Matthew Boyd pitched seven crisp innings for his 11th win, and the Chicago Cubs spoiled Rich Hill’s return to the majors with a 6-0 win over the Kansas City Royals.

The Kansas City Royals plan to call up 45-year-old pitcher Rich Hill from the minors for a start against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, marking the left-hander’s 21st season in the majors

The Chicago Cubs have lost the lead in the National League Central. They seem set up for a tight race with the Milwaukee Brewers for the division title.

Cheerful and carefree is simply not how Counsell rolls. That focused attitude will influence how the Cubs approach the July 31 trade deadline. The contrarian manager is an extension of Jed Hoyer’s front office, which obsesses over depth and knows from experience that things can quickly go sideways.

The Kansas City Royals will almost certainly trade their ace, but which teams around the league could be the best fits for the star?

The favored Cubs (-147 moneyline odds to win) play at home against the Royals (+123). The scheduled starters are Colin Rea (8-3) for the Chicago Cubs, and Seth Lugo (6-5) for the Kansas City Royals. These teams meet again after the Cubs took down the Royals 6-0 yesterday.

Pregame analysis and predictions of the Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago Cubs MLB game to be played on July 22, 2025 on ESPN.

Pregame analysis and predictions of the Kansas City Royals vs. Chicago Cubs MLB game to be played on July 23, 2025 on ESPN.

Salvador Perez homered twice and drove in four runs, Jac Caglianone and John Rave added solo shots and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 12-4

Salvador Perez crushed a two-run homer that extended the Kansas City Royals' lead over the Chicago Cubs.