Check our our betting preview and prediction for the MLB match between Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians.
Indians Aim to Even Up Series Against White Sox
The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians are set to continue their five-game series on Saturday night at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Including a doubleheader on Thursday, the White Sox have won two of the first three MLB games, officially clinching the AL Central title in the process. The Tribe will attempt to win Saturday’s game to set up the rubber match on Sunday.
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Betting Odds & Betting Lines
According to BetUS, the White Sox are considerable road favorites on Saturday night with a moneyline of -200 while Cleveland’s moneyline is set at +170. Over at BetOnline, Cleveland has the same moneyline, but Chicago’s moneyline is listed at -185. Both books have the over/under for the game set at 8.5 runs.
Where Do We Go From Here?
As mentioned, the White Sox have wrapped up the AL Central crown and their spot in the postseason with more than a week left in the regular season. There is nothing much to play for the rest of the way, as it’s almost assured that the White Sox will face the Astros in the ALDS. However, the White Sox will want to start playing better at some point, losing six of their last ten games.
Meanwhile, the Indians are fighting to avoid a losing season and finish second in the AL West. They need to win six of their last nine games to finish .500. They also have a one-game lead over third-place Detroit, so the Tribe could easily fall behind the Tigers in the standings if they don’t pick up some wins down the stretch.
You’re Up, Rookie
The Indians will send rookie Eli Morgan to the mound on Saturday night. With the injuries to their starting rotation this year, Morgan has made 16 starts for Cleveland, going 3-7 with a 5.68 ERA. But things are slowly improving, with Morgan allowing two runs or less in three of his last five starts, including six strong innings, allowing just one run against the Yankees in his last start.
Morgan will also be facing a Chicago lineup that’s not exactly clicking on all cylinders right now. Shane Bieber shut down the White Sox on Friday, as they managed just one run and are now averaging just 3.6 runs per game in their last ten games. Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, and Yasmani Grandal are all red-hot at the moment, but the rest of the Chicago lineup has hit a slump.
Ace on the Hill
The White Sox will send ace Lance Lynn to the mound on Saturday. In 26 starts this year, Lynn is 10-5 with a 2.47 ERA, becoming the undisputed leader of the Chicago rotation. More importantly, he’s allowed just one earned run over 10.1 innings since returning from a brief stint on the IL earlier this month.
Lynn will face a Cleveland lineup that was shut out on Friday and hit yet another rough patch. The Tribe is averaging just 2.5 runs per game over their last six games since scoring 11 runs in back-to-back games last weekend. Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes always pose a threat, but Yu Change is the only other Cleveland hitter who’s in a groove right now.
Stay Low
Taking the under on 8.5 runs looks like one of the best MLB picks in this game. Lynn has a good chance to keep the Indians under wraps for five or six innings, while a sluggish Chicago lineup may not do much damage against Morgan. That should keep the scoring at a minimum early and keep the total under 8.5 runs.
Meanwhile, Chicago’s moneyline is not in line with how the team has played lately. Granted, they are likely to win the game with Lynn on the mound. But the Indians have enough value at +170 to take a chance on Cleveland winning on Saturday.
