It is Game 2 of three in the land of 10,000 lakes between the Twins and White Sox. Chicago has owned Minnesota this season, does it continue? The Chicago White Sox are chasing greatness this season, while Minnesota’s chances have come and gone after a good couple of years.
The White Sox followed what the Cubs did a decade ago, gave up on the major league level, wisely acquired top talent through the draft and sold off their best assets that others wanted for picks and now have a playoff team capable of making noise in October. Minnesota won 101 games in 2019 and had a top club last year, they just didn’t have enough pitching when it mattered.
Tuesday, August 10,2021 – 8:10 PM EDT at Target Field
The White Sox (67-46, +3.2 units) went up the north side of Chi-Town this past weekend and pounded on their depleted cross-town rivals in sweeping the Cubs, winning by an average of four runs a game. That moved Chicago up to 6th in runs scored in baseball and a healthy roster is improving their capabilities. Tony LaRussa’s club is not a big home run hitting club (21st overall), but with Eloy Jimenez finding his stroke (4 HR’s and 10 RBI L2 games) after a long stint on the IL and center fielder Robert Luis recalled Monday from the IL after being out 12 weeks, this club should score even more.
Jimenez is at his best when hitting to right-center and right and he did that at Wrigley Field. His average is up to .297 after going 5-for-49 and he’s got punch. Luis is a Gold Glove outfielder and had 12 homers in only 56 games as a rookie, thus, you know 20+ or more is in his future. With Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu having more protection, this Sox offense could explode like the fireworks at “The Rate”.
Sportsbooks like YouWager (visit our YouWager Review) has the Twinkies as +141 money line home underdogs when checking out their MLB odds. Will Minnesota have a chance at being walloped 11-1 last night? It’s not been a fun season for the Twins (48-65, -26.9), almost exclusively due to allowing 5.4 runs a game.
Minnesota pitchers are not helped one bit backed up by fielders that are next to last in errors committed. Let’s be honest, the pitching is not getting better at this point and the poor fielding is a lack of concentration coupled with a less than positive attitude. The Twins offense is not as good as it was the last couple of seasons, nonetheless, still good enough to be 11th in runs scored at 4.6.
One noticeable difference in this year’s offense is the lack of crunch-time base knocks. Minnesota, similar to St. Louis has faltered in clutch situations with runners on base. Ultimately, it is on the Twins hitters, however, because it feels like this team is always playing from behind, have to wonder if the Minny batters feel extra pressure to get big hits?
Sox fans and betting backers are no longer comfortable seeing Dallas Keuchel (7-5, 4.44 ERA) taking the ball. The veteran lefthander has won one of his past eight starts, with his team 2-6. Walks and home runs have been Keuchel’s downfall, walking three or more batters four times and taken deep twice or three times in three other contests. Chicago needs a return to form.
Minnesota is trotting out Griffin Jax (2-1, 5.63) who’s been far more effective as a starter than a bullpen guy. Jax had a 7.82 ERA when used in long relief. On July 3, the right-hander had a jittery first start, but has settled down and has a 1.88 ERA in his next three starts. Though far from overpowering, Jax is after groundball and flyball outs and has gotten them recently.
Though Jax has pitched this season at Target Field, being the starting pitcher will cause some butterflies. While far from being sold on Keuchel at this point, he is 6-2 with a 3.83 ERA versus Minnesota, who are 12-26 against LH starters. With Chicago 13-4 vs. the Twins and 32-10 as a road favorite of -125 or more the last three seasons, for MLB picks, the Pale Hose catch our backing.
MLB Pick: White Sox ML -151 at YouWager (visit our YouWager Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.