The Chicago White Sox (35-25 regular season) and Oakland Athletics (36-24) open their best-of-three AL Wild Card Series Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET at Ring Central Coliseum. Below, we analyze the White Sox-Athletics MLB betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
White Sox at Athletics: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Lucas Giolito vs. LHP Jesus Luzardo
Giolito logged a 3.48 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over a dozen regular-season starts.
- Registered similar numbers in a breakout 2019 campaign: 3.41 ERA, 1.06 WHIP. Comparatively, from 2019 to 2020, walks and strikeouts were up a tick.
- Consistent in his ability to hold hard contact under wraps – under 35% each of the last three seasons.
Luzardo is a rookie-eligible port-sider who recorded a 4.12 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 59 innings this season.
- Enters the postseason on an apparent down note, having logged a 4.62 ERA over his last 25 1/3 IP. The percentage of barrels allowed (hard-hit with optimum launch angle) trends on that same line.
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White Sox at Athletics: Key injuries
(Get the latest injury news here.)
White Sox
- OF Leury Garcia (hand) out
- OF Eloy Jimenez (lower body) questionable
Athletics
- 3B Matt Chapman (hip) out
- RP J.B. Wendelken (undisclosed) out
White Sox at Athletics: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Money line (ML)
In the regular season, the Athletics (+110) averaged 4.57 runs per game while yielding 3.87. From an analytics standpoint, both figures are suspect and that makes the A’s one of the best fade candidates of these playoff games. That’s not to say Oakland isn’t a solid club; just one too far over its skis with a .600 winning percentage. And to that end, the Athletics were a profitable fade over the last week or so of the regular season.
Enter the top-10 offense of the Chicago White Sox (-121). The Pale Hose clubbed southpaws around to the tune of an .890 OPS (second in MLB) in the regular season. Chicago scuffled down the stretch, batting just .202/.280/.372 while going 2-8 over its last 10 games, but that small sample was colored by hard-hit baseballs not finding safe homes. The slump came primarily against top pitching clubs in the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds.
Giolito is the better starter in this game. The bullpens are an even exchange, despite the Oakland side — with a 2.72 surface ERA — likely being overvalued. Side with the WHITE SOX (-121).
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Oakland went 6-1 in extra-inning games in the regular season. Chicago went 5-8 in one-run games.
On the run line, the tag on the visitors is WHITE SOX -1.5 (+125). On a contest with an Over lean, consider a play on Chicago if you can wait out a price in the +130s.
Over/Under (O/U)
Ring Central Coliseum plays as less of a pitchers’ yard in day games. The Athletics bullpen is a fly-ball-yielding group, and the weather report for the game hours is one with a hitters’ breeze and an extra measure of humidity. Take the OVER 7.5 (-110).
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