The Chicago White Sox will attempt a three-game sweep on the road as they finish the weekend set against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. It’s time to continue our MLB odds coverage with a White Sox-Giants prediction and pick.
The White Sox defeated the Giants 5-3 on Saturday. The Sox trailed early when LaMonte Wade Jr. blasted a solo home run to right field in the first inning. It was his second in 2022, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead. However, the Sox answered back with an RBI double from Gavin Sheets and an RBI single from Yoan Moncada, giving Chicago a 3-1 lead. The Sox built their lead to 5-1 entering the ninth. Then, Brandon Belt delivered a two-out RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-3, bringing the tying run to the place. However, Mike Yastrzemski grounded out to end the game.
The White Sox will go with Lucas Giolito on the hill today. Giolito is having a bad year, as he is 4-4 with a 5.19 ERA in 13 starts. He tossed six innings in his last outing, allowing two earned runs on six hits. Giolito had a June to forget, going 1-2 with a 7.67 ERA through five starts. It will be the first start of his career against the Sox.
The Giants will roll with John Brebbia on the hill to open the game. Brebbia is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 36 appearances. He will look to give the Giants a fighting chance early. The Giants bullpen is ranked 17th in team ERA, so they must pick up the slack in what appears to be a committee effort.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the White Sox-Giants odds:
MLB odds: White Sox-Giants
White Sox: +1.5 (-205) ML (+108)
Giants: -1.5 (+168) ML (-126)
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
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Why The White Sox Could Cover The Spread
The White Sox have three major sluggers in Jose Abreu, Luis Robert, and Tim Anderson. Abreu is batting .285 with nine home runs, 35 RBIs, and 43 runs through 74 games. He had a monster June, hitting .346 with four home runs 15 RBIs and 19 runs scored. Alternatively, Abreu struggled early in the season, batting .219 with two home runs and six RBIs through the first month. He has picked up the pace considerably and now gives the Sox a chance to win every time he comes up to bat. Robert is batting .285 with eight home runs, 38 RBIs, and 35 runs scored through 61 games in 2022. He hit .306 with two home runs, 21 RBIs, and 14 runs scored in June. Also, Robert is battling through leg soreness, and playing well despite it.
Anderson is batting .335 with five home runs, 19 RBIs, and 30 runs scored through 50 games. His ability to get on base makes him invaluable to a White Sox team that ranks eighth in batting average and 19th in on-base percentage. The White Sox will cover the spread if they get a decent outing out of Giolito and their three sluggers come to life.
Why The Giants Could Cover The Spread
The Giants have some weapons in Joc Pederson and Luis Gonzalez. Pederson is batting .275 with 17 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 34 runs scored through 67 games in 2022. Likewise, Pederson had a decent June, going .274 with five home runs, 10 RBIs, and 14 runs scored through 25 games. Pederson has struggled in his career against the Sox, batting only .133 with two hits through five games. Gonzalez is batting .303 with three home runs, 24 RBIs, and 20 runs scored through 49 games in 2022. Alternatively, he had a poor June, batting .224 with one home run, five RBIs, and eight runs scored through 18 games.
The Giants are not performing consistently well as a team on offense. They rank 20th in batting average and also ninth in on-base percentage. Their ranks in runs, home runs, and slugging percentage are all in the mid-tier. Additionally, the Sox have averaged 1.5 runs a game in this series, getting shutout on Friday, and managing three runs yesterday. The Giants left 11 runners stranded yesterday, so they must figure out a way to get their runners home. The bats must come alive in this showdown for the Giants to have a chance to succeed.
The Giants will cover the spread if their pitchers can keep the Chicago hitters at bay, The key to victory is not getting into bad counts and allowing the White Sox to crush them with big innings.
Final White Sox-Giants Prediction & Pick
The Giants have not been a great home team, going 21-19 in 40 games at Oracle Park. Alternatively, the White Sox have been a good away team, going 21-18 in 39 road games. But the Sox are not consistent at all and rarely sweep anyone on the road. This game feels like one the Sox should win, but the Giants find a way to win almost by accident. Expect a close game, with a Giants’ victory.
Final White Sox-Giants Prediction & Pick: Giants: ML (-126)