The Tampa Bay Rays (20-5) begin a 4-game road series with the Chicago White Sox (7-18) on Thursday. First pitch from Guaranteed Rate Field will be at 7:10 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Rays vs. White Sox odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Rays swept the White Sox in 3 games in Tampa last week
The Rays will be trying to right the ship after losing back-to-back games to the Houston Astros, dropping the 3-game series at home. It was just their 2nd lost series of the season. The Rays were shut out in consecutive games, losing 5-0 on Tuesday and 1-0 on Wednesday.
The White Sox own the 3rd-worst record in baseball and have lost 7 straight games and 9 of their last 10. In their last 2 series, they were swept by the Rays and Toronto Blue Jays, scoring 3 or fewer runs in 5 of those 6 games. They rank 24th in runs scored (96) this season.
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Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox projected starters
LHP Shane McClanahan vs. RHP Dylan Cease
McClanahan (4-0, 1.86 ERA) makes his 6th start. He has a 1.03 WHIP, 3.7 BB/9 and 11.5 K/9 in 29 IP.
- Has arguably been the best pitcher in baseball so far this season, with 4 quality starts and allowing 2 or fewer runs in all 5 starts
- In his last start against the White Sox, he had 10 K’sin 6 IP and allowed just 2 runs
Cease (2-0, 2.73 ERA) makes his 6th start. He has a 1.18 WHIP, 4.4 BB/9 and 11.6 K/9 in 26 1/3 IP.
- He’s doing his best to keep the Sox afloat, allowing 3 or fewer runs in all 5 of his starts
- In his last start vs. the Rays, he allowed 3 R in 4 IP with 5 K
Rays at White Sox odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:26 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rays -155 (bet $155 to win $100) | White Sox +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rays -1.5 (+110) | White Sox +1.5 (-135)
- Over/Under (O/U): 7 (O: -120 | U: +100)
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Rays at White Sox picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 4, White Sox 2
Moneyline
This is a pitcher’s duel, but one that favors the Rays pretty heavily, even on the road. The White Sox struck out 17 times in their 8-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Wednesday, which was their 7th straight. The Rays are sputtering right now, too, getting shut out in back-to-back games, but they have their stopper McClanahan on the mound.
The money line is juiced a bit at -155, but I would still BET RAYS (-155) to win outright and snap their 2-game losing streak.
Run line/Against the spread
In the Rays’ last 10 wins, 8 of them have been by at least 2 runs. This is where the real value lies, getting them at +110 to win by at least 2 runs. It’s hard to see the White Sox plating many runs against McClanahan, especially after Wednesday’s whiff fest, and the Rays should be able to push some runs across once Cease exits.
BET RAYS -1.5 (+110).
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Over/Under
For the Rays, the Under is 3-0-1 in McClanahan’s last 4 starts this season, according to Covers. On the White Sox’s side, the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games overall.
With this being a matchup between 2 aces, I like the UNDER 7 (+100). There shouldn’t be an abundance of balls put in play Thursday.
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