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MLB Series Outlook: Boston at Chicago White Sox
BOSTON RED SOX (64-39, +5.9 Units)
at CHICAGO WHITE SOX (51-52, -4.9 Units)
Sportsbook.com Series Line: Boston -135, Chicago +105
With an exciting trade deadline approaching, and both teams in this series mentioned in connection to numerous teams, the two Sox teams face off as Boston travels to Chicago for a three-game set. Although the White Sox find themselves one game below .500, they are just two losses behind the Tigers for the AL Central lead and the always-aggressive Kenny Williams could make a move this weekend to further bolster their roster. Similarly, the Red Sox are thought to be in the buyer’s market, seeking hitting depth.
Play on BOSTON to win the series, with the most road wins (31) in the AL and two lefties facing the White Sox this series, a major Achilles heel for the team from Chicago’s south side. The White Sox have scored the fewest runs against lefties in baseball, with 87.
This three-star FoxSheets trend also sides with the Red Sox.
BOSTON is 25-7 (78.1%, +16.8 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams allowing 4.2 or less runs/game on the season this season. The average score was BOSTON 5.8, OPPONENT 3.7 - (Rating = 3*).
Pitching Probables for Friday, July 29 – 8:10 EDT
Friday line: Boston -105, Chicago -105, Total: 9.5
BOS: 9-4 (+3.85 Units) when Tim Wakefield starts
CHW: 8-11 (-4.90 Units) when Gavin Floyd starts
The veteran Wakefield (6-3, 5.15 ERA) is having a rough go of it this season, and it hasn’t been getting better lately. With a 6.50 ERA in his past 18 innings over three starts, and six consecutive starts yielding three runs or more, he is a dangerous play in this matchup. He allowed four runs in six innings against the White Sox earlier this season.
After getting rocked for seven runs in 3.2 innings three starts ago, Floyd (8-9, 4.11 ERA) has picked up his game, winning his next two outings, giving up just one earned run in 15.1 innings. Notably, however, both of those starts came on the road where he has a 3.06 ERA compared to a 6.26 mark at home.
Pitching Probables for Saturday, July 30 – 7:10 EDT
Saturday line: TBD
BOS: 11-8 (-3.05 Units) when Jon Lester starts
CHW: 9-8 (+1.60 Units) when Philip Humber starts
Lester (10-4, 3.23 ERA) is in position to give the Red Sox a huge lift in this series, with favorable conditions for this matchup. He has a hot hand entering the game with a 0.55 ERA in his past three times out, though two of them came before his DL stint. He showed no signs of still being hurt though, allowing just one run in his first start back. In addition, he faces one of the worst teams at hitting lefties in baseball; nobody has scored fewer runs against southpaws in baseball. Lester is also 7-1 on the road this season.
Humber (8-6, 3.27 ERA), on the other hand, does not have the best situation in this matchup. Although he is having a strong season overall, he is ice cold in giving up 10 runs in his past 11 innings. Against the potentially dominant Lester, play against Chicago here.
Pitching Probables for Sunday, July 31 - 2:10 EDT
Sunday line: TBD
BOS: 6-1 (+5.00 Units) when Andrew Miller starts
CHW: 14-6 (+8.60 Units) when Mark Buehrle starts
Despite weak overall numbers, Miller (4-1, 5.45 ERA) has won games so far this season with a combination of good luck and facing poor teams. Although the White Sox struggle mightily against lefties, he gets a difficult matchup in the scorching-hot Buehrle. This could be a pitchers’ duel if the White Sox struggles versus southpaws continue.
No pitcher in baseball may be as hot as Buehrle (8-5, 3.22 ERA). Over his past three outings he’s gone 21 innings, allowing just two earned runs in that span. What’s been best about him is his amazing consistency – the last time he allowed more than three runs in a start was in April.
BOSTON RED SOX (64-39, +5.9 Units)
at CHICAGO WHITE SOX (51-52, -4.9 Units)
Sportsbook.com Series Line: Boston -135, Chicago +105
With an exciting trade deadline approaching, and both teams in this series mentioned in connection to numerous teams, the two Sox teams face off as Boston travels to Chicago for a three-game set. Although the White Sox find themselves one game below .500, they are just two losses behind the Tigers for the AL Central lead and the always-aggressive Kenny Williams could make a move this weekend to further bolster their roster. Similarly, the Red Sox are thought to be in the buyer’s market, seeking hitting depth.
Play on BOSTON to win the series, with the most road wins (31) in the AL and two lefties facing the White Sox this series, a major Achilles heel for the team from Chicago’s south side. The White Sox have scored the fewest runs against lefties in baseball, with 87.
This three-star FoxSheets trend also sides with the Red Sox.
BOSTON is 25-7 (78.1%, +16.8 Units) against the money line vs. AL teams allowing 4.2 or less runs/game on the season this season. The average score was BOSTON 5.8, OPPONENT 3.7 - (Rating = 3*).
Pitching Probables for Friday, July 29 – 8:10 EDT
Friday line: Boston -105, Chicago -105, Total: 9.5
BOS: 9-4 (+3.85 Units) when Tim Wakefield starts
CHW: 8-11 (-4.90 Units) when Gavin Floyd starts
The veteran Wakefield (6-3, 5.15 ERA) is having a rough go of it this season, and it hasn’t been getting better lately. With a 6.50 ERA in his past 18 innings over three starts, and six consecutive starts yielding three runs or more, he is a dangerous play in this matchup. He allowed four runs in six innings against the White Sox earlier this season.
After getting rocked for seven runs in 3.2 innings three starts ago, Floyd (8-9, 4.11 ERA) has picked up his game, winning his next two outings, giving up just one earned run in 15.1 innings. Notably, however, both of those starts came on the road where he has a 3.06 ERA compared to a 6.26 mark at home.
Pitching Probables for Saturday, July 30 – 7:10 EDT
Saturday line: TBD
BOS: 11-8 (-3.05 Units) when Jon Lester starts
CHW: 9-8 (+1.60 Units) when Philip Humber starts
Lester (10-4, 3.23 ERA) is in position to give the Red Sox a huge lift in this series, with favorable conditions for this matchup. He has a hot hand entering the game with a 0.55 ERA in his past three times out, though two of them came before his DL stint. He showed no signs of still being hurt though, allowing just one run in his first start back. In addition, he faces one of the worst teams at hitting lefties in baseball; nobody has scored fewer runs against southpaws in baseball. Lester is also 7-1 on the road this season.
Humber (8-6, 3.27 ERA), on the other hand, does not have the best situation in this matchup. Although he is having a strong season overall, he is ice cold in giving up 10 runs in his past 11 innings. Against the potentially dominant Lester, play against Chicago here.
Pitching Probables for Sunday, July 31 - 2:10 EDT
Sunday line: TBD
BOS: 6-1 (+5.00 Units) when Andrew Miller starts
CHW: 14-6 (+8.60 Units) when Mark Buehrle starts
Despite weak overall numbers, Miller (4-1, 5.45 ERA) has won games so far this season with a combination of good luck and facing poor teams. Although the White Sox struggle mightily against lefties, he gets a difficult matchup in the scorching-hot Buehrle. This could be a pitchers’ duel if the White Sox struggles versus southpaws continue.
No pitcher in baseball may be as hot as Buehrle (8-5, 3.22 ERA). Over his past three outings he’s gone 21 innings, allowing just two earned runs in that span. What’s been best about him is his amazing consistency – the last time he allowed more than three runs in a start was in April.
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