Coming off their best offensive series of the season, the Chicago Cubs will try to continue their hot hitting against the majors’ worst pitching staff when they host the Chicago White Sox for the first of a three-game series Friday. The Cubs scored 31 runs in a three-game sweep of visiting Miami earlier this week following a five-game skid during when they totaled 14 runs.
The White Sox have a league-worst staff ERA of 5.25, and they haven’t been much better at the plate, ranking 28th among 30 teams with 136 runs scored. They’ve lost nine of their last 10 and have the worst record in the majors at 9-25, but the Crosstown Cup series will bring out their best effort. "You want to be the best in the city," White Sox reliever Nate Jones told reporters. "I'm looking forward for the guys that it's their first time for this series, to see their reactions to what the crowd is like. They are always into it, that's for sure." The Cubs won three of four meetings last season after the teams had split the season series the previous two years.
TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WGN (White Sox), NBCS Chicago (Cubs)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Carson Fulmer (2-2, 5.02 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Tyler Chatwood (2-3, 3.31)
Fulmer put together back-to-back strong outings against Seattle and Kansas City before getting hit hard in his last start against Minnesota. The 24-year-old surrendered four home runs and was charged with five runs (four earned) in 3 2/3 innings in a loss. Fulmer’s only appearance against the Cubs was in relief in 2016, when he allowed four runs and recorded just one out.
Chatwood continues to fight command issues, as he has walked 27 batters in 32 2/3 innings, including five last time out at St. Louis. The 28-year-old has been able to work around the free passes, for the most part, by limiting solid contact and racking up 32 strikeouts. Chatwood is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two starts against the White Sox.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant has nine extra-base hits in his last nine games, including four home runs.
2. White Sox 3B/DH Matt Davidson has drawn 19 walks, matching his total in 443 plate appearances last season.
3. Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo is 11-for-31 with four homers and 10 RBIs in seven games in May after recording only one home run and nine RBIs in his previous 18 games.