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.
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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.
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