Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction and Betting Odds August 17
Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Betting Preview
WagerTalk MLB handicapper Andy Lang offers his analysis of Wednesday’s Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros clash at Guaranteed Rate Field. Despite losing two straight, the Astros still lead the AL West by 11 games. And, don’t forget, at WagerTalk you can always find the best NFL bets today updated constantly.
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| Wednesday, August 17 | MLB Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Chicago White Sox +122 vs Houston Astros -145 |
| Runline: | White Sox +1.5 (-135) / Astros -1.5 (+115) |
| Total: | 8 Runs (Over -110 / Under -110) |
| Game Time: | 8:10pm ET / 5:10pm PT |
| Where: | Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, IL |
| Weather: | 70 Degrees / Clear |
Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Analysis
The Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox meet for the third game of a four game series from Guaranteed Rate Field. The White Sox prevailed last night in a 4-3 ball game after winning 4-2 in the first game of the series.
The powerful lefty Framber Valdez will take the mound for Houston with hopes to right the ship. Meanwhile the White Sox will look to continue their winning streak with the young righty Michael Kopech. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 PM EST/5:10 PST.
White Sox Win Streak Stands at Five
The Chicago White Sox have been victorious in the first two games of this series to extend their current winning streak to five games. Some late game clutch hitting gave the Pale Hose a 4-3 triumph, upping their record to 61-56.
Dylan Cease allowed three runs on six hits across only five innings and the bullpen did the rest. Jimmy Lambert picked up his first win of the season and Liam Hendricks scooped up his 27th save.
Jose Abreu went 3-4 and Yoan Moncada hit what proved to be the game single in the 8th inning for the second straight game. Chicago currently sits tied with the Minnesota Twins and only a game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central.
They are also only one game shy of a Wild Card spot. White Sox starter Michael Kopech was lights out in his last outing, pitching six scoreless innings and striking out 11.
However the Astros tagged him for four runs on seven hits across five innings back in June. On the season Kopech is 4-8 with a 3.18 ERA and 1 18 WHIP. Kopech gives up far too many free passes as he’s walked 51 batters in 104.2 innings of work.
Houston Blows Another Late Lead
The Houston Astros blew a late lead for the second straight night on Tuesday. Leading 3-1 the Astros allowed two runs in the 7th and one in the 8th for a 4-3 loss. Justin Verlander held up his end of the bargain as he allowed three runs on eight scattered hits across seven innings.
However the usually potent offensive attack was unable to provide enough run support. Alex Bregman went 2 for 4 with two doubles and Jose Altuve hit his 20th home run of the season. The Astros are normally one of the most talented offenses in the game as they rank 5th in OPS and 9th in scoring.
Houston still has the best record in the American League at 75-43 despite the back-to-back heartbreakers. That record gives them an 11 game advantage of over the second place Seattle Mariners. Framber Valdez has been outstanding so far this season with an 11-4 record, 2.73 ERA and 1.13 WHIP.
He was magnificent in his last outing against the Texas Rangers as he held them to seven scoreless innings while striking out eight. Valdez faced the White Sox on June 17th and held them to three runs on eight hits across six innings of work.
Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction
The Houston Astros are favored with the money line set at -145, while the Chicago White Sox sit at +125 with a total of 8. The Chicago White Sox are still trying to prove themselves, while the Houston Astros are a clear cut American League favorites.
The Astros still have the more efficient offensive attack. They have averaged 4.92 runs per game in their last 13 games while the White Sox have averaged 3.79 during that span.
Framber Valdez is the better starter here, he has a 3-1 record and 2.87 ERA in his last seven starts while Kopech is 2-3 with a 3.93 ERA in the same stretch. Kopech struggled with the Houston lineup, while Valdez made quick work of the Pale Hose.
Recency bias may be giving us a soft line on Houston as they have dropped two straight in frustrating fashion. However they are the better team here and they could have easily prevailed in those two contests with just a clutch hit going their way. Let’s take advantage and make a play on the Astros money line.
Prediction: Houston Astros -145
First Pitch | MLB Predictions for Wednesday, August 17
Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET / 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the MLB moneylines, run lines and betting percentages for all of Wednesday’s baseball games, including this Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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