Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at White Sox (3:10 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

The Cubs obviously have a LOT going on right now (and you can read our thoughts on all of it here, here, here, here, and here), but there is also still a game to play, so for right now, we’ll focus on that.

And, hey, the White Sox are in town. Or the Cubs are in town? The Cubs and White Sox are both in town and plan on playing each other! The Cubs, of course, are playing to reduce their magic number down to 7, inch closer to their third straight NL Central title, and achieve a win total of at least 90 games for the fourth consecutive season for the first time in over a century. The White Sox are playing for … the Crosstown Cup? Does that still exist?

Jose Quintana is getting a chance to face his former team for the first time in his career, and I hope he reminds them why the Cubs gave them Eloy Jimenez in the first place. Meanwhile, Reynaldo Lopez takes the ball for the White Sox after four consecutive stellar starts:

9/15 (@BAL): 7.0 IP, 4H, 0ER, 1BB, 6Ks
9/09 (LAA): 6.0 IP, 2H, 0ER, 3BB, 10Ks
9/03 (DET): 7.0 IP, 4H, 1ER, 0BB, 6Ks
8/29 (@NYY): 7.0 IP, 4H, 1ER, 2BB, 6Ks

The Orioles, Angels, and Tigers are far from the most dangerous teams, but the Yankees are legitimately good and four straight excellent starts is still difficult to pull off. I mean, we’re talking about 28 strikeouts and 6 walks in 27 innings pitched. Dude has been good. And he’s even gotten a TON of weak contact during this stretch.

The only thing I can really spot is his inability to keep the ball on the ground. So if the Cubs can somehow tag him for a few more hard hit balls, they can exploit that elevated fly ball rate and land some beyond the outfield wall.

Game Info

Chicago Cubs (89-63) at Chicago White Sox (60-92) – Friday, September 21st at 3:10 CT on CSNC, 670 The Score

Game Thread and Series Preview

Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun today.

Starting Pitchers

Cubs: Jose Quintana (L): 3.95 ERA, 4.50 FIP; 2.09 K/BB

versus

White Sox: Reynaldo Lopez (R): 4.05 ERA, 4.72 FIP; 1.97 K/BB

Chicago White Sox Lineup:

1. Tim Anderson, SS
2. Rondon, 3B
3. Avisail Garcia, RF
4. Davidson, 1B
5. Wellington Castillo, C
6. Smith, SH
7. Yoan Moncada, 2B
8. Lamarre, LF
9. Adam Engel, CF
10. Reynaldo Lopez, P

Chicago Cubs Lineup:

1. Daniel Murphy, 2B
2. Kris Bryant, 3B
3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B
4. Javy Baez, SS
5. Ben Zobrist, LF
6. Jason Heyward, RF
7. Victor Caratini, C
8. Kyle Schwarber, DH
9. Albert Almora, CF