The Los Angeles Angels (70-74) continue their three-game set with the Chicago White Sox (83-61) Wednesday with the second game’s first pitch scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET at Guaranteed Rate Field. Let’s analyze the lines around the Angels vs. White Sox odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Chicago handled L.A. 9-3 Tuesday in the series opener as the White Sox’s six through nine batters did a bulk of the damage by hitting a combined 9-for-15 with 2 home runs, 3 doubles and 7 RBIs.
Also see: 2021 World Series odds for all teams
Season series: Angels lead 3-2.
RHP Janson Junk makes his second MLB start for the Angels. Junk lost 7-3 to the Texas Rangers Sept. 5 with a stat line of 3 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB and 2 K.
LHP Dallas Keuchel takes the hill for the White Sox. Keuchel is 8-9 with a 5.33 ERA (145 1/3 IP, 86 ER), 1.45 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 5.4 K/9 across 27 starts and one relief appearance.
- Last outing: Loss, 5-1, with 5 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 1 BB and 3 K at the Oakland Athletics Sept. 8.
- Keuchel got a no-decision in Chicago’s 12-8 victory over the Angels April 2 with 4 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB and 4 K.
- vs. Angels on the current roster (37 PA): 3.53 FIP with a .129 batting average, .226 wOBA, .318 expected slugging percentage, 16.2 K% and 87.9 mph exit velocity.
Angels at White Sox odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 1 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Angels +190 (bet $100 to win $190) | White Sox -240 (bet $240 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Angels +1.5 (+102) | White Sox -1.5 (-125)
- Over/Under: 9.5 (O: +105 | U: -130)
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Prediction
Angels 7, White Sox 5
Money line (ML)
PASS since Chicago is most likely the right side but the White Sox (-240) is way out of my price range considering Keuchel’s pitching peripherals and how poor he pitched in his first outing against the Angels.
Also, L.A.’s lineup is more productive against left-handed pitching and the Angels are 25-22 overall vs. lefty starters.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
“LEAN” to the ANGELS +1.5 (+102) because Keuchel is somewhat known amongst casual baseball fans and I anticipate most of the public backing the White Sox because of their scary lineup and Keuchel’s familiarity.
However, Keuchel grades in the single-digit percentile in K%, xSLG, expected wOBA and the 33rd percentile in hard-hit rate and 15th percentile in whiff rate.
That combined with L.A.’s above-.500 record against left-handed starters means there’s more value in the ANGELS +1.5 (+102) than any other side in this contest.
Over/Under (O/U)
TAKE the UNDER 9.5 (-130) for 1 unit because the starting pitching matchup screams “Over” but we have a “pros vs. joes” scenario in the betting market suggesting the “sharp” money is predicting a lower scoring affair.
Nearly 90% of the cash wagered is on the Under while two-thirds of the bets placed are with the Over according to pregame.com at the time of writing.
These betting splits have caused oddsmakers to move the total from the Over being the pricier side to the Under being more expensive. Typically, it’s wiser to follow the money in sports betting especially when it’s counter to the crowd.
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