Chicago White Sox (0-0) vs. Houston Astros (0-0)
March 31, 2023 8:10 pm EDT
The Line: Houston Astros -196 / Chicago White Sox +150; Over/Under: 7.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros meet Friday in MLB action from Minute Maid Park. This will be the second installment in a four-game weekend series. In Thursday’s opener, the White Sox eked out a one-run victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Chicago White Sox
Chicago posted a .500 run last year, going 81-81 overall and finishing in second place in the AL Central. In Thursday’s Opening Day matchup, the White Sox scored two runs in the top of the ninth in a 3-2 comeback win. Dylan Cease threw 6.1 innings of one-run ball on two hits with 10 Ks.
For the starter job on Friday, Chicago will send out Lance Lynn. Last season Lynn went 8-7 with a 3.99 ERA in 21 starts. Over 121.2 innings he had 124 strikeouts as well. Lynn was 2-0 with a 4.30 ERA in four Spring Training outings.
Houston Astros
Over on the Houston side, they had a great season last year, going 106-56 overall and cruising to a World Series championship. On Thursday in the opener, the Astros had just four hits and two errors in the defeat. Framber Valdez logged 5.0 clean innings with six hits and four strikeouts.
Cristian Javier will make the start for the Astros on Friday. Last season in 30 games (25 starts), Javier went 11-9 with a 2.54 ERA and had 194 Ks in 148.2 innings. Over Spring Training this year Javier was 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in three games (two starts).
The White Sox are 1-4 in their last five ing game two of a series and the over is 4-0-1 in their last five in game two of a series. The under is 6-2-1 in Chicago’s last nine Friday games.
Meanwhile, the Astros are 4-0 in their last four in game two of a series and 40-13 in the last 53 overall. Houston is 37-14 in their last 51 on grass.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’ll probably stick with Houston. The Astros need to work out the kinks after Thursday’s loss however, and the bats need a wake-up call. Houston wasn’t in bad shape until the eighth inning and probably could have taken the win if not for a bullpen breakdown. As for Chicago, they had at least one hit from nine different players (only Eloy Jimenez was hitless) in the Opening Day victory and the pitching performances were solid as well. All of that said I like Houston to bounce back and play better in game two.
