The White Sox and Phillies play the first game of their three-game series on Friday, June 5.
Philadelphia is a -194 moneyline favorite, while Chicago is +159 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under 8.5 runs.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this White Sox vs. Phillies game.
White Sox vs. Phillies prediction, preview
The White Sox lost two of three against the Twins, but the offense was alive in all three outings. They scored six, four, and eight runs in the series, improving to the seventh best scoring offense in the league (4.73 runs per game). This has been the catalyst to Chicago’s 33-29 record and winning six of its last eight.
The Phillies are on the opposite end of the spectrum, averaging 3.87 runs per game which ranks 27th in the majors. The lineup, at least on paper, isn’t as bad as these numbers indicate, however. Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, and Adolis Garcia are all big-name players, but they all haven’t given the team the necessary results this year. Brandon Marsh has been a bright spot batting .333 in the middle of the order.
Despite the offensive struggles, Philadelphia is on a three-game win streak and has won seven of its last nine. These games were against the Padres and Dodgers, so it’s not just beating up on bad teams either. The pitching has been stellar with Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler headlining the rotation. Neither of these stars are pitching this series, so the Phillies may struggle.
Jesus Luzardo is Friday’s starter, which could be troublesome against a hot White Sox offense. The left-hander has a 4.30 ERA this season, but he was much better in May. He had two starts of zero earned runs, three starts of two earned runs, and one start of five earned runs. He pitched at least 5.1 innings in five of six starts in May. If this version shows up for Friday’s series opener, the Phillies are in good hands. The early-April version would be detrimental.
Anthony Kay is Chicago’s starter on Friday, and he’ll look to continue his excellent streak from May. He allowed two or fewer earned runs in all six starts in May, holding a 1.95 ERA in the month. His overall 3.77 ERA is still solid, but that includes some struggles at the end of April.
White Sox vs. Phillies Pick, Best Bet
The Phillies are playing well, and Luzardo has been much better recently, but that shouldn’t make them such heavy favorites. Kay’s performances in May were better than Luzardo’s, and Chicago’s offense has been on fire.
I’ll take the road underdogs at great value.
