Chicago Cubs vs Boston Red Sox

Chicago arrives at Fenway with the stronger offense and the better overall record. The Cubs are 88-71 and have averaged 5.29 runs per game, with Pete Crow-Armstrong carrying a .302 average and 12 home runs over his last 25 games. Chicago is also 42-36 away from home. Boston is 85-74 but has managed only 4.28 runs per game, and the slump has deepened: two wins in six games and 1.5 runs per game over the last week. Willson Contreras, the club's home-run and RBI leader, is unavailable. Brayan Bello is the main counterweight after two sharp recent starts, including eight innings with one earned run, and Boston's staff has the lower season ERA. David Peterson has also settled down in his last two outings, though traffic on the bases remains a concern. Cool, gusty, rainy conditions add uncertainty, but Chicago's lineup edge is the clearer separator.