Alrighty, let's dive into our little chat here about the New York Yankees squaring off with the Chicago Cubs. Our showdown is set at the charming Wrigley Field, which, between you and me, slightly favors the guys on the mound, keeping that ball from flying all over the place.
On the rubber for New York, we've got Gerrit Cole strapping up his cleats. He's got a 3.73 ERA, and 13 appearances under his belt this season. Seems he enjoys striking folks out too, with a K/9 of 10.4. The Cubs will be battling his heat with Jameson Taillon. Similar ERA at 3.74, but a bit more stingy when it comes to base runners with a 1.19 WHIP. He's also a bit easier on the batter's pride with a K/9 of 7.0.
Let’s flip the page and look at the offensive strength, shall we? The Yankees have Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. leading the charge this season. Judge knows his way around the bases with 22 RBIs and 10 homers. But don’t overlook Chisholm Jr. He's got base-stealing down to an art with 9 thefts.
Over at the Cubs camp, Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong seem to be having a friendly competition over batting averages, both raising eyebrows with .318s.
In their recent face-offs, the Yankees managed to snag a couple wins, yet the Cubs aren't strangers to turning the tables against the Yankees. Recently though, the Yankees are looking a tad shaky off a couple losses in Texas, while the Cubs have been mopping up the competition.
Still, don't forget the number-crunching of this season's record: it shows the Yankees with the upper hand, 82-60, compared to the Cubs' rather modest 72-70.
Now, if we boil all this information down to its savory essence, the Yankees just have a touch sharper edge - especially given their recent victories over the Cubs and stronger season performance. The Cubs might put up a fight, but for today, my bet's on the pinstripes.
Albert’s Prediction: New York Yankees by 2