Cubs at White Sox Picks and Prediction for Sunday, May 17, 2026
Use Code WWWC Chicago North (29-17) will look to clinch the Crosstown Classic series when they wrap up a three-game set against Chicago South (23-22) at Rate Field on Sunday afternoon at 2:10 PM ET. Read on to find out which team picks up the win in this Cubs vs. White Sox prediction. Don't go down on strikes! Get our top MLB Predictions and increase your bankroll!
Colin Rea, 4-2, 4.68 ERA, will get the start for the Cubs. The White Sox will counter with Erick Fedde, 0-4, 3.77 ERA. .
Cubs Looking To Clinch The Series And Get Back On Track
The Cubs avoided a sweep at Atlanta by winning the finale before heading to Rate Field for this weekend's Crosstown Classic. Their offense had been scuffling badly, scoring just five runs over five games including back-to-back shutouts in Texas, before erupting in Friday's series opener for ten runs on 14 hits. A series win on Sunday would be a timely confidence boost heading into a critical week against Milwaukee.
The Cubs have won 13 of the last 15 meetings between these two teams, and their roster remains among the deepest in the National League. Chicago's pitching staff has a 3.80 ERA and a .229 batting average against that ranks ninth in baseball.
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Ian Happ leads the Cubs with 34 hits and a .376 on-base percentage, while Pete Crow-Armstrong has emerged as a power threat in the middle of the order and Seiya Suzuki returned from an 0-for-17 slump with a clutch RBI single in the series opener.
Rea fills in for injured starter Cade Horton and carries a 4-2 record with a 4.68 ERA and 1.417 WHIP. His Statcast hard-hit rate of 46.6% and average exit velocity of 92.1 mph against suggest he has been fortunate to maintain a winning record, and a White Sox lineup loaded with left-handed power could expose him if he doesn't have his command working.
White Sox Looking To Win The Crosstown Classic
The White Sox have been one of the surprise stories of the 2026 season. Second-year manager Will Venable has his team above .500 after a recent hot streak, and the South Siders' offense has made a remarkable turnaround from one of the worst in baseball a year ago to a .721 team OPS that ranks in the top 10.
Munetaka Murakami has been a revelation in his first MLB season with 15 home runs and a .904 OPS, while shortstop Colson Montgomery is off to a terrific start with 11 long balls and 29 RBI. The White Sox improved to 6-2 on their nine-game homestand heading into Sunday, with Murakami, Montgomery, Miguel Vargas and Andrew Benintendi all connecting for home runs on Saturday.
Davis Martin has unexpectedly become the ace of the staff with a 1.62 ERA and 52 strikeouts in eight starts, but the bullpen has been more problematic with a 4.46 ERA that ranks 22nd in MLB.
Fedde enters Sunday still winless on the season despite a respectable 3.77 ERA, but his 6.04 FIP tells a very different story, suggesting that his ERA has significantly outpaced his underlying performance and that regression may be coming. The White Sox are just 4-8 against teams currently over .500 this season, and squaring off against the NL Central leaders in a rubber match is their biggest test of the year so far.
Cubs vs. White Sox Picks
Money Line Pick for Cubs vs. White Sox
- Chicago Cubs ML (4 Units)
The Cubs get the edge here because their overall roster depth and bullpen quality give them a significant advantage in a rubber game. The Cubs have dominated this rivalry, winning 13 of the last 15 meetings, and even though this White Sox team is clearly better than recent years, they are just 4-8 against teams over .500 this season. Fedde's 6.04 FIP is a massive red flag for a pitcher who has been getting by on weak contact and good fortune. A Cubs lineup that erupted for 14 hits on Friday and still carries dangerous bats throughout the order should be able to crack him open early. Rea has a 4.24 FIP that is more in line with his track record as a capable innings-eater, giving the Cubs a better chance of getting a quality start than Fedde's underlying numbers suggest. With Chicago's superior bullpen bridging the late innings, take the Cubs on the money line.
Over/Under Pick for Cubs vs. White Sox
- Over 8.5 (4 Units)
Both starting pitchers have significant vulnerabilities, Rea's 1.417 WHIP and Fedde's 6.04 FIP paint a picture of two starters prone to giving up baserunners and hard contact. The White Sox home run hitters — Murakami, Montgomery, Vargas — give them the pop to score in bunches, and the Cubs offense just showed on Friday that it can erupt without warning after days of quiet. The White Sox hit five home runs in Saturday's 8-3 win, demonstrating that Rate Field is playing very live right now with right-handed hitters getting to left-handed and below-average pitching. With two leaky starters and two offenses capable of big innings, expect runs to come early and often in this South Side rubber match. Take the Over.
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