MLB Picks: Cubs vs. White Sox Pick 9/26/20

Chicago Cubs (33-25) vs. Chicago White Sox (34-24), 9/26/20

Time: 7:10 pm ET Saturday, Sept. 26

Where: Guaranteed Rate Field

TV: CS Chicago

Listed Pitchers: Jon Lester (3-2, 4.40) vs. Dane Dunning (2-0, 3.19)

Moneyline: ChC +150/CWS -160 (BetOnline)(Awesome Live Betting Platform!)
Over/Under: 9

The Cubs can clinch a division title, while the White Sox are only one game out in their divisional race, heading into the middle game of this three-game Windy City series Saturday night down on the South Side. The Cubs were having trouble scoring runs as of late, then broke loose with a ten spot Friday night. And while the Sox are already in the playoffs, they’d like to snap their current six-game losing skid. Who do we like here for our free MLB pick?

MLB Betting Odds

Saturday’s MLB betting odds opened the White Sox and Dunning at around -145 over the Cubs and Lester, with an over/under of nine runs. Early betting action then goosed the Sox to -160.

The ChiSox could also be found getting around +125, giving the run and a half on the MLB run line.

Cubs vs. White Sox Set-Up

The Cubs grabbed the opener of this series Friday night 10-0. The Cubbies banged out five home runs Friday to back up seven scoreless innings from starter Yu Darvish in winning as -165 favorites on the MLB betting odds. The Cubs also covered against the run line at a price of -105.

Friday’s win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Cubs. They’re also just 2-5 over their last seven games. But at 33-25 overall, the Cubs lead the NL Central by three games over both St. Louis and Cincinnati, with a magic number of one to clinch the division title.

Meanwhile, Friday’s loss extended the White Sox losing streak to six games. But at 34-24 overall, the ChiSox are tied with Cleveland for second place in the AL Central, just one game behind division-leading Minnesota.

These teams have now split four meetings this season.

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Saturday’s Starting Arms

Rookie righty Dunning is 2/6 on quality starts this season and two for his last three. Monday, he got clipped by Cleveland for four runs and six hits through just four innings of a 7-4 Sox loss. But over his two starts previous to that, he allowed only two runs – one earned – on six hits through 13 innings.

On the season, the White Sox are 5-1 with Dunning.

This will be Dunning’s first-ever start against the Cubs, which could be to his advantage, at least for the first couple of times through the lineup.

Lefty Lester is 4/11 on quality starts this season but two for his last three. Monday, he held Pittsburgh scoreless on four hits through six innings of a 5-0 Cubs victory. And over his last three starts, he’s allowed just two runs and 11 hits through 17 innings.

On the season, the Cubs are 6-5 with Lester, 2-0 over his last two starts.

However, in his one start this season against the White Sox last month, Lester got bombed for eight runs and nine hits, including four homers, through just 3 2/3 innings of a 10-1 Cubs loss.

Saturday’s Batting Splits

The Cubs are batting .229 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .320 team OBP and a .412 team slugging percentage. This team had only scored a total of 13 runs over its previous eight games, until breaking out Friday night. This lineup could also be without a critical stick, with 3B Kris Bryant listed as questionable for Saturday with a strained oblique.

The White Sox are batting .282/.342/.527 vs. left-handed pitching this season. Numbers like those help this lineup rank among the top three in the Majors in this split.

The Bullpens

The Cubs bullpen owns a 4.14 ERA this season and a 1.29 WHIP.

The ChiSox pen owns a 3.87 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.

MLB Betting Trends

• The Cubs are 16-12 on the road this season.
• The White Sox are 17-11 at home this season.
• The Cubs are 26-21 against right-handed starters this season.
• The White Sox are a perfect 13-0 this season against left-handed starters.

Totals Report

• Unders are 30-27 in Cubs games this season.
• Unders are 31-25 in White Sox games this season.
• Unders are 14-12 in games played at Guaranteed Rate Field this season.
• Unders are a combined 9-7 when Dunning and Lester start this season.
• Overs are 3-1 in Cubs-White Sox games this season.

Free MLB Pick

We give the White Sox our handicapping check-marks in the pitching match-up, the splits with the sticks, and the bullpen comparison. And we’re sure the ChiSox would like to do away with their current losing skid in an attempt to build at least some momentum heading into next week’s playoffs. So we’re going with the White Sox for our free MLB pick for Saturday. And hey! Don’t forget to check out Ted Walker’s Chiefs/Ravens MNF pick!