Chicago White Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Odds, Prediction
The Blue Jays come out of the All-Star break by opening a seven-game homestand Friday against the surprising Chicago White Sox, who are AL Central contenders. Toronto is a -135 favourite on the MLB odds with a total of 8.5 runs.
MLB Betting Odds and Trends
Without question, one of the biggest good news stories of the first half of this MLB season was the rise of the Chicago White Sox from AL doormat to Central Division contender. The Pale Hose lost at least 101 games each of the past three seasons but are 50-45 and tied for first in the division with Cleveland. Chicago might not be ready to win that, but an AL Wild Card spot is doable.
To simply make the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the White Sox are -115. Second-year manager Will Venable has done a marvellous job and is a top AL Manager of the Year candidate. Slugger Munetaka Murakami is a +700 second favourite for AL Rookie of the Year. He was favoured much of the season before going down in late May with a hamstring injury. Murakami was able to return the series before the break and competed in the All-Star Home Run Derby.
The White Sox lead the season series 3-0, surprisingly sweeping that set on the South Side in early April when everyone still though this was maybe a 70-win club. It was the Sox’s first series sweep of the Jays since April 2016 at Toronto. Last season, the Jays lost two of three at home in the series.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox entered the break with some momentum as they swept three games from the visiting Athletics by a combined score of 24-2 to close the first half. That sweep, the team’s sixth of the season (all at home), came despite rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami going 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts as he showed some rust with that lengthy injured list stint. Since April 17, the White Sox are 44-32, which is the AL’s second-best record.
Lefty Anthony Kay (6-4, 4.23 ERA) gets the call on the mound Friday. Like many White Sox, he got off to a rough start this season but turned it around by early May. Although, Kay is winless in five straight outings and has struggled away at 1-2 with a 5.94 ERA. The 31-year-old pitched for Toronto from 2019-22 and faced the Jays on April 4 in Chicago. Kay took a no-decision, allowing two runs and three hits over 4.1 innings. Vladimir Guerrero hit a two-run homer off him. The White Sox are 7-13 in their past 20 road games.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays were wildly inconsistent entering the break, winning two straight, losing three in a row, winning three consecutive and then dropping their final two to sit at 45-51 and last in the AL East. But Toronto is only 2.5 games out of the AL’s final Wild-Card spot so it’s far from over. But the Blue Jays are still +220 underdogs to return to the postseason. Two Blue Jays shined for the victorious AL in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Dylan Cease got the start on the mound and the win, striking out three and walking one in the first inning, and Louis Varland pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Ernie Clement got the start at second base but was 0-for-2 before being pulled; he did have a couple of nice defensive plays.
Part-time starter/usual reliever Spencer Miles (4-1, 2.85 ERA) is expected on the mound Friday for Toronto. He pitched last Saturday in relief in San Diego and didn’t allow a run in two innings. Miles also pitched two scoreless innings of relief vs. the White Sox on April 5. Miles has been better at home this year with a 4-0 mark and 2.36 ERA in 14 appearances (one start). Toronto is 9-3 in its past 12 at home vs. the White Sox.
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