Stats Check: How Cubs & White Sox Compare Heading Into Crosstown Classic

For the first time in a long time, it feels like the Crosstown Classic crown is up for grabs.

While the Chicago Cubs have dominated in recent years and remain among the MLB's best squads in 2026, the last week has been anything but smooth sailing. After the team's second ten-game winning streak of the year, an ice-cold bucket of Lake Michigan water was dumped all over the team's offense.

To the Cubs' credit, they were able to snap their four-game skid thanks to an impressive pitching performance on Thursday night. But does that mean they are prepared to take on one of the hottest teams in baseball? Did I really just describe the White Sox in that way?

Very much unlike their North Side foe, the Sox will enter Friday night's series on a five-game winning streak. They have been playing some extremely well-rounded baseball, receiving big-time contributions from across the roster. In fact, it was the recently signed Randal Grichuk who led them to the latest victory, which also put them above .500.

Are the Cubs and White Sox still on two very different timelines? Of course, and we need to look no further than their vast disparity in run differential. Chicago sits at +43, which is the fifth-highest mark in the Majors. Meanwhile, the Sox are still playing catch-up with a -8 mark that sits in the middle of the pack.

With that in mind, it will come as no surprise if the Cubbies flip a switch on South Side and do their typical "big brother" routine. But what the Sox have done lately shouldn't be ignored, as it's set up what could be the most competitive Crosstown Classic in a long time.

Before the festivities begin, let's take a look at how the two teams have compared through the first month and a half of the season. The Cubs may have the Sox beat in most categories, but there are some tighter margins in a few key departments that could end up deciding this series.

Team Hitting Stats

	Cubs	White Sox
Hits	363 (9th)	329 (26th)
Runs	220 (4th)	189 (15th)
HRs	53 (7th)	56 (5th)
BBs	204 (1st)	167 (12th)
SO	357 (19th)	400 (6th)
AVG	.244 (10th)	.233 (22nd)
OPS	.743 (5th)	.721 (9th)
wRC+	114 (4th)	102 (11th)
RISP AVG	.235 (23rd)	.219 (28th)

While the White Sox have been a far better contact-hitting team as of late, their bread-and-butter remains in the power department. Thanks largely to Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montgomery, the Sox have hit the fifth-most home runs this season. This has forced many opponents to approach them with an abundance of caution, thus helping bolster their walk numbers and OPS.

The good news for the Cubs, however, is that the Sox have struggled to do a whole lot when runners reach the bag. The Sox have hit a mere 28th with runners in scoring position, as this young group has still struggled to play situational baseball at times. The bad news for the Cubs? They have also stunk with runners in scoring position, especially over the last handful of games.

In other words, as simple as it may sound, whoever can focus more on efficiently putting the ball in play will win this series. Both are going to send a few out of the park, so who can out discipline who?

Team Pitching Stats

	Cubs	White Sox
ERA	3.77 (10th)	4.22 (18th)
SO	362 (19th)	342 (22nd)
BB	132 (27th)	175 (6th)
HR	54 (5th)	45 (13th)
HB	13 (26th)	25 (5th)
SV	10 (18th)	15 (3rd)
WHIP	1.19 (5th)	1.35 (19th)

The White Sox' 4.22 ERA this season doesn't tell the whole story. They have been weighed down heavily by a rough start and have done a much better job on the mound in recent weeks. Not only have their starters settled in nicely, but manager Will Venable has found some more reliable arms in the bullpen. Speaking of which, while veteran closer Seranthony Dominguez has been far from perfect, he does rank fifth in total saves this season.

Still, this Sox' arms have been prone to walking batters. This could be great news for a Cubs team that is among the most patient at the plate. They very rarely swing at the first pitch and hold only a 28.2 percent chase rate. Likewise, the Cubs' pitchers have been very good at limiting their own walks and forcing batters to swing at pitches in the zone. Could their tendency to throw strikes be a little worrisome against this hard-hitting Sox lineup? Perhaps, but they also have two of their best off-speed starters on the mound to start the series. That should work in their favor.

Last 15 Days

	Cubs (13 games)	White Sox (12 games)
Hits	84 (28th)	99 (10th)
Runs	51 (16th)	60 (5th)
HRs	11 (18th)	18 (3rd)
BBs	63 (2nd)	44 (9th)
SO	100 (18th)	110 (8th)
AVG	.202 (28th)	.256 (5th)
OPS	.650 (23rd)	.779 (3rd)
ERA	3.29 (9th)	3.51 (13th)
WHIP	1.19 (13th)	1.18 (12th)

SHEILD YOUR EYES, CUBS FANS!

There is no way around it: The White Sox have been a significantly better team over the last couple of weeks. The Cubs' offensive numbers have been downright dreadful, as the team has mustered just a .202 batting average with 100 strikeouts in 13 games. Their Top 5 OPS has dropped to 23rd, as typically reliable top-of-order guys like Nico Hoerner and Moises Ballesteros have been two of the coldest batters in the league.

On the bright side, the Cubs' depleted rotation and bullpen have somehow continued to hold their own. Their team ERA has been a very solid 9th and has consistently given this group a chance to pull things out.

Nevertheless, there couldn't be a worse time to catch the Sox. Their hitting has been contagious, as even guys like Drew Romo, Derek Hill, and Jarred Kelenic have found ways to come up in big spots. The Cubs are going to have to cross their fingers that this is finally the weekend that some of these supporting cast members finally come back down to earth.

Starting Pitching Matchups

May 9, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Edward Cabrera (30) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Game 1
Cubs – Edward Cabrera (3-1, 3.88 ERA, 43 SO)
White Sox – Sean Burke (2-3, 3.68 ERA, 36 SO)

Both Edward Cabrera and Sean Burke are coming off some brutal outings. The Cubs' big offseason target gave up a season-high five earned runs in his last outing against the Rangers. He's also now given up at least three earned runs in six-straight outings. Some of his stuff just hasn't been as crisp, and it's allowed teams to connect for plenty of hard contact. That's a concern against this Sox lineup.

As for Sean Burke, he was dynamite for several starts before giving up six earned runs to the Mariners in his last start. And this included two long balls. With that said, his walk rate has been fantastic this season, which bodes well against a Cubs team that loves to draw some long at-bats.

Game 2
Cubs – Jameson Taillon (2-2, 3.94 ERA, 40 SO)
White Sox – Davis Martin (5-1, 1.62 ERA, 52 SO)

Jameson Taillon has been very consistent over his last couple of starts and has been very good at limiting damage with his breaking ball. With that said, he isn't someone the Cubs have seen go too far into games. The Cubs will need Cabrera to have a strong outing in Game 1 so their bullpen isn't too gassed when they inevitably enter after about 5.0 innings pitched.

Nevertheless, the White Sox will have the upper hand. Davis Martin has been nails to begin the year with this third-best ERA in baseball. The Sox' most versatile arm, he has been able to attack lineups in a handful of ways and thus go deep into several outings. There isn't necessarily one thing he does better than anyone else, but the balance to his game has been a real difference-maker.

Game 3
Cubs – Colin Rea (4-2, 4.68 ERA, 36 SO)
White Sox – Erick Fedde (0-4, 3.77 ERA, 26 SO)

Ah, the battle of two guys who will likely lose their spot in the rotation at some point in the near future! Both Colin Rea and Erick Fedde have done their job to start the year, but no one will be surprised if this is the game where we see the most offensive action. Each allows plenty of contact and relies on their defense to make things happen. And the Cubs surely have the better unit on that side of the ball

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Team Hitting Stats

Cubs

White Sox

Hits

Runs

HRs

BBs

SO

AVG

OPS

wRC+

RISP AVG