White Sox vs. Tigers Odds, Preview, Prediction: Will Chicago Clinch the Division? (Wednesday, September 22)
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images. Pictured: Reynaldo Lopez #40 of the Chicago White Sox.
Editor's Note:This game has been postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. ET.
White Sox vs. Tigers Odds
| White Sox Odds | -170 |
| Tigers Odds | +150 |
| Over/Under | 9 |
| Time | 1:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | MLB.TV |
The magic number for the White Sox to win the division is down to two and they could clinch the American League Central on Wednesday. They have essentially had the division locked up for months now, which has caused them to throw things in cruise control a bit.
They are just 31-31 since the All-Star break and are 6-9 in the past 15 games, including dropping the first two games of the series against the Tigers.
Detroit will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon and has won four straight games against the White Sox.
Can Chicago's Offense Carry the Load?
This is the sixth big league season for right hander Reynaldo Lopez (fifth with the White Sox) and he has not been able to stick in the MLB yet. He has been up and down from the minors throughout his career and has made seven starts and 17 total appearances since getting called up July 16.
In the first three starts for Lopez, he allowed one run over 11 innings and looked really good. Well over the past four starts, he got tagged for 16 runs in 17 innings, including seven runs (six earned) in his most recent start.
Chicago’s offense has been near the top of the league all year. It ranks fifth in wOBA and fourth in wRC+. Even as it has thrown things in cruise control, Chicago still ranks seventh in wOBA and wRC+ in the last 30 days.
This lineup has so many guys capable of carrying the team for stretches, and currently the hot hand is Luis Robert. He is batting .409 with a 1.026 OPS over the last 15 games.
Detroit's Pitching Will be Strong Early
Former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize (RHP) is in his first full season in the big leagues, and has gone 7-8 with a 3.64 ERA. He has dealt with rookie struggles, but also has had outings that show why he is seen as the Tigers future ace.
His strikeout numbers have not been there but he has really improved his control as the season has gone on. His best, and most used pitch is his slider, which is allowing just a .186 batting average against this year.
The 24-year old Mize has been placed on a three-innings cap for the rest of the season in order to save his arm so he will turn things over the pen after just three frames.
Detroit’s offense has been below average for much of the season, ranking 24th in wOBA and 22nd in wRC+. The Tigers have been better against right-handed pitchers over the last month than earlier in the season.
The veteran Miguel Cabrera is proving he still has a little bit left in the tank, leading the Tigers with a .333 average over the last two weeks.
White Sox-Tigers Pick
Give Detroit a lot of credit, they are continuing to play hard down the stretch. The Tigers are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have won four straight.
The Tigers have been good at home this year going 41-36 and are 11-4 in the last 15 day games at Comerica Park.
Chicago has been in autopilot for much of the season, and the underrated Tigers have exceeded expectations and have been the third most profitable team to bet on this year. They have beaten the White Sox in the last two games, so why can’t they beat them again?
I’ll back Detroit at +150 and would play them to +130.
Pick: Detroit Tigers ML +150
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