The Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox opened a three-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Friday night, so here’s the best Mariners vs. Chi Sox betting pick for the middle contest set for Saturday, June 26, with the first pitch at 2:10 PM ET.
The White Sox are firm favorites to win this series. According to William Hill Sportsbook, the hosts are -180 favorites for the middle contest, while the Mariners are +166 moneyline underdogs with a total of 8.0 runs.
The Mariners look to maintain their good run of form
The Seattle Mariners entered the White Sox series with a 39-37 record, sitting at the third spot of the American League West standings, six games behind Oakland and 8.5 behind Houston. Excluding Friday’s clash in Chicago, the Mariners have won eight of their last ten games overall, wrapping up a nine-game homestand with a 5-2 defeat to Colorado this past Wednesday.
Seattle is slashing .239/.303/407 in June, and over the last two weeks, the Mariners have recorded a .725 OPS (16th in the majors) while batting .248 (13th). Their pitching staff has improved a lot over the previous 12 games overall, sporting the sixth-lowest ERA in the majors in that span (3.47).
Logan Gilbert will get the starting nod Saturday, and the 24-year-old rookie is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in seven starts (34 innings). The righty has gone 2-0 over his last five starts, and the Mariners have won all five contests.
The White Sox hope to improve their impressive home record
The Chicago White Sox entered the Mariners series with a 44-30 record, topping the American League Central ahead of the 41-31 Cleveland Indians. They went 27-12 at Guaranteed Rate Field, but the Chi Sox have dropped five of their previous six contests, coming off a rough road trip.
The White Sox are slashing.250/.333/.399 on the season and .234/.308/.374 in June. They’ve smacked just 18 home runs in the last 20 games overall, though the White Sox continue to put decent numbers on the scoreboard, especially when playing at home. Their pitching staff has registered a 4.02 ERA over the last couple of weeks (15th).
Lance Lynn will toe the rubber Saturday, and the 34-year-old ace is 7-3 in 13 starts this season. Lynn owns a sharp 2.14 ERA and 1.00 WHIP even though he’s yielded six earned runs across four innings of work last time out. The righty is 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five career starts against the Mariners who drafted him in 2005.
Trends:
Seattle:
- 3-6 in the last nine games on the road
Chi Sox:
- 11-3 in the last 14 games at home
Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox Pick:
Both Lance Lynn and Logan Gilbert have struggled mightily last time on the mound. Gilbert has allowed four earned runs (two dingers) on six hits, and I’ve already mentioned Lynn’s woe, though Lance has arguably been Chicago’s best starting pitcher so far this season.
I’m expecting a bounce-back performance from Lynn, while the White Sox will be keen to get things going offensively in front of the home fans after a rough patch on the road. Give me the hosts to win, as Seattle has to slow down after eight wins in its last ten games.
MLB Picks: Take Chicago White Sox at -180
Seattle Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox Total:
The White Sox are slashing .254/.338/.405 at home this season. They’ve scored just 15 runs in the last six games, so return to Guaranteed Rate Field should help. On the other side, the Mariners are batting well at the moment, so I’m backing the over on the totals.
The Mariners ‘pen has been outstanding lately, and that trend might be unsustainable. Seattle is allowing 4.63 runs per game, and over their previous ten outings, the Mariners have yielded just 31 runs in total.
Pick: Go over 8.0 runs at -115