Lester expected to start as Cubs host the White Sox

Published

Chicago White Sox (35-36, third in the AL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (39-33, second in the AL Central)

Chicago; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: White Sox: Lucas Giolito (10-1, 2.22 ERA, .95 WHIP, 95 strikeouts) Cubs: Jon Lester (5-5, 4.08 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 69 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Cubs are 24-12 on their home turf. They have a collective on-base percentage of .331, good for third in the National League. Kris Bryant leads the team with a mark of .392.

The White Sox are 15-19 on the road. They have slugged .404 this season. Jose Abreu leads the team with a .516 slugging percentage, including 36 extra-base hits and 17 home runs. The White Sox won the last meeting 3-1. Evan Marshall earned his third victory and Eloy Jimenez went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for Chicago. Pedro Strop registered his third loss for Chicago.

TOP PERFORMERS: Javier Baez leads the Cubs with 81 hits and is batting .282. Kyle Schwarber is 10-for-38 with two doubles, five home runs and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Chicago.

Abreu leads the White Sox with 17 home runs home runs and is slugging .516. Jimenez has 13 hits and is batting .361 over the last 10 games for Chicago.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 4-6, .236 batting average, 4.24 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs

White Sox: 6-4, .260 batting average, 4.96 ERA, outscored by six runs

Cubs Injuries: Allen Webster: 60-day IL (hand), Brandon Morrow: 60-day IL (elbow), Kyle Hendricks: 10-day IL (shoulder), Kendall Graveman: 60-day IL (elbow), Carl Edwards Jr.: 10-day IL (shoulder), Xavier Cedeno: 10-day IL (wrist), Tony Barnette: 60-day IL (shoulder).

White Sox Injuries: Carlos Rodon: 60-day IL (elbow), Michael Kopech: 60-day IL (elbow), Nate Jones: 60-day IL (elbow), Dylan Covey: 10-day IL (shoulder), Ryan Burr: 10-day IL (elbow), Jon Jay: 60-day IL (hip), Yoan Moncada: day-to-day (back), Welington Castillo: 10-day IL (oblique).