It’s taken roughly 4 1/2 months, but the Chicago White Sox might be finally playing up to their potential.
The White Sox are currently on a five-game winning streak, their second-best mark this season. And at 61-56, Chicago trails Cleveland by just one game in the division.
Chicago is also within one game of the wild card, so there’s plenty to play for with 45 games left in the season.
A win on Wednesday night would clinch the series for the White Sox against the Astros. Michael Kopech will get the start for Chicago, while Houston will counter with Framber Valdez.
The Astros are already regarded as the best team in the American League, so they could be due for a bit of a letdown. As for the White Sox, it’s entirely possible they could be gearing up for a magical postseason run.
Moneyline: HOU (-152) vs. CHW (+128)
Spread: HOU -1.5 (+106) vs. CHW +1.5 (-128)
Total: Over 8.5 (-104) | Under 8.5 (-118)
Framber Valdez (11-4, 2.73 ERA) vs. Michael Kopech (4-8, 3.18 ERA)
It’s better late than never for the White Sox, as this recent winning streak provides perhaps a glimpse of how dangerous this team can be should it make the playoffs.
I’m particularly interested in this matchup because I want to take a closer look at the White Sox as they may offer some value as a possible futures play.
Kopech is an intriguing pitcher for Chicago because although he’s lost twice as many games as he’s won, his 3.18 ERA remains impressive. However, he’s had issues with his command as he’s walking 4.39 batters per nine innings.
That’s a big reason why Kopech’s advanced metrics point to some regression, as evidenced by his 4.41 FIP. And while the White Sox right-hander can be a bit unpredictable, I think the pitcher-batter splits in this matchup are a bit closer than one might think.
For example, in 36 plate appearances, the Astros lineup is hitting .333 against Kopech with a .391 wOBA. In comparison, Chicago’s lineup has a bit more history against Valdez, with a .313 batting average and a .352 wOBA in 90 plate appearances.
But even if you don’t see this game as a coin-flip, Chicago’s recent winning streak is enough to consider backing home underdogs.
According to our Action Labs database, teams on a five-game winning streak this season are 37-19-1 for a profit of 7.33 units. Furthermore, this trend is currently on a four-game winning streak.
And if we focus on just Chicago, the White Sox are 11-4 for 9.70 units when an underdog and on a five-game winning streak.
There’s a bit of mojo currently surrounding this White Sox team, so I think they’re worth a look at +128 odds.
White Sox ML (+128)
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