The Chicago White Sox (7-12) and Tampa Bay Rays (16-3) open a 3-game series Friday. First pitch from Tropicana Field is set for 6:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the White Sox vs. Rays odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: first meeting; the White Sox won the 2022 series 4-2.
Chicago lost 5-2 vs. the Philadelphia Phillies as a +104 home underdog Wednesday. The White Sox split a doubleheader on Tuesday en route to losing that series 2-1 and finishing a 6-game homestand with just 2 wins. Chicago leads the league with 190 strikeouts.
Tampa has been the hottest team in the MLB to start the season, including a 13-0 start that tied a modern-1900 record. The Rays won 8-0 as -252 home favorites Wednesday vs. the Cincinnati Reds. They also held the Reds off the board in a 10-0 victory Tuesday and won the series 2-1.
Tampa Bay ranks 1st in the league in batting average (.288), wins (16), home runs (42), ERA (2.57) and RBIs (130).
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White Sox at Rays projected starters
RHP Michael Kopech vs. RHP Calvin Faucher
Kopech (0-2, 6.32 ERA) makes his 4th start. He has a 1.66 WHIP, 5.7 BB/9 and 8.0 K/9 through 15 2/3 IP.
- Allowed 1 R (0 ER) on 1 H and 2 BB with 5 K across 5 IP in a 3-2 win vs. Tampa on Apr. 16 last season
- Went 3-4 with a 4.26 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with 49 K and 27 BB in 12 away starts in 2022
Faucher (0-0, 4.15 ERA) makes his 2nd start and 6th appearance. He has a 1.27 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9 and 6.2 K/9 through 8 2/3 IP.
- Allowed 0 earned runs on 2 hits and 0 walks with 0 strikeouts in a 1-inning relief appearance vs. Chicago on June 3 last year
- Went 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 11 K through 8 IP across 8 home appearances as a reliever in 2022
White Sox at Rays odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:49 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): White Sox +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Rays -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): White Sox +1.5 (-150) | Rays -1.5 (+125)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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White Sox at Rays picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 8, White Sox 4
Moneyline
BET RAYS (-160).
Tampa has been the best team in baseball and while their recent stretch of games hasn’t been as hot as their opening stretch, they are still the safer bet here. Tampa has big, consistent bats with a solid bullpen behind Faucher and they still have yet to lose at home.
Run line/Against the spread
LEAN RAYS -1.5 (+125).
Only 1 of the Rays’ 16 wins has been within 1 run, showing that when they win they usually do so by a comfortable margin. There is no reason to expect that to change here. The Rays won 2 of the last 4 meetings with the White Sox last year, but both were by at least 3 runs.
Figure out how much overall you want to wager on Tampa Bay — I suggest no more than 1½ units — and divvy it up between the moneyline and the run line plays with at least 1 full unit on the ML.
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Over/Under
BET OVER 8.5 (-115).
The Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Tampa Bay and 7-3 in the last 10 meetings overall. The Over is also 5-0-1 in Tampa Bay’s last 6 games vs. a team with a winning percentage below .400.
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