In what seems like an almost daily occurrence, the Chicago White Sox will take on the Cleveland Guardians Friday night. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a White Sox-Guardians prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Chicago is 61-58, clinging tightly to playoff contention, two and a half games behind Cleveland in the AL Central race. Inconsistent play and injuries have kept this team from its full potential. Still, with about two months to go, there is still hope for a playoff spot on the South Side of Chicago.
Cleveland has surged past the rest of the division, leading with a 63-55 record. Cleveland has gone 7-3 in their last 10 games, and a hot August has put the team atop the division. Continuing their surge against Chicago will put some distance between the teams.
Here are the White Sox-Guardians MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: White Sox-Guardians Odds
Chicago White Sox: +1.5 (-192)
Cleveland Guardians: -1.5 (+158)
Over: 7.5 (+100)
Under: 7.5 (-122)
Why The White Sox Could Cover The Spread
Chicago is bound to break out sometime, and this weekend is as good of a time as ever. Lance Lynn will take the mound in this one, struggling to a 5.62 ERA in his 12 starts this season. Lynn missed nearly 10 weeks at the beginning of the season after knee surgery and has yet to fully round into form in 2022. Going under the hood, Lynn has run into some bad luck, as his expected ERA sits at 4.16. Lynn has walked just 3.9% of his batters, ranking in the 98th percentile. Lynn’s velocity is down over 1 mph on average, which could explain the lofty numbers. Chicago’s bullpen has struggled greatly, but there is hope in that group. Closer Liam Hendriks has been great of late, pitching to a 1.29 ERA in his last seven games, and a 2.95 ERA this season, with 27 saves.
The offense is rounding into form, as injured players have begun to return. Jose Abreu has been the healthiest and most consistent hitter in the lineup, leading the team with a .306 batting average and 14 home runs. Abreu also ranks second with 56 RBI. Andrew Vaughn has launched 13 home runs with a .295 batting average, both ranking second on the team while leading with 58 RBI. Luis Robert, limited to 83 games this season, has 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases. Veteran shortstop Elvis Andrus, just signed yesterday to alleviate the loss of Tim Anderson, will take over shortstop duties for the next month or so. Chicago has hit .260 as a team, the third-highest mark in the league.
Why The Guardians Could Cover The Spread
Cleveland has been led by Jose Ramirez for years, and 2022 is no different. Ramirez leads the team with 22 home runs, 98 RBI, 37 doubles, and 46 walks. Ramirez is in Cleveland to stay, and fans should rejoice over that fact. Steven Kwan, the rookie sensation from April, rebounded from a tough middle stretch to hit .303 while walking more than he has struck out. Lefty Josh Naylor is a fireball of energy and is enjoying a nice season at the plate, with 15 home runs and 18 doubles in 84 games. Cleveland ranks third in the league with 79 stolen bases and has only struck out 818 times, the lowest total in baseball. Speed and contact have been paramount to Cleveland’s success.
Triston McKenzie is starting tonight for Cleveland, going 8-9 with a 3.13 ERA thus far in 2022. McKenzie, another success story for Cleveland’s scouting and player development departments, has pitched to a 2.09 ERA in his last seven games. McKenzie’s curveball has dominated batters this season, as hitters have hit just .127 against the offering. With the return of James Karinchak, Cleveland’s bullpen has been dominant. Their 3.34 ERA is the sixth-best mark in the league. Karinchak has pitched in 16 games since returning from injury, pitching to a 1.47 ERA, and striking out 34 batters in 18.1 innings. Trevor Stephan has been an unexpected revelation in the bullpen, with a 2.54 ERA in 46 innings. Of course, closer Emmanuel Clase has used his mind-bending cutter to pitch to a 1.24 ERA with 27 saves in 53 appearances.
Final White Sox-Guardians Prediction & Pick
Look for Cleveland to continue their recent hot streak.
Final White Sox-Guardians Prediction & Pick: Cleveland -1.5 (+158), over 7.5 (+100)
