The Guardians and White Sox clash Friday in game 2 of an MLB series at Guaranteed Rate Field. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
Guardians Betting Preview
The Guardians look to build on their 3-game winning streak, as they’re now a game above a .500 record. The Guardians are 1.5 games behind the Twins for the AL Central. The Guardians pitching staff is 7th in ERA (3.84), 13th in WHIP (1.26) and 13th in quality starts (38). The Guardians’ offense is 23rd in runs per game (4.21), 13th in batting average (.254) and 30th in homers (79). Steven Kwan leads the Guardians with 113 hits and 36 RBI, while Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have combined for 218 hits and 139 RBI. Xzavion Curry gets the ball, and he is 3-0 with a 2.98 ERA and 38 strikeouts this season. Curry is 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 5 strikeouts in his career against the White Sox.
Cleveland Guardians Team Facts
- The Guardians have won 13 of their last 14 night games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Guardians have covered the run line nine of their last 10 night games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Guardians have led after 5 innings in each of their last seven road night games.
- The Guardians have led after 3 innings in each of their last three games.
- The Guardians have led after 7 innings in each of their last eight Friday games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
White Sox Betting Preview
The White Sox need a win to snap a 6-game losing streak. The White Sox are now 16.5 games back in the wild card race. The White Sox pitching staff is 25th in ERA (4.69), 24th in WHIP (1.38) and 17th in quality starts (34). The White Sox offense is 24th in runs per game (4.19), 20th in batting average (.238) and 18th in homers (115). Luis Robert Jr. leads the White Sox with 104 hits and 58 RBI, while Andrew Benintendi and Andrew Vaughn have combined for 191 hits and 85 RBI. Touki Toussaint gets the ball, and he is 0-3 with a 4.06 ERA and 25 strikeouts this season. This will be Toussaint’s second career game against the Guardians.
Chicago White Sox Team Facts
- The White Sox have lost each of their last seven games against American League opponents.
- The White Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six games at Guaranteed Rate Field.
- The White Sox have trailed after 7 innings in each of their last seven night games.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the White Sox’s last six Friday games at Guaranteed Rate Field.
- The White Sox have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last six home games.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Chicago White Sox ranks 30th in the league for walks this season (252).
- The Chicago White Sox ranks 2nd in the league for strikeouts this season (996).
- The Cleveland Guardians ranks 1st in the league for strikeouts against this season (714).
- The Cleveland Guardians ranks 30th in the league for home runs this season (79).
Randy’s Pick
This feels like two teams heading in different directions, as the Guardians have won 3 straight and are in the thick of a division race. The White Sox have lost 6 straight games and their pitching staff has been getting rocked all year. Don’t expect things to change with Touki Toussaint on the mound, even if he may be eager to stick it to Cleveland after getting moved last month. Still, I’m riding the hot hand and the more consistent team, baking the Guardians on the road for a fourth straight victory.
