Chicago at Philadelphia

Christopher Sanchez can be highly effective, but it won't do the Phillies any good if their offense doesn't get better. Philadelphia is averaging 2.5 runs in its last eight games. Sanchez is off a rare bad outing, too. He surrendered four runs (two earned) on 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 loss at San Francisco this past Tuesday. The 11 hits were one short of a career high allowed by Sanchez. The Cubs came back from a five-run deficit to beat the Pirates, 7-6, on Sunday. That moved the Cubs to 7-8, the same record as the Phillies. Sanchez is 0-1 with a 10.38 ERA against the Cubs in two career outings against them, both in 2024. Javier Assad will make his second start of the season for Chicago. So far so good for Assad following a strong first outing six days ago, when he pitched 5.2 scoreless innings in a 9-2 victory at Tampa Bay. Assad gave up only one hit, an infield single, struck out three, and walked two. Take the Cubs.