Chicago White Sox (18-19) +115, o/u 8 at Los Angeles Angels (23-17), 10 pm Eastern Tuesday
by Zman of Predictem.com
Old division rivals meet again when the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels continue a four-game series in SoCal Tuesday night.
Los Angeles broke a four-game losing streak by taking game 1 of this series 10-7 Monday night.
The books are listing LA and starting pitcher Jared Weaver as -130 home favorites for Tuesday’s game, with an over/under of 8 , while Chicago and lefty John Danks are getting +115 as road underdogs.
The White Sox, now 2-2 on a current road trip after taking two of three in Seattle over the weekend, are in 3rd place in the AL Central, two games behind the division-leading Minnesota Twins.
The Angels, who struggled through a 20-inning scoreless streak while getting swept in Tampa over the weekend, are in second place in the AL West, a half-game behind the first-place Oakland A’s.
This series is the first meeting between these two teams this season. Last year, Chicago took the series from LA five games to four. The totals went 3-6 in those nine games, which averaged just 7.7 total runs per.
This season, the Sox are 9-12 both on the road and as underdogs, and 21-16 vs. the run line. Meanwhile, the Angels are 11-8 at home this year, 15-10 as favorites and 19-21 vs. the run line.
Danks (3-3, 3.18, 1.11 WHIP) has been very good of late, allowing just six ER and 30 baserunners (hits + walks) over his last five starts, covering 30 2/3 IP. Chicago is 4-3 in Danks’ starts this year, the o/u 1-6.
Danks has never started a game vs. Los Angeles.
Weaver (2-5, 5.59, 1.48), meanwhile, has had his problems recently, giving up 14 ER and 27 BR in his last three starts, covering 16 2/3 innings of work. The Angels are 2-6 in Weaver’s starts this year, the totals 3-5.
But Weaver started twice vs. the White Sox last year, and held them to one ER and 11 BR in 11 2/3 IP. LA won both those games, and both games stayed under their totals.
On offense, Chicago ranks 26th in the majors in team batting this year at .243, is tied for 14th in team OBP at .328, ranks 12th in team slugging at .415, and is averaging 4.7 runs per game.
The Angels rank 6th in batting at .268, T-14th in OBP at .328, 14th in slugging at .406 and are also averaging 4.7 RPG.
The Sox bullpen has given up just two ER and 18 BR over the last five games, covering 16 IP. The LA pen has allowed 10 ER and 24 BR over its last five games, covering 12 2/3 IP.
On the injury front, Angles 3B Chone Figgins has been placed on the DL with a bad hammy.
The o/u is 17-21 in White Sox games this year, 18-21 in Los Angeles games. And the totals are 8-10 in games played at Angel Stadium this season.
Zman’s Pick: I’ve got a strong play on the CWS tonight as a live underdog!