A quick two-game set between crosstown rivals will be front and center of the baseball universe on Tuesday as the fellow south siders in the Chicago White Sox will travel to Wrigley Field to battle it out with the Chicago Cubs. Don't miss out on this one, as it is time to take a look at our MLB odds series, where our White Sox-Cubs prediction and pick will be revealed.

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Currently sitting at 9-13 and 2-7 on the road, the White Sox have stumbled their way into the 2022 season and have looked more like pretenders rather than contenders 22 games in. While the instability has certainly been an issue, hard-throwing righty Michael Kopech will get the start versus the Cubs in an attempt to string together some wins.

The same can be said about the Cubs, as they also possess an identical record of 9-13 on the season. The Cubs are coming off a 2-0 shutout victory against the Brewers after dropping three straight to their division rivals. LHP Drew Smyly will get the start in game one of this Windy City show down, as he has a 1-2 record with a 2.79 ERA this year.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the White Sox-Cubs odds.

MLB odds: White Sox-Cubs Odds

Chicago White Sox: -1.5 (+126)

Chicago Cubs: -1.5 (-152)

Over: 6.5 (-115)

Under: 6.5 (-105)

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Why the White Sox Could Cover the Spread

With both teams coming off shutout wins, it will be vital to each side that they get after the starting pitchers early and often. Offensively, the White Sox have struggled in numerous areas, whether it has been an absence of patience at the plate or even failing to make contact in the most dire situations. With OF Eloy Jimenez and 3B Yoan Moncado remaining sidelined due to injuries, the White Sox will need to find a way to generate some offense if they want a chance to cover the spread against the Cubs.

As a whole, the ‘Sox are only raking .219, and also have the fourth-fewest runs scored with 72. While they are most definitely lacking thanks to injuries within their lineup, names like SS Tim Anderson and DH Andrew Vaughn will need to pick up the slack for Chicago. Anderson is currently hitting .329, while Vaughn leads the club in home runs and RBIs with four and 12 to his name, respectively. With only 3.3 runs being scored on average, the White Sox may need a stellar pitching performance to come out triumphant in this one.

Introducing Michael Kopech, who has not wavered despite the insane amount of hype surrounding his young career. Finally appearing 100% healthy after missing most of the 2018-2020 seasons because of Tommy John Surgery and the COVID-19 pandemic, the 26-year-old with all of the talent in the world is finally here to prove himself.

Kopech has done just that so far, sporting a 1.42 ERA had done just that, as Kopech sports a 1.42 ERA and has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his outings. The former top prospect in baseball should serve as the biggest factor in how the White Sox perform at Wrigley this evening.

The White Sox are also 10-1 in their last 11 interleague games.

Why the Cubs Could Cover the Spread

Other than the fact that they are the home team and the White Sox have been horrendous out on the road, the Cubs will need to find a way to make Kopech work harder than he needs to in game one of this short series.

Unlike their crosstown foes, the Cubbies have been far more productive at the plate with 96 runs scored and the sixth-best batting average at .246. Additionally, the Cubs rank 12th with a .382 slugging percentage. While this Cubs lineup doesn't necessarily have star power, they possess the ability to string together hits, something that will be important on a day where the winds are supposed to play a factor at Wrigley.

The Cubs have only scored two or fewer runs in five of their last six games, so something needs to change if they want to cover the spread.

Can lefty Drew Smyly continue to leave the White Sox struggling at the dish? With wind supposedly expected to blow towards the hitters on Tuesday, Smyly should not have to worry about the ‘Sox taking one out of the park, especially since they have only hit 16 round-trippers on the season.

Last season, Smyly succumbed to his struggles with a 4.48 in 29 appearances, but thus far has demonstrated he is on track for improvement in his debut on the north side of Chicago.

Final White Sox-Cubs Prediction & Pick

Believe it or not, the White Sox absolutely rake against left-handed pitching. Second in all of baseball in batting average against lefties as well as slugging, Chicago has a chance to inflict some hurt upon Smyly.

Kopech presents a tough challenge for Cubs hitters, too, as the flamethrower rarely allows the opposition to spank the ball for extra bases. If the bullpen can do its job down the stretch, then expect the White Sox to come out on top.

Final White Sox-Cubs Pick: White Sox -1.5 (+126)