<p>The Cubs and White Sox are both already in the playoffs, but they'll still play for seeding when they meet for a three-game Windy City series starting Friday night on the South Side. Both teams are suffering from a mild case of clinch hangover; the Cubs come in lugging a three-game losing skid, the White Sox a five-game slide. How are we playing this game for our free MLB pick?
</p>
<h2>MLB Betting Odds</h2>
<p>Friday's <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/odds&quot; title="Compare MLB Odds">MLB betting odds</a> opened the Cubs at around -145 over the White Sox, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. Early betting action then bumped that line to -150.
</p>
<p>The Cubs could also be found at around +105, giving the run and a half on the MLB betting run line.
</p>
<h2>Cubs vs. White Sox Set-Up </h2>
<p>The Cubs just lost the last three games of a four-game series in Pittsburgh, falling Thursday 7-0. Just before that, they lost two of three games to Minnesota. So the Cubbies are only 1-5 over their last six games.
</p>
<p>At 32-25 overall, the Cubs lead the NL Central by 2.5 games over second-place St. Louis, but they're also two games behind Atlanta in the battle for the No. 2 seed in the upcoming National League playoffs.
</p>
<p>The White Sox, meanwhile, just got swept four games in Cleveland, losing Thursday 5-4. Just before that, the ChiSox lost two of three games at Cincinnati. So the Sox lug a five-game losing skid into Friday.
</p>
<p>At 34-23, the White Sox now trail the first-place Twins by one game in the AL Central, and they're only one game ahead of the third-place Indians.
</p>
<p>The ChiSox lead the season series with the Cubs two games to one.
</p>
<h2>Friday's Starting Arms </h2>
<p>This pitching match-up is a rematch of a game played one month ago at Wrigley Field, a 2-1 Cubs victory.
</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/255778&quot; title="Dylan Cease Pitching Logs">Cease is 4/11 on quality starts</a> this season, but 0 for his last five. Last Sunday, he gave up three runs on zero hits – yea, zero hits – but seven walks (!) through just three innings of a 7-3 ChiSox loss to Cincinnati. And over his last five starts, he's allowed ten runs on 15 hits and 20 walks (!) through just 22 innings.
</p>
<p>The White Sox are 6-5 with Cease this season, but only 2-3 over his last five starts.</p>
<p>In his only career start against the Cubs, one month ago, Cease allowed just two runs on four hits and three walks through six innings, although the ChiSox lost that game 2-1.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/40264&quot; title="Yu Darvish Pitching Logs">Darvish is a very solid 9/11 on quality starts</a> this season, although he's been a touch spotty as of late.<br />
Last Sunday, he gave up four runs and nine hits through six innings of a 4-0 Cubs loss to Minnesota. And over his last three starts, he's allowed nine runs and 20 hits through 19 innings, although he's also struck out 25 over that span.</p>
<p>The Cubs are 8-3 with Darvish this season, but only 1-2 over his last three starts.</p>
<p>In his one start, this season against the White Sox, Darvish allowed just one run and six hits through seven innings, with one walk and ten whiffs, in that 2-1 Cubs win.
</p>
<p><section></p>
<ul>
<li>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/matchup/1266045">Cubs vs. White Sox Matchup Stats</a> </span>
</li>
</ul>
<p></section></p>
<h2>Friday's Batting Splits </h2>
<p>The Cubs are batting .227 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .318 team OBP and a .405 team slugging percentage. The Cubbies have also scored a total of just 13 runs over their last eight games. And this lineup could be without Ian Happ and Kris Bryant, who are listed as questionable for Friday with injuries.
</p>
<p>The White Sox are batting .256/.316/.437 vs. RH pitching this season.
</p>
<h2>The Bullpens </h2>
<p>The Cubs bullpen owns a 4.18 ERA this season and a 1.30 WHIP.
</p>
<p>The ChiSox pen owns a 3.82 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.
</p>
<h2>MLB Betting Trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>The Cubs are 15-12 on the road this season.</li>
<li>The White Sox are 17-10 at home this season.</li>
<li>The Cubs are 25-21 against right-handed starters this season.</li>
<li>The White Sox are 21-23 vs. RH starters this season.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Totals Report </h2>
<ul>
<li>Unders are 30-26 in Cubs games this season.</li>
<li>Unders are 31-24 in White Sox games this season.</li>
<li>Unders are 14-11 in games played at Guaranteed Rate Field this season.</li>
</ul>