are in Chicago for the rest of the regular season.

White Sox vs. Cleveland Indians at Guaranteed Rate Field, Monday-Wednesday; Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field, Monday-Thursday

- Scot Gregor, Bruce Miles

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