White Sox Playoff Odds Today: Chicago A Slight Series Underdog Vs. Scary Astros
The Chicago White Sox will take on the Houston Astros in the 2021 ALDS, marking the first time since 2008 that the AL Central leaders have faced each other in the postseason.
The Astros have home-field advantage in the best-of-five series, so Houston will host the first two games.
The White Sox came close to securing home-field advantage for the series with a strong late push, but the Astros (95-67) ended up finishing two games ahead of Chicago.
The Astros vs. White Sox series begins on Thursday.
Pirates vs. White Sox possibilities
Below are all the potential series outcomes for the online casinos based in Illinois featuring Chicago versus Houston:
- The odds for the Astros are -125, while the White Sox are +105 on DraftKings.
- PointsBet: White Sox +125, Astros -125
The Sox will play in Houston at 3:07 p.m. on Thursday, October 7th. As of Thursday afternoon, the Astros are the -134 favorite.
These are the probabilities for Game 1 of the ALDS:
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White Sox beginners vs. Astros
The starting pitcher for the Sox in Game 1 could be Lance Lynn, while the Astros may have Lance McCullers on the mound.
One name we failed to mention above is Carlos Rodon, who has arguably been Chicago’s top pitcher this season. Rodon finished the season with a 2.37 ERA and a record of 13-5.
Rodon seems to be dealing with shoulder fatigue as evidenced by his recent game where, despite pitching five shutout innings, his velocity was only in the low 90s. When he is feeling healthy, Rodon is able to hit triple digits on the radar gun.
Recently, White Sox manager Tony La Russa commented on Rodon’s status.
I think the plan right now is for him to have a bullpen session on Tuesday, and we will carefully evaluate that before making a decision on his next steps. However, it may be a challenging decision to make. It’s hard to predict the outcome without just flipping a coin at this point. We will assess his condition on Tuesday, and I expect a decision won’t be made until Thursday morning after seeing how he feels on Wednesday.
Skipper, it seems like Chicago wasn’t too confident in that decision. We know that Lynn, Giolito, and Dylan Cease will likely start the first three games in a specific order, but the third start is still uncertain.
White Sox vs. Astros analytical evaluation
Now, let’s examine Chicago and Houston through a statistical lens:
- Rangers 95-67 and White Sox 93-69, respectively.
- Rangers are expected to have a record of 101-61, while the White Sox are expected to have a record of 97-65 based on run difference.
- Astros have a 51-30 record and White Sox have a 53-28 record at home.
- The White Sox, with a record of 40-41, and the Astros, with a record of 44-37, have set the pace for the season.
- The White Sox scored 796 runs, while the Astros scored 863 runs.
- Allowed runs: White Sox 636, Astros 658
- Astros have a record of 45 wins and 32 losses, while the White Sox have a record of 27 wins and 29 losses against winning teams.
- Astros have an ERA of 3.76, while the White Sox have an ERA of 3.73.
- The Astros have a record of .784, while the White Sox have a record of .757.
- Homeruns were hit by Astros 221 and White Sox 190.
Two statistics that are particularly notable are Chicago’s difficulties while playing away from home and their struggles against tough opponents.
The White Sox are typically average on the road but excel at home compared to the Astros. With two of the last three games scheduled at Guaranteed Rate Field, it will be a tough task to win against Houston.
Updated COVID rules and vaccination policy at the White Sox Stadium.
The shift in history when facing teams with a winning record is also concerning. The Astros managed to win four games against the Sox in Houston this year, but the tables turned when Chicago beat them twice on their home turf.
In all fairness, the White Sox have not been in optimal health for most of the year, with the exception of Rodon.
Why is Chicago risky when it’s at its worst?
Luis Robert, Yasmani Grandal, and Eloy Jimenez played a total of 216 games this season. Despite their limited playing time, Grandal and Robert contributed a remarkable 7.3 combined WAR.
Robert and Grandal were without a doubt the top position players in Chicago this season, based on their per-game performance. However, it’s important to note that both players missed a considerable amount of time when looking at their season-long statistics.
The Red Sox are coming into this series with more momentum than the Astros, having won 7 out of their last 10 games compared to Houston’s 4 wins out of 10. It remains uncertain whether velocity plays a significant role in the MLB Playoffs.
On paper, these clubs seem evenly matched, but the Astros have the advantage being at home and having a track record of beating top teams.
Both teams have the potential to win the World Series. MLB fans and those looking to bet on the White Sox are eager for a repeat of the 2005 victory.
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