Watch: Christian Yelich goes inside-the-park homer as OF gets caught in net

Outfield gets caught in a net so Christian Yelich of the Brewers circles the bases for an inside-the-park home run.

Christian Yelich will be able to tell quite a tale about the inside-the-park home run he hit during the pandemic.

And everyone will look at him like it is a fish story because he has to explain how an outfielder was caught in a net.

Check this out from Thursday’s play:

That was the White Sox’ Eloy Jiminez who wound up in the net and tried to extricate himself as the Brewers’ star circled the bases for his second home run of the season.

 

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Chicago White Sox (1-2) visit the division rival Cleveland Indians (2-1) Monday at Progressive Field for a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch. We analyze the White Sox-Indians MLB betting odds and picks, with betting advice and tips around the matchup.

White Sox at Indians: Projected starting pitchers

RHP Dylan Cease vs. RHP Aaron Civale

Cease posted a dismal 4-7 record, 5.79 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 73 innings over 14 starts in 2019, his rookie year.

  • The right-hander was a little better on the road than at home last season. He went 2-3 with a 4.89 ERA over 38 2/3 innings in seven road starts, while finishing 2-4 with a 6.82 ERA across 34 1/3 innings in seven home outings.
  • Cease made just one start in 2019 against the Indians, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks with a career-high 11 strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision Sept. 3, 2019 in Cleveland.

Civale posted a 3-4 record with a 2.34 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 46 strikeouts over 57 2/3 innings across 10 starts last season, also his rookie campaign.

  • Civale was nearly untouchable at home last year, going 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA and .195 opponent batting average across 24 2/3 innings in four starts.
  • Civale went 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA and .313 opponent batting average while serving up two homers in two starts against the White Sox in 2019.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!

White Sox at Indians: Key injuries

(List of injuries around the league)

White Sox

  • OF Eloy Jimenez (head) questionable
  • 2B Nick Madrigal (head) questionable
  • OF Nomar Mazara (illness) out

Indians

  • CF Delino DeShields (COVID-19 symptoms) out
  • OF Tyler Naquin (toe) out

White Sox at Indians: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Monday at 5:40 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Indians 6, White Sox 4

Moneyline (ML)

The INDIANS (-129) are a solid value at home with Civale on the bump, as he was money at home last season. On the flip side, Cease was rather shaky, although he was much better on the road than at home. Still, Chicago’s pitching was shaky in its opening series against the Minnesota Twins, losing two out of three games while coughing up 27 total runs. Look for Cleveland’s offense to take advantage.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Indians (-129) to win straight up nets a return of just $7.75 if they do so.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

The INDIANS (-1.5, +145) are worth a small-unit wager against Cease. Plus, the White Sox have won just six of their past 20 games at Progressive Field, so the home side is definitely the play.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 9.5 (-110) is worth a look, but don’t get crazy. Civale was untouchable at home in 2019, while Cease was better on the road than at home. However, Chicago’s pitching staff was tattooed for 27 runs (nine runs per game) in the first series against the Twins. After a slow start, totaling four runs in the first two games, the Indians racked up nine in their series-clinching win on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Minnesota Twins open their 2020 season against the AL Central rival Chicago White Sox Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field for an 8:10 p.m. ET start. We analyze the Twins-White Sox MLB betting odds and lines, with betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Twins at White Sox: Projected starting pitchers

RHP Jose Berrios vs. RHP Lucas Giolito

Berrios made his second straight All-Star team while going 14-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.223 WHIP over 32 starts and 200 1/3 innings.

  • Declined over the second half of 2019 with a 4.64 ERA vs. his 3.00 mark from the first half.
  • Was better at home with a 3.51 ERA compared to a 3.84 road split.

Giolito made his first All-Star game in just his second full season. He went 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA and MLB highs of three complete games and two shutouts.

  • Went 2-2 in four starts against the AL Central champion Twins with a 3.24 ERA and 32 strikeouts against five walks and six home runs allowed.
  • Was much better on the road with a 2.83 ERA vs. his 4.06 mark at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!

Twins at White Sox: Key injuries

Visit sportsdata.usatoday.com to track all MLB injuries leading up to game time.

Twins

  • Willians Astudillo (COVID-19) out
  • CF Byron Buxton (ankle) questionable
  • 3B Miguel Sano (past positive COVID-19 test) probable

White Sox

  • 2B Nick Madrigal (head) questionable
  • OF Nomar Mazara (illness) out
  • 2B Yoan Moncada (past positive COVID-19 test) probable

Twins at White Sox: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Twins 5, White Sox 2

Moneyline (ML)

Back the defending AL Central champion TWINS (-112). The White Sox (+100) are a favorite darkhorse pick around baseball this season, but they’re likely to be without multiple key young players in the early going due to COVID-19. They may challenge Minnesota for the division crown by the end of the season, but let them prove themselves before jumping on the bandwagon, especially at the sportsbook.

This game was priced as a pick ’em Tuesday afternoon with the odds dropping for Minnesota throughout the week.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Twins would return a profit of $8.93 with a victory.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Go ahead and chase the value with MINNESOTA -1.5 (+140) on the run line. Should the Twins win by a margin of at least two runs, the same $10 wager would return a profit of $14.

The Twins went 13-6 straight up against the White Sox last year and 13-6 against the spread. The White Sox should be much improved this season, but the Twins should also be able to pick up where they left off in the regular season with their ace on the hill.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 8.5 (-110). As noted above, the White Sox’s offense won’t be at full health for Friday’s season opener and it’ll be noticed in a tough matchup against Berrios.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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MLB Parlay Bet Payday: Bank on this 5-way parlay bet

Looking to cash in on MLB’s 2020 Opening Day? Bank on this 5-way parlay bet in the return of baseball.

The 2020 MLB season is here and betting odds are up at BetMGM for the Thursday and Friday Opening Day slates. At SportsbookWire, we’ve previewed all the teams, looked at all the top 2020 award contenders and made our best bets for all player props for the 60-game season. Below, we’ll look at the opening game lines and make our best picks in a 5-way parlay bet.

MLB Opening Day Parlay: Picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, July 21 at 9:25 a.m. ET.

New York Yankees at Washington Nationals: UNDER 7.5 (-110)

Gerrit Cole will make his Yankees debut in a marquee pitching matchup with the defending World Series champions and SP Max Scherzer.

The Yankees and Nationals ranked first and sixth, respectively, in runs scored last season, but two of the best pitchers in MLB will have the early edge over all hitters in this delayed start to the season.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB Opening Day bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!

Atlanta Braves at New York Mets: ATL moneyline (+115)

Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom will get the opening start at home for the Mets after dealing with a back injury throughout summer camp.

Look for the Braves to pounce early in what’s already likely to be a shortened outing for deGrom and get to a Mets bullpen that pitched to an aggregate 4.99 ERA last season. SP Mike Soroka gets the call for the Braves.

Detroit Tigers at Cincinnati Reds: CIN -1.5 (+110)

One of the most lopsided Opening Day matchups sees a popular NL Central darkhorse contender hosting a Tigers team widely projected to finish last in baseball. The universal designated hitter rule will help the Reds more than the Tigers in this interleague set.

Cincinnati should win this easily by two or more runs with Sonny Gray on the mound against Matthew Boyd.

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Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox: MIN moneyline (+105)

The hype has built around the young White Sox through the winter, spring and summer and now has them favored on Opening Day against the defending American League Central champions. Stick with the known entity in what we saw from the Twins last year instead of expecting instant results from one of 2020’s most popular long-shot bets.

Los Angeles Angels at Oakland Athletics: LAA moneyline (+120)

Conversely, we’ll take the Angels over the Athletics, who qualified for the 2019 postseason as an AL wild-card team. 3B Anthony Rendon was one of the biggest free-agent additions of the offseason and bolsters the Angels’ lineup around OF Mike Trout. OF Justin Upton and SP/DH Shohei Ohtani are also back to full health following injury-shortened 2019 campaigns. Expect the Halos to start strong this season.

MLB Opening Day Parlay: Payout

The above five picks combine for odds of +3787. A $10 bet will return a profit of $378.74 if all five legs hit correctly.

Want action on MLB Opening Day? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 MLB Futures Odds: How many games will the Chicago White Sox win?

Looking at 2020 MLB futures odds for how many games the Chicago White Sox will win in the 60-game MLB season.

How many games will the Chicago White Sox win in the 60-game 2020 MLB season? We look at the White Sox’s MLB futures odds, including their projected 2020 win total and Over/Under odds at BetMGM, and make our best bet.

Chicago White Sox’s 2019 recap

The White Sox went 72-89 (.447) a year ago, placing third in the American League Central Division. The Sox went 32-24 against AL Central foes not named the Twins (the Pale Hose went just 6-13 against Minnesota). Chicago averaged 4.4 runs per contest while yielding 5.2.

On the betting rolls, the ChiSox did quite well as heavy underdogs: they went 9-14 with a 38.9% ROI when tagged with a price of +200 or more. But they did finish 78-38 vs. the run line with a 75-80-6 Over/Under record.

Chicago White Sox’s offseason

The Sox added some rotation help for 2020 in SPs Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez. They also added C Yasmani Grandal, OF Nomar Mazara and DH Edwin Encarnacion. These are veteran pieces added to a youthful and solid organization that ranks near the top third in MLB as far as projected pipeline production.

Also see:

Chicago White Sox’s 2020 schedule

The Sox will play 40 games against AL Central opponents – 10 games vs. each – and 20 total games against NL Central clubs. The 60-game schedule was set this way to limit travel since these clubs are geographically close.


Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!


How many games will the Chicago White Sox win in 2020?

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Sunday, July 5 at 2 p.m. ET.

The White Sox O/U win total is 31.5 with both the Over and Under carrying -110 odds. In a vacuum, this is a team I’d want the Over for in general terms … as in, “figure better things than last year.” But the current 31.5 O/U line begs a prudent watch – hope for 32.5 and hammer the Under.

Chicago White Sox’s World Series odds

In this sprint format, the White Sox are a LIKABLE PLAY AT +2500 to win the Series.

Chicago White Sox’s playoff odds

Chicago is listed at +320 to take the AL Central flag and +1200 to represent the AL in the Fall Classic. Both numbers have workable value; consider the Pale Hose part of any 5-to-8 team variable field action for a variety of these plays.

Want action on any 2020 MLB futures? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Klutch Sports adds White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson to baseball roster

The Klutch Sports roster keeps getting stronger, adding the 2019 AL Batting champion.

Klutch Sports continues to add to their loaded roster of stars in the sports world, adding one of baseball’s most exciting players, Chicago White Sox shortstop and 2019 American League batting champion, Tim Anderson.

Klutch announced the addition of Anderson to the team on their Instagram yesterday. Anderson joins an already loaded roster on the baseball side of Klutch Sports, which is run by agent Brodie Scofield, who joined Klutch earlier this year.

Anderson is a great addition to their team and adds even more star power to the baseball side. Earlier this year, Houston Astros star Alex Bregman switched representation from Klutch Sports after LeBron’s sports media company UNINTERRUPTED announced they would be doing a documentary series on the Astros sign-stealing scandal that exploded in the earlier part of 2020. But that little blip has not stopped the growth of Klutch’s baseball arm, which has become more formidable with the addition of Anderson.

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Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky’s confidence at ‘all-time high’

Despite the Bears’ decisions to trade for Nick Foles and decline his fifth-year option, Mitchell Trubisky is more motivated than ever.

This offseason has been different for Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. And not just because of the coronavirus pandemic and virtual offseason program. Trubisky will now have to compete for the starting quarterback job with veteran Nick Foles.

Not exactly what you’d expect to hear about your former No. 2 overall pick.

Still, it’s a unique opportunity for Trubisky, who’s facing his last shot in Chicago following an ugly 2019 season. Though, to be fair, receiver Allen Robinson might’ve been the only thing that wasn’t ugly on offense last season for Chicago.

The Bears have insisted that they still believe in Trubisky, but they’ve done everything this offseason that indicates otherwise. Whether that’s trading for Foles or declining Trubisky’s fifth-year option, Chicago appears prepared for a future without Trubisky.

Kade McClure, a White Sox pitching prospect and Trubisky’s friend from Mentor, has been in contact with Trubisky this offseason. Despite the Bears’ decisions this offseason, Trubisky is more motivated than ever.

“I texted Mitch right after all of that, and he was like, ‘Let’s go! Let’s go!’ ” McClure said, via The News-Herald. “Mitch is a competitive and confident guy. I don’t think he’s too worried about Nick Foles. He’s motivated more than ever, and definitely not going to bow down to (Foles). I know this, Mitch will fight and compete.”

Trubisky’s regression in his third year was cause for concern. Considering he was headed into his second year of Matt Nagy’s offense, 2019 was supposed to be the year where Trubisky put everything together. Instead, he had his worst year as a pro.

He completed 63.2% of his passes, threw for 3,138 yards for 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. Trubisky’s passer rating also dipped from 95.4 in 2018 to 83.0 in 2019.

“Mitch knows he had a down year,” said McClure, who played football and basketball with Trubisky at Mentor. “But his confidence is at an all-time high.”

Despite the Bears making the move to trade for Foles, the hope remains that this will be the year where Trubisky finally puts it all together and proves that he’s the quarterback Ryan Pace thought he drafted. We’ll see if that confidence helps Trubisky in his battle with Foles for the starting spot.

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How many games will the Chicago White Sox win in 2020?

Analyzing Chicago White Sox projected wins for the 2020 MLB season.

For a team that finished 17 games under .500 in 2019, the Chicago White Sox have a lot of positive buzz heading into spring training. They undertook a three-year roster rebuild that started in 2017 and there is a growing sentiment that with the investment they made in the offseason, they’re ready to make an upward move toward the Indians and Twins in the A.L. Central.

Chicago White Sox 2019 wins

The White Sox won 72 games last year, but were hovering around .500 for the first three months of the season before collapsing in July (7-17). They finished 26-30 beginning on Aug. 1 and showed resilience as their young core players didn’t fade down the stretch.

Chicago White Sox offseason

The White Sox increased their payroll by $50 million a year with the signing of LHP Dallas Keuchel, C Yasmani Grandal and DH Edwin Encarnacion. Throw in a trade with Texas to acquire OF Nomar Mazara and the White Sox added a lot of talent without gutting the current roster or the farm system. This doesn’t look like a team that is in rebuild mode anymore.


Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!


Chicago White Sox odds to win A.L. Central Division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.

The White Sox are getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers at BetMGM at +350 and, in our view, Chicago has the talent to jump past Cleveland. But the Twins are going to suffer a collapse for the White Sox to catch them because Minnesota has added even more power to a team that set the Major League record for home runs last season. Chicago is four deep in the rotation with Lucas Giolito, Keuchel, Reynaldo Lopez and Gio Gonzalez. The number here doesn’t give the return some think it should, so a small bet would make sense here because if Minnesota takes a backward step, 90-92 wins could put Chicago in position to contend.

Chicago White Sox World Series odds

At +3300, the Sox are getting nice return, but it will be gauntlet to get out of the American League, especially as a wild card. Even if they beat out the Twins in the A.L. Central, there are still the Astros and Yankees to contend with in the postseason. They went 14-19 against those three teams last season. PLACE A SMALL WAGER ON THE SOX and package it with a couple of other mid-level long shots and take your chances. Next year, this number will likely be much lower.

How many games will Chicago White Sox win in 2020?

The combination of starting pitcher depth, having three switch-hitters in the starting lineup, employing the defending AL batting champion (Tim Anderson), and adding veteran leadership in Grandal and Encarnacion is enticing. Throw in 34 games with the struggling Royals and Tigers and Chicago could start banking wins like Minnesota and Cleveland have. My over/under for Chicago is 88.5, so I’m all over their BetMGM number of 83.5 (Over -139 / Under +115). Currently bettors have to invest more (-139) in the over for the Sox than any team in MLB. It’s for a valid reason. TAKE THE OVER.

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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MLB Futures Betting: 2020 World Series odds, picks and best bets

Predicting who will win the 2020 World Series, with MLB futures betting odds, picks and best bets.

The MLB futures odds for the 2020 World Series were shaken up again last week when the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a blockbuster trade centered upon former AL MVP OF Mookie Betts. After a lengthy delay and a reworked deal which eventually saw the Minnesota Twins acquire SP Kenta Maeda in a separate trade with the Dodgers, we’re now set for spring training to begin Friday, Feb. 21. Below, we’ll look at the 2020 World Series odds, with MLB futures betting picks and tips.

2020 World Series favorites

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, left, poses for photos with manager Aaron Boone at Legends Club at Yankee Stadium. (Photo Credit: Danielle Parhizkaran – USA TODAY Sports)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated Tuesday at 1:40 p.m. ET.

New York Yankees (+350)

The Yankees, who had their 2019 season end with an American League Championship Series loss to the Houston Astros, head into 2020 as convincing favorites. They’re back to near full-health after a season that saw most regular starters spend a significant portion of the season on the injured list.

They also landed SP Gerrit Cole as the prize fish in free agency. He cements a rotation that ranked just 14th in baseball with a 4.31 ERA last season. It will be best to HOLD OFF on placing a bet on the Yankees, however, as SPs Domingo German (suspension) and James Paxton (injury) are both expected to miss the first half of the season. Hope for a poor start for the Bronx Bombers and jump on a double-digit number in May.

Los Angeles Dodgers (+400)

The Dodgers continue to retool in their quest to overcome postseason failures and win their first World Series since 1988. Betts joins a talented outfield with A.J. Pollock and Cody Bellinger, while Joc Pederson is set to open the season as the fourth outfielder following the failed trade with the Los Angeles Angels.

They’ll need a bounce-back season from LHP David Price, who was also acquired in the Betts deal. Still, he’s more than capable of being at least a steady No. 3 starter behind Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers are the heaviest favorites of any team to win their division at -1000 to win the NL West. This may be the best number they’ll have all season.


Place a sports bet on the 2020 World Series winner at BetMGM.


2020 World Series longshots

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer (27) throws against the New York Mets during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. (Photo Credit: David Kohl – USA TODAY Sports)

Cincinnati Reds (+3000)

The Reds head into the season with just the fourth-best odds to win the NL Central at +380. They trail the St. Louis Cardinals (+210), Chicago Cubs (+250) and Milwaukee Brewers (+260). These odds are likely to correct early in 2020 after the Reds went just 75-87 last season.

OF Nicholas Castellanos and 2B Mike Moustakas punch up the lineup, while SP Wade Miley and a full season of Trevor Bauer stock the rotation behind ace Luis Castillo. The bullpen should also be one of the best in baseball.

Chicago White Sox (+3300)

The White Sox have a great advantage by playing in what’s likely to be the weakest division in MLB once again. The Cleveland Indians no longer look like contenders and trade rumors continue to swirl around star SS Francisco Lindor. The ChiSox will need the Twins to fall back to Earth after an offensive explosion last season to have a shot at the AL Central crown. They’re a strong bet to win the division at +350.

On their own merit, the White Sox finally succeeded in adding some star power in free agency – 1B Edwin Encarnacion, C Yasmani Grandal, SP Dallas Keuchel – and traded for OF Nomar Mazara. Top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert are also expected to play significant roles and be top contributors this season.

Want some action the 2020 World Series? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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