Crosstown Classic: Cubs and White Sox bring differing energies to Chicago rivalry this weekend

Why Russ Dorsey believes the Chicago Cubs will be winners at the trade deadline

What will the Chicago Cubs do at the trade deadline? Yahoo Sports' Russ Dorsey believes the Cubs will be a winner when it's all said and done.

It's a tale of two teams in Chicago.

One team is red-hot. They've scored 49 runs in six games and have won five of six games since returning from the MLB All-Star break.

The other team is 3-3 since the break, and are 1-3 in their last four games. 

The former is the Chicago White Sox. The latter is the Cubs, who have lost sole possession of the NL Central for the first time all season.

Earlier this year, when the two met in the Crosstown Classic, the tales were flipped. The Cubs were red-hot and the Sox were anything but. The two renew that rivalry this weekend at Rate Field. 

Rolling White Sox:

The future is now for the White Sox, who brought their new core of young stars into the fold this season.

There has already been an influx of young players like Brooks Baldwin, Chase Meidroth, Shane Smith and more.

Now, Colson Montgomery, Edgar Quero, Kyle Teel and Grant Taylor have entered the fold. Wednesday's game against the Rays was a perfect example of their potential. Montgomery had five RBI, Teel had four hits and Taylor made a relief appearance.

Down 4-0 early and down 6-4 later, the White Sox rallied twice to win 11-9 and take the series. The White Sox also swept the lowly Pirates, but the Rays are a playoff hopeful.

The White Sox aren't contending for a playoff spot by any means. They're 37-66 on the season and are on pace for another 100- loss season. But, it's hard not to be optimistic about a team that was the worst in MLB history just a year ago.

It's been a long time coming for the White Sox, too. Teel was acquired in the Garrett Crochet trade, and had to earn his stripes in a new organization. Montgomery was sent from Triple AAA Charlotte to the White Sox's Arizona complex – a rare demotion for a top-rated prospect – to help regain his swing and confidence; this has paid off in dividends.

Now, the team is learning how to win. That's a process that will take a year or two, but this week has lifted the energy around the White Sox organization in a way that did not seem feasible just one year prior.

A crucial time for the Cubs:

Meanwhile, the Cubs, at 60-42, are past a rebuild. They're contenders, but this week was a sobering reminder that the contending organization needs help.

Losing two of three to the Royals was a bitter pill to swallow. Giving up 20 runs in both those losses is a more difficult scene. The Cubs need a starting pitcher to assist Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd. The injured Jameson Tallion will return in August with a calf strain, but adding a fourth starter is necessary for a potential playoff push.

The trade deadline comes next week, and the Cubs are assumed to be buyers. One name to watch is Adrian Houser, the pitcher the Cubs face on Friday evening.

Since joining the White Sox, Houser has experienced a renaissance. He has a 1.89 ERA and a 5-2 record in 10 starts. He's expected to be moved at the trade deadline, and the Cubs need a pitcher.

They certainly don't need offense. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki and more have established one of the best lineups in the major leagues. The Cubs could find a way to cool off the White Sox and use that as a way to regain confidence as the calendar rounds into August.