The Chicago Cubs are set as favorites on the run line in their cross-town rivalry series against the Chicago White Sox, with the White Sox bullpen facing depleted availability.
Despite leading the American League Central and holding a record above .500, the White Sox enter the second game of the series with bullpen arms unavailable after extensive use in the previous contest. Manager Will Venable was notably forced to remove his starting pitcher in the first inning of the previous game due to a forgotten rule, a situation described as an "inexplicable blunder."
Tonight, the White Sox will send Bryan Hudson to the mound. Hudson typically operates as an opener and is not expected to pitch more than one inning, as he has rarely exceeded that workload in his career. The team's bullpen, usually a strength, had four pitchers used in the prior game, with at least three potentially unavailable for the current matchup.
Conversely, the Chicago Cubs, who are 20 games over .500, are seeking to maintain their position in the postseason race. Their pitching staff has been bolstered by recent acquisitions, adding depth to their starting rotation.
Kevin Gausman is scheduled to start for the Cubs. His previous road starts have yielded mixed results. In one outing, he pitched seven innings and allowed four hits in a 6-4 win, while in another against the Nationals, he gave up six earned runs in 4.2 innings. White Sox hitters have struggled against Gausman, managing only seven hits in 41 at-bats.
The previous game saw an early lead for the Cubs via home runs from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki, which was later answered by a three-run shot from the White Sox's Randal Grichuk. The Cubs regained the lead with assistance from White Sox errors, but Chicago's Andrew Benintendi hit a go-ahead home run. The Cubs tied the game in the ninth and secured a walk-off victory in the tenth inning when Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a home run with the bases empty and first base open.