White Sox vs. Guardians Prediction and Odds for Saturday, August 20 (Trust Bieber at Home)
By Reed Wallach
The biggest series of the weekend goes down in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Guardians and White Sox are in a heated race for the AL Central with Cleveland holding a slight edge on Chicago. The home team rallied Friday night to take the first of three games, while also pushing their lead to three games in the division.
Can they make it four with their ace, Shane Bieber on the mound?
Here are the odds from consensus sportsbooks:
White Sox vs. Guardians Odds, Run Line, Total
Run Line:
- White Sox: +1.5 (-140)
- Guardians: -1.5 (+125)
Moneyline:
- White Sox: +155
- Guardians: -180
Total:
- 7.5 (Over -105/Under -115)
White Sox vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick
I'm going to trust Bieber to get the job done and further the Guardians lead in the division. Despite an injury riddled 2021, Bieber has been nails in 2022. He has a 3.18 ERA that is supported by a 2.81 FIP and he has had success against the White Sox this season.
The righty has made three starts against the South Siders, pitching 21 innings and allowing one run in a pair of those starts. While he got roughed up on the road, allowing six runs over six innings, five of them came in the second inning. He settled in and still put together a long outing.
Bieber is one of the most consistent pitchers in the sport right now, and he faces Johnny Cueto of the White Sox, who is ripe for regression. Sure, his 2.78 ERA looks nice, but that is backed by a 3.87 FIP and he is allowing nearly nine hits per nine innings.
This Guardians lineup is adept at putting the ball in play, posting the best strikeout rate in baseball in the month of August, meaning that there's going to be pressure on Cueto early and often.
I'm laying it with the best team in the AL Central.
LEAN: Guardians ML (-175)
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