Hendricks gets the start for Cubs in series opener against Reds

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Cincinnati Reds (42-48, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (50-43, first in the NL Central)

Chicago; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Luis Castillo (8-3, 2.29 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 124 strikeouts) Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (7-7, 3.49 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 85 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: Chicago and Cincinnati meet to begin the three-game series.

The Cubs are 18-16 against the rest of their division. Chicago has hit 146 home runs this season, ninth in the National League. Javier Baez leads the club with 22, averaging one every 16.8 at-bats.

The Reds are 18-21 against NL Central Division teams. The Cincinnati pitching staff as a whole has an ERA of 3.88. Luis Castillo leads the team with a 2.38 earned run average.

TOP PERFORMERS: Baez leads the Cubs with 49 extra base hits and is batting .289. Kris Bryant is 14-for-36 with six doubles, two home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games for Chicago.

Yasiel Puig leads the Reds with 21 home runs home runs and is slugging .502. Eugenio Suarez is 10-for-39 with a double, a triple, five home runs and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Cincinnati.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 5-5, .290 batting average, 5.46 ERA, outscored opponents by one run

Reds: 5-5, .271 batting average, 5.30 ERA, outscored by four runs

Cubs Injuries: Allen Webster: 60-day IL (hand), Brandon Morrow: 60-day IL (elbow), Cole Hamels: 10-day IL (oblique), Kendall Graveman: 60-day IL (elbow), Carl Edwards Jr.: 10-day IL (shoulder), Xavier Cedeno: 10-day IL (wrist), Willson Contreras: day-to-day (right foot soreness).

Reds Injuries: Alex Wood: 60-day IL (back), Amir Garrett: 10-day IL (lat), Jesse Winker: day-to-day (undisclosed), Yasiel Puig: day-to-day (knee soreness), Tucker Barnhart: 10-day IL (oblique).