Major League Baseball on Monday night and I will have a Free Pick in the game between the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox, which will be played at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. First pitch is scheduled for an 8:10 PM (Eastern) start time and the game will be televised locally.
Betting Odds
Cleveland +110
Chicago -120
Over/ Under: 7.5 U -125
This is game 1 of a 4 game series between these AL Central foes. The Tribe just took 2 of 3 at Texas over the weekend, but still they have won just 4 of their last 10 games and are in last place in the AL Central with a 14-22 record on the year. The White Sox have won 5 in a row and are off a road sweep of the Oakland A's. The Sox have now climbed back to .500, but are still 4th in the AL Central.
Cleveland ranks 12th in scoring (4.42 rpg), 16th in hitting (.255) and 19th in homers (33) while on the mound they are 26th in ERA (4.58) and 26th in WHIP (1.40). The Indians are 26-12 the last 38 in the series, but just 4-17 in their last 21 during game 1 of a series and 10-22 in their last 32 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
The White Sox rank 23rd in scoring (3.88 rpg), 13th in hitting (.258) and 29th in homers (23), while on the mound they are 23rd in ERA (4.40) and 28th in WHIP (1.40). The White Sox have gone 6-1 in their last 7 home games with the total set at 7.0-8.5 and 5-1 in Sale's last 6 home starts vs. a team with a losing record, but just 18-37 in their last 55 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.
Getting the ball for Cleveland tonight will be Corey Kluber, who has had a rough start to the year as he is 1-5 with a 4.27 ERA on the year, which includes a mark of 0-3 with a 5.00 ERA on the road. Corey is 4-3 with a 3.60 ERA in 11 games (10 starts) vs the White Sox in his career, which includes a 2-2 mark and a 4.26 ERA in 5 starts at US Cellular.
Getting the ball for the White Sox tonight will be Chris Sale, who is 3-1 on the year, but with a high 5.09 ERA. At home so far he is 1-0 with a 3.93 ERA in 3 starts. Chris is 1-4 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 7 starts vs the Indians.
Pick: Neither starter has been in good form this year overall, but I feel that is about to change as both come in off very good outings. For Kluber it was his best outing of the year in his last start as he threw 8 innings of 1 hit no run ball vs the Cards in that start. Chris Sale comes in having allowed just 2 ERs on 3 hits in 8 innings of work vs Kansas City in his last start. I see both starters building off the momentum of their last starts, which will really help keep this one low scoring. We also note that the Under is 18-3 the last 21 games in this series and the Under is also 12-2 in Corey Kluber's last 14 starts on the road. I can see a pitcher's duel in this one
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