The Chicago White Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays will begin a four-game series on Monday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a White Sox – Blue Jays prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have plenty to play for as they head into this crucial series. The White Sox have pretty much locked up first place in the AL Central, but they would love to improve their seeding and secure home field advantage for more of the playoffs. The Blue Jays are still fighting for a playoff spot, as they sit 4.5 games back of the last wild card spot. Every game is turning into a must-win contest for Toronto, so expect them to play like their playoff lives are on the line.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the odds for Monday's game.
MLB Odds: White Sox-Blue Jays Odds
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Chicago White Sox ML (-101)
Toronto Blue Jays ML (-109)
Over 8.5 runs (-117)
Under 8.5 runs (-103)
Why The White Sox Could Cover The Spread
Chicago is one of the most well-rounded teams in MLB. They have a great rotation that's backed by one of the league's best offenses, and both factors should be on full display in this one.
Let's start with the pitching. The White Sox will entrust the start to pitcher Lance Lynn in this one, something that has typically worked out just fine for Chicago. Lynn is a legitimate Cy Young award contender, earning himself a 2.26 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP. The righty has already faced the Blue Jays once, pitching seven innings of one-run baseball in his lone appearance against Toronto. Lynn has been one of MLB's best pitchers all season long, and even a good offense like the Blue Jays will have trouble against him.
Chicago will face starting pitcher Alek Manoah in this series opener. Manoah has been surprisingly fantastic this year, but the White Sox are an incredibly tough offense to deal with. They rank in the top ten in baseball in batting average, OBP, OPS, and slugging percentage. Manoah is far from a lock for a good pitching performance against this team.
Why The Blue Jays Could Cover The Spread
With Manoah on the mound, the Blue Jays look like a worse version of the White Sox. Manoah plays the role of Lance Lynn in that comparison, and the young star has earned that lofty comparison. His season-long numbers are great, but they get even better in his last seven starts. Over that span, Manoah has posted a 2.82 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He's clearly on an incredible hot streak, and there's good reason to believe that that streak will continue.
Manoah is pitching at home in this contest, where he's earned a 1.91 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. His opponent's batting average is a mere .170 when they face Manoah on his home turf. The righty has also already faced the White Sox this season, pitching five innings and only giving up one run. Another factor helping Manoah is the fact that Chicago is on a bit of a cold streak at the plate entering this game. The White Sox have scored more than four runs in only three of their last eight games.
Final White Sox-Blue Jays Prediction & Pick
It's hard to confidently pick the under with two great offenses taking the field, but it's the right call in this one. These pitchers have been downright elite throughout the season, and they both like to work deep into games. The under should hit easily despite the offensive firepower from both sides.
FINAL PICK: Under 8 1/2 runs (-103)
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