Chicagoans will be choosing sides.

Blue versus black north versus south Cubs versus socks for only the second time in 18 years.

Chicago's rival baseball teams will face off in a crosstown Classic in which both squads boost winning records.

The Cubs into Monday's game with a better record at 72 winds and 53 losses but must fend off a hot first-place White Sox team coming off an impressive sweep against division rival Detroit.

So joining us to preview the series are Mike Mulligan of 1, 0, for 3 to score.

And Jesse Rogers, a reporter for ESPN covering the MLB and the Chicago Cubs.

Welcome both of you.

Thanks for joining us.

Okay.

So an exciting time to be a Chicago baseball fan because a lot of times this part of the year, everybody's just talking about bears preseason.

but this year is different.

The White Sox just swept the second place.

Tigers, putting them a 5 and a half games up 6 games up on Minnesota and Cleveland mic over to you first.

How surprised are you that the White Sox not only first place, but they're that far ahead.

This late in the season.

>> Well, honestly, things could have gone different way Detroit.

It was their lead in the division was down the 2 and a half games we were talking Friday about the possibility that the Sox could be going to Wrigley Field no longer in first place.

And that just steered you.

That was by far their most important their best.

Probably series performance certainly on the road that we've seen this year.

And the Sox just have this.

Resiliency.

I think this season has been a shocker.

And this is a team.

It went through 3 years losing 100 plus games, including 121 the worst season MLB history.

2 years ago.

So incredible that they're in charge of the division.

we just had this statement series.

Yeah, that's a pretty big turnaround.

Jesse.

The Cubs are coming off of a rough couple of losses against St.

Louis.

Actually.

>> They have a better record than the Sox, but they're in a tough division, right?

5 games behind Milwaukee.

Just how good are the Cubs this year?

>> Well, they're very good.

They're they're well-rounded team.

They pretty much have strengths in all areas of the game.

They just suffered an injury at shortstop Dansby Swanson is going to be out for a while.

But they have enough to overcome.

There is deep as they been 10 years.

They have enough pitching.

They play good defense.

They have just enough power.

I think in a good length.

The lineup like there's a lot of good things about the Cubs.

They're very good.

It remains to be seen if they're great.

The playoffs will determine if the Cubs are a great team.

That's what's the separator right now because they made the playoffs last year.

It's not good enough just to make it.

They've the highest payroll in the division by far.

So we will find out over the next 8 to 10 just how good they Losing Swanson's going to hurt for a while, but he should be back before the postseason.

And if they can catch Milwaukee all the better because that will give them a first-round first-round bye in the playoffs.

And that's always much needed at the end of a long season.

>> And Jessie mentioned Dansby Swanson.

You broke that story this afternoon.

How will that impact the teen?

>> Well, it's a lost defensively.

That's the big thing.

He was batting 8th 9008th in the lineup they can overcome.

I think offensively.

You know what they need to do.

Page Ramirez is a good looking rookie that's going to play second base now.

Nico Hoerner will move over to short Nikos a fine infielder.

He can handle it.

But it is a loss because this is one of the best shortstops in the league in, you know, any time you're deep and then you lose a guy and you come become a little bit thinner.

There you start to worry.

What if there's another injury?

So they can overcome it just got to be careful that that, you know, not something else doesn't pop up and the and the fact matter is he is a Gold Glove caliber defender.

So you will lose something there.

But at least they have really good players to over is sort of fill in for him until he gets back.

>> Mike will, which team would you say has more at stake in tonight's 3 game series?

>> had argument about there this morning.

I feel one of 19 games over 500.

I get it.

They still trail Milwaukee.

But think you get them to.

I don't know.

3 and a half game.

Something like that.

They still play them straight up 7 times.

That's that's in the suit.

Strike ratio for them.

I feel it.

The White Sox just given where they've been where they're at.

They need more you know they're they're 39 games in the left left this season, their magic number.

36, not like they have some, you that they're the class of the Yale Central.

Don't get me wrong.

But I like I said, they had a really good weekend.

So they probably look a little better that they really are.

They just got to keep trying to churn it out.

>> Just how important would you say it is to be a division winner as opposed to being a wild-card team, right?

Like how much more of an advantage could that be for the And could it be a disadvantage for the Cubs?

>> Yeah, I mean, I think so.

It's not like wild-card teams haven't won the World Series.

I mean, there's different formulas in October that work.

But if you want to set up your pitching staff having that by is so much better, you get a few days off.

You can line up your top pitchers for the next series.

Meanwhile, the team you're going to play is playing in a wild card round.

They're using up their pitching.

So I I think it's huge.

It's not necessarily going you know, crushed the Cubs if they don't get the bye.

But it just gives the Sox such an advantage to have once.

That's the way I look at it.

more of a plus than anything.

But then then a negative on the other in my world.

I think you can win either way.

But man, setting up your staff of giving a few days off to those pictures is huge.

>> Mike, what would you say?

Been the keys to success of each team?

>> Well, I think that the Cubs are a great defensive team.

You know field, they're built to be a great defensive team.

And we see that over and over again.

You know, PCA has had MVP type season.

Pete and he's just been sensational all year long.

And he's been carrying this team for stretches.

They now increased their pitching I don't know how exactly the hierarchy will work come playoff time.

and they went out and got some great pitching the Sox of power.

The Sox, you know, they they they went out got normally talk economy from Japan, who, by the way, I believe is face showed even aka 6 times and to pander 6 homers against them into tents.

I'm like that's so here's hoping.

you know, they've just got unbelievable vibe with all these young guys.

And it's just been a ton of fun to watch them.

Find success through that.

>> Jesse, what do you think?

Some of the possible downfalls of these 2 teams could in the final 6 weeks of the season?

>> Well, the funny thing is I actually think the Sox built better for the postseason, especially left-handed power is really important.

You face mostly righties.

They need to run into some home runs.

They've proven that for a long time.

Now.

That's why they have so many come from behind wins because they can get into the late innings.

And also on the left hander comes up because there's so many good ones and he hits a home run and they've a veteran bullpen, even though it's a young team, they've a veteran pope and the White Sox.

So their formula actually works for the stretch run and the playoffs, even if they're not as strong in the starting staff inexperienced would be the one thing.

The white with the White Sox in general, just, you know, other than that bullpen, it's an inexperienced group.

It's playoffs are a different story.

But I actually think they're fine for the for the rest of this regular season.

They proven a lot, especially this past weekend.

The Cubs, you know, I think they're great for the regular season.

They may not be as built for the playoffs.

They don't have that kind.

A left-handed slugger outside of PCA that that White Sox have.

They don't have that veteran bullpen necessarily.

They've had a lot of injuries, though, guys, like Jacob Webb of stepped up.

If defense matters in the playoffs and sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

That's where the Cubs can win.

tight playoff series.

But if it comes down to just a few home runs for each team, I don't like the Cubs as much as I like some of the potential opponents down the stretch in the playoffs.

Look, hopefully they can sort make it something make it about something else making about.

So getting the starter out after a lot of pitches racking up hits a link, the lineup and that could be the difference for the cops.

All right.

Just a couple seconds left gentleman who wants to predict the Cubs Sox Crosstown World Series.

>> I hope I don't think they're going to play in the World Series.

That would be great, especially if they made to take the red light.

But got up 2, goal safe for the Cubs missed.

right.

I'll our Pete what Craig Counsell said when someone asked him about that today.

Sign me up.

>> World Series.

I think the entire city of Chicago would would would take That is where