Down to their last strike, the Yankees pulled off a remarkable 3-2 victory on Tuesday. Not only did the win clinch a playoff spot for the Pinstripes, but it brought them to within one game of the AL East-leading Blue Jays. New York will attempt to earn another win with staff ace Max Fried on the mound. Following last night’s heartbreak, can the visiting White Sox earn an upset? Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Wednesday’s meeting between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.
New York is favored (-384) over Chicago, with the over/under set at eight runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
White Sox vs. Yankees prediction, preview
As previously mentioned, it’ll be Max Fried on the bump tonight. Despite a midsummer swoon, the southpaw has enjoyed a terrific first campaign in the Bronx. Through 188.1 innings of work, the three-time All-Star has notched a 2.92 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 182 strikeouts. The 31-year-old is fresh off of his best outing of the season, a seven-inning, 13-strikeout performance vs. Baltimore. Fried has allowed a combined total of seven earned runs over his previous six outings (1.60 ERA).
Those kind of numbers should strike fear into almost any lineup. That’s especially true for tonight’s opponents, the White Sox. Chicago is averaging 3.95 runs per game this season, the third-worst mark in baseball. The team has an OPS of .669 since September 1st, sixth-lowest in the league during that time. Outside of youngsters Kyle Teel (130 wRC+) and Colson Montgomery (115 wRC+), this lineup lacks quality hitters. On the bright side, this offense does surprisingly well against left-handed pitching (.701 OPS).
If the White Sox have any shot at a victory, they’ll need a decent performance on the mound. That’s a tall order against New York, baseball’s highest-scoring offense. It’ll be Fraser Ellard toeing the slab for Chicago on Wednesday. Over 16.0 innings, the 27-year-old has recorded a 4.50 ERA while picking up 20 strikeouts. Still, this is about as bad of a matchup as it gets for a southpaw. The Yankees own a league-best .789 OPS against left-handers this season.
White Sox vs. Yankees pick, best bet
Best Bet: Chicago White Sox under 0.5 total runs – 1st 3 innings (-130)
Even though the Yankees deserve to be heavy favorites, they offer no value to bettors. The same is true of the eight-run over, which could be surpassed by New York on its own. Instead, the best bet available is going under on the White Sox to start this game. Fried is on a roll, and this feeble Chicago offense doesn’t stand much of a chance.
