MLB Baseball
2026-08-19 - Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : Major League Baseball
Wednesday 19th August 2026 - Scheduled 2:20pm EST
7:20pm (British Time)
Preview
It has been a long time since Chicago sent both teams to the Playoffs, but that is the ambition for the Cubs (74-53) and the White Sox (65-60). The Chicago Cubs have moved back to 4.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central having won both games in this three games set against the White Sox, but they are firmly in control of a spot in the post-season through the Wild Card places.
The Chicago White Sox are now 4 games clear of the Minnesota Twins at the top of the American League Central in what has been a season of overachievement. After dropping both games at Wrigley Field, the White Sox have won half of the last eight games played, which has offered some encouragement to Divisional rivals still hoping to chase them down.
On Wednesday, the Chicago White Sox are expected to go with a long reliever to take over the opener Sean Newcomb.
This is expected to be Jose Urquidy who arrived in a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates having had little success out of the bullpen. There is no doubting this pitcher has something to prove, but Urquidy will take confidence from having restricted the Detroit Tigers to three runs in a little under 4 completed Innings in his first appearance for the Chicago White Sox.
It was an appearance through the 2nd to 5th Inning and Jose Urquidy picked up the decision win, while Sean Newcomb has been solid as a reliever and started a couple of times this season.
The Chicago Cubs will counter with Clay Holmes who is a pitcher that arrived in a trade from the slumping New York Mets having missed considerable playing time in the Major League as he recovered from a serious leg injury. Before arriving in Chicago, Holmes had been building up his time on the mound in the Minor Leagues and the veteran bullpen presence showed he can move into a starter role in 2025.
Clay Holmes had a 4-4 record and 2.59 ERA in nine starts for the New York Mets before being placed on the Disabled List in the middle of May. He is about to make his third start for the Cubs and Clay Holmes should take great heart from the way he managed himself in his second start.
The debut ended with four runs allowed in 4 Innings thrown, but Clay Holmes pitched into the 7th Inning and kept the St Louis Cardinals off the scoreboard last time out.
He also heads into this game knowing he has a 0-0 record and 0.71 ERA in eight appearances against the White Sox, although Clay Holmes has only started once in that time.
Five games have been played between the inter-League rivals and the Cubs have moved ahead with three wins to the White Sox two.
Prediction
The last three games between these two Playoff chasing teams have been competitive, including both this week which have been decided in the late Innings.
However, Clay Holmes looks capable of setting a stronger platform than the bullpen approach that is going to be taken by the Chicago White Sox and that may allow the Chicago Cubs to make the big hits to edge another one against the City rivals.
The Pick :
Chicago Cubs 6-3 Chicago White Sox
