White Sox vs. Rays Prediction and Odds for Saturday, June 4 (Dylan Cease Will Stop the Bleeding for Chicago)
By Josh Yourish
The White Sox (23-27) have wildly underwhelmed so far this year, after what looked like such a promising first year for Tony La Russa in Chicago. The Tampa Bay Rays (31-21) have continued to be the most successful small market team in baseball over the last few years.
The White Sox have lost four in a row and look to Dylan Cease to stop the bleeding for them. Meanwhile, the Rays have been cruising, winner of their last three. They hand the ball to Drew Rasmussen.
Rasmussen will attempt to navigate a White Sox lineup that desperately misses Tim Anderson and await his return. They have not won since he’s gone down and have managed only three runs in each of their last three games.
Odds are available on the WynnBET Sportsbook
White Sox vs. Rays Odds, Run Line and Total
Run Line
- White Sox +1.5 (-210)
- Rays -1.5 (+170)
Moneyline
- White Sox +108
- Rays -108
Total
7 (Over -105 / Under -115)
White Sox vs. Rays Prediction and Pick
James Fegan of The Athletic wrote today about how Dylan Cease had changed his slider grip in his last start against the Cubs. That night he went 7.0 and allowed one unearned run on just two hits. Cease’s slider velocity was his highest this year as was his spin rate on that pitch.
Fegan also wrote that Cease changed his mentality some, focusing on establishing his inside fastball to set up that more effective slider.
Neither of these teams has had the offense that they were counting on and both are down their star shortstops. Anderson for Chicago and Wander Franco for Tampa Bay. Other key contributors have underperformed to this point, Jose Abreu’s OPS is over 80 points below his career mark. Randy Arozerena is also nearly 100 OPS points below his Rookie of the Year campaign a season ago.
This shapes up to be a low scoring pitching duel and personally I’m a sucker for a, “X pitcher has changed his whatever pitch grip” story. So let’s ride with Cease and if I’m wrong blame James Fegan for getting me excited.
Pick: White Sox ML +108
Follow along with Josh’s bets in real-time HERE