In a battle between two teams heading in opposite directions, the Philadelphia Phillies (12-8) will take on the struggling Chicago White Sox (3-16) in the final game of their interleague series. The Phillies, currently on a four-game winning streak, will be looking to continue their strong performance on Sunday afternoon in the City of Brotherly Love.

Friday's opening game of the series saw Philadelphia dominate Chicago with a resounding 7-0 victory. The White Sox, on the other hand, have had a tough season so far, losing seven of their last eight games. They currently sit at the bottom of the American League Central, a staggering 10 ½ games behind the division leaders.

Chicago will face the Phillies without three of their pitchers, along with key position players Yoan Moncada, Max Stassi, and Luis Robert Jr. Philadelphia, meanwhile, will be missing four pitchers and catcher Rafael Marchan.

The White Sox's struggles can be largely attributed to their lackluster performance at the plate. Currently ranking last in four major hitting categories in baseball, including runs scored, team batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, Chicago has been unable to produce offensive firepower. Their leading home run hitters, Paul DeJong and Gavin Sheets, have only managed three home runs each, while Sheets leads the team in RBI with a meager nine.

Defensively, the White Sox haven't fared much better, ranking 18th in batting average allowed and 26th in both team ERA and WHIP. Despite Garrett Crochet leading in strikeouts with 34, their overall pitching performance has been subpar.

On the mound for the White Sox on Sunday will be rookie Nick Nastrini, who has a 0-1 record with an ERA of 3.60 and five strikeouts. This will only be Nastrini's second start in his MLB career, so expectations will be high for the young pitcher.

In contrast, the Phillies have been hitting the ball reasonably well, sitting in the middle of the pack in team slugging percentage and batting average. Kyle Schwarber leads Philadelphia with five home runs, closely followed by Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh with four apiece. Alec Bohm leads the team in RBI with a respectable 17.

Philadelphia's strength lies in their pitching, with Philadelphia boasting an impressive record in Quality Starts and a solid team ERA. Aaron Nola will take the mound on Sunday, sporting a 2-1 record with an ERA of 3.47 and 19 strikeouts. After a rough season opener, Nola has bounced back, allowing just three runs in his last 19 innings pitched.

Historically, the Phillies have had the upper hand in matchups against the White Sox, winning 12 of their last 17 encounters. Additionally, they have won nine of their last 12 games against Chicago at home.

Given the White Sox's struggles at the plate and on the mound, the Phillies are expected to extend their winning streak in this matchup. Philadelphia has been playing solid baseball recently, winning seven of their last nine games. Chicago will need to find a way to improve their offensive output if they hope to turn their season around.

As Sunday's game approaches, all eyes will be on Philadelphia as they aim to continue their winning ways and push further up the National League East standings. For the White Sox, it will be a challenging battle as they seek to find a spark and halt their current losing streak.

Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies -1.5