The San Francisco Giants continue inter-league play as they start their season, this time visiting the Chicago White Sox. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Giants-White Sox prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Giants come in after a series with the Yankees in New York in which they were shut out twice in three games. They also saw their pitching struggle against the power of the Yankees, as Judge and Stanton both belted two home runs in the series. The White Sox split their four-game series with the defending champ Astros. In the final game, Clevinger threw five scoreless innings, while Moncada homered to give the White Sox a 6-3 win.
This afternoon the White Sox play their home opener, hoping to keep the Giants bats silent.
Here are the Giants-White Sox MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Giants-White Sox Odds
San Francisco Giants: +1.5 (-184)
Chicago White Sox: -1.5 (+152)
Over: 8 (-112)
Under: 8 (-108)
How To Watch Giants vs. White Sox
TV: NBCSBA/ NBCSCH+
Stream: MLB.TV
Time: 3:10 PM ET/ 12:10 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Giants Could Cover The Spread
The Giants need to figure out how to score some runs. To start, they just need to get on base. They hit a combined .194 against the Yankees, with an OBP of .282. Only Thairo Estrada hit over .300 on the weekend, while other major players struggled. Michael Conforto was one for 12 on the weekend with six strikeouts and a walk. Secondly, they need to find some sort of power. Singles have to be strung together to get runs across, but that was not happening. In the series, the Giants managed just five extra-base hits, with two home runs and three doubles on the weekend. Those five extra-base hits were only by three guys as well.
The Giants also struggled with runners in scoring position. On the series, they went 4-22, with an average of .182. If the Giants are not going to be getting extra-base hits, they have to capitalize with runners in scoring position, which they did not. They did make sure the Yankees did not capitalize though. The Yankees went 6-26 with runners in scoring position, which is a .231 average. That pitching can keep them in the game if they can limit the long ball. They gave up seven home runs over the weekend, which was tied for the most in baseball.
Anthony DeSclafani is expected to be toeing the rubber for the Giants this afternoon. Spring training was not great for him, giving up six runs in just 9.2 innings pitched. He only pitched 19 innings in 2022 for the Giants, going 0-2 in five starts. If he can get back to 2021 form, in which he won 13 games, then the Giants will have a chance, but his last year of performances should give worry for Giants fans.
Why The White Sox Could Cover The Spread
The White Sox had a solid first weekend of play. Going into today they lead the MLB in hits and pitching strikeouts. Yoan Moncada started the season strong, going 8-18 at the plate, with a walk, three doubles, two home runs, and four RBIs. His OPS was 1.418 for the series, which is good for ninth in the MLB. Right behind him was Tim Anderson, who had seven hits, and scored three times over the weekend. The bats were looking solid when they made contact. The White Sox did strike out 39 times over the weekend, the fifth most in baseball.
While the White Sox struck out 39 times, the pitching staff threw 41 strikeouts against a solid Astros offense. The staff gave up way too many walks though, giving up 18 walks in the four games, which was 3rd in baseball. It was the bullpen that struggled for the ChiSox, giving up both losses. In the first loss, the bullpen blew a lead, giving up four runs in just 2 1/3 innings for the loss. In the second loss, they gave up three runs in three innings to take the loss. The starts have been solid, but better bullpen play is needed.
Michael Kopech is expected to take the start today. He has been an average pitcher so far in his career. Since coming up in 2018, he has made 33 starts, getting 10 wins. He became a primary starter just last season, starting all 25 of his games, and going 5-9 with a 3.55 ERA. Kopech has shown flashes of being a solid starting pitcher, but consistency has not been there.
Final Giants-White Sox Prediction & Pick
The Giants will be without catcher Joey Bart for this series, as he went to the 10-day IL with a back injury. The bats have not shown much at all either. The biggest concern for the White Sox should be getting to the bullpen, but against an offense that showed so many struggles in New York, a win should not be out of reach for the White Sox.
Final Giants-White Sox Prediction & Pick: White Sox -1.5 (+152) and Under 8 (-108)
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