Cubs, White Sox prepare for Opening Day

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CHICAGO - There's no day quite like Opening Day.

The Cubs and the White Sox will dive head first into the regular season Thursday afternoon with the North Siders taking on a division foe and the Pale Hose facing off against the defending World Series champions.

Wrigley Field will play host to the Milwaukee Brewers and the White Sox will start the season in Houston, where the Astros are hanging up another championship banner.

White Sox vs Astros

First pitch: 6:08 p.m. CDT

How to watch: Live stream: fuboTV | TV: ESPN

Starting pitchers – White Sox: Dylan Cease; Astros: Framber Valdez

White Sox starting lineup: SS Tim Anderson, CF Luis Robert Jr., 1B Andrew Vaughn, DH Eloy Jiménez, 3B Yoán Moncada, LF Andrew Benintendi, C Yasmani Grandal, 2B Elvis Andrus, RF Romy González

Astros starting lineup: SS Jeremy Peña, 3B Alex Bregman, LF Yordan Alvarez, 1B José Abreu, RF Kyle Tucker, DH Yainer Diaz, CF Jake Meyers, C Martín Maldonado, 2B Mauricio Dubón

The Sox came out dead even last season at 81-81. They fare better in road games, however, with a 44-37 mark.

For the first time since 2014, José Abreu will not be suiting up for the White Sox. He was signed to a 3-year deal to the Astros last November.

After one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, Tony La Russa headed off into retirement and the White Sox hired longtime Royals coach Pedro Grifol as their new manager. The White Sox primary offseason acquisition was outfielder Andrew Benintendi whom they inked to a 5-year, $75 million deal.

Cubs vs Brewers

First pitch: 1:20 p.m. CDT

How to watch: Live stream: fuboTV | TV: Marquee Sports Network (CHC), Bally Sports Wisconsin (MIL)

Starting pitchers – Cubs: Marcus Stroman; Brewers: Corbin Burnes

Cubs starting lineup: 2B Nico Hoerner, SS Dansby Swanson, LF Ian Happ, CF Cody Bellinger, DH Trey Mancini, C Yan Gomes, 1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Patrick Wisdom, RF Miles Mastrobuoni

Brewers starting lineup: LF Christian Yelich, DH Jesse Winker, SS Willy Adames, 1B Rowdy Tellez, C William Contreras, 3B Luis Urías, CF Garrett Mitchell, RF Brian Anderson, 2B Brice Turang

The Cubs went 74-88 last season, also posting a losing record of 37-44 at the Friendly Confines.

The franchise made a flurry of moves in the offseason such as adding shortstop Dansby Swanson, Trey Mancini, right-hander Jameson Taillon, outfielder Cody Bellinger, first baseman Eric Hosmer, reliever Brad Boxberger and catcher Tucker Barnhart.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.