The Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians meet on Thursday in MLB action from Progressive Field. This will be the final installment in a three-game series this week. Here’s a Guardians vs White Sox prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Guardians vs White Sox pick.
Chicago White Sox Betting Preview
Chicago’s year opened up with a matchup versus the Los Angeles Angels. The Sox won the first game 8-1, then dropped the next pair for a series loss. Likewise with the next set versus the Minnesota Twins: a 9-0 win followed by a pair of losses. In their next set, the White Sox were swept by the Detroit Tigers 7-4, 7-2, and 4-3 over the weekend. In Tuesday’s series opener versus Cleveland, Chicago managed just two hits on the way to a 1-0 loss. Starting pitcher Shane Smith finished with 6.0 clean frames, two hits, and a walk with six Ks.
In game two on Wednesday, the White Sox only gave up three hits, but that was enough for a 3-2 defeat. Starting pitcher Sean Burke lasted 3.0 innings with all three hits, three earned and four walks. Both Miguel Vargas (two hits) and Lenyn Sosa (hit; walk) each had an RBI, and Mike Tauchman went 3-for-4 in the defeat.
In the starting pitcher role for the Thursday finale, the White Sox will send out Jonathan Cannon. This year, Cannon is 0-1 with a 3.12 ERA over his two starts so far. In his career, Cannon is 5-11 with a 4.40 ERA in 25 games (23 starts).
Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview
Over on the Guardians’ side, they managed two wins in three games during their opening series versus the Kansas City Royals. Cleveland would then get swept by the San Diego Padres in the next set, however. The Guardians won Friday’s opener versus the Los Angeles Angels, then dropped the two weekend games. On Tuesday, Cleveland bagged a walk-off victory thanks to Nolan Jones’s RBI. Carlos Santana (two hits) scored the winning (and only) run. Ben Lively put up 5.0 clean innings in the start with two hits, three walks, and four Ks.
In game two, the Guardians got a solo home run from Santana. Jhonkensy Noel added two hits with an RBI, while both Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez had a walk and a run. Logan Allen pitched 4.2 innings in the start, with no earned runs, four hits, two walks, and four strikeouts.
It’ll be Gavin Williams in the starter slot for the Guardians on Thursday. So far this year, Williams has a 4.50 ERA over two starts without a decision yet. Williams is 6-15 in his MLB career with a 4.07 ERA in 34 starts total.
Why the Cleveland Guardians will win
- The White Sox have lost each of their last seven games.
- The Guardians have won each of their last six games against the White Sox.
- The Guardians have covered the run line in 10 of their last 11 day games following a win.
- The White Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six Thursday road games against AL Central opponents.
- The White Sox have lost the first inning in four of their last five games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- The Guardians have led after 3 innings in five of their last six games against opponents that held a losing record.
- The Guardians have led after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
Why the Chicago White Sox will win
- The Guardians have lost five of their last six games as home favorites against the White Sox following a home win.
- The Guardians have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven games as favorites against AL Central opponents following a home win.
- The road team has covered the run line in eight of the last nine games between the White Sox and Guardians.
- The Guardians have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last five Thursday day games.
Total Runs Facts
- Five of the Guardians’ last six day games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Four of the White Sox’s last five games as underdogs against the Guardians have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Guardians’ last five day games against AL Central opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the White Sox’s last seven games at Progressive Field.
Guardians vs White Sox Prediction
I’ll probably just lean toward the Guardians, but the line’s too thick to mess with. Both starters could use a good outing as well. Williams is coming off a no-decision versus the Angels, logging two earned on five hits and two walks in 3.0 frames on April 4. He did better in his first outing of the year (5.0 innings; two earned versus Kansas City), however. As for Cannon, he gave up three earned in 3.2 innings on three hits and three walks in a loss to Detroit on April 4 in his last start. Cannon posted 5.0 clean frames versus the Angels in his debut, though.
The Guardians posted an odd victory on Wednesday despite not much happening at the plate. Cleveland’s pitchers were pretty solid outside of a shaky showing from Emmanuel Class (1.0 innings; one earned on three hits and a walk), but they did give up six walks collectively. The bullpen otherwise notched 4.1 innings with four hits and eight strikeouts between five different arms. Williams will likely need to get through five good innings, but things are looking good for Cleveland right now. As for Chicago, they just can’t catch a break.