The Cleveland Guardians have taken the early lead in the American League Central and will look to build that lead out further on Friday when they face the last-place Chicago White Sox.
Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox (-120, 7.5)
Veteran Carlos Carrasco gets the start on the mound for Cleveland, who enters having a 5.67 ERA with 4.6 walks and 1.4 home runs allowed per nine innings, but has allowed two runs or fewer in four of his past six starts.
Carrasco faces a White Sox lineup that entered the series averaging 2.89 runs per game, with no other MLB team averaging fewer than 3.5 runs per game and last in home runs per game.
This puts pressure on White Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet to lend a gem as he enters with a 5.32 ERA with a fielding independent indicative of some positivity at 3.92.
While Crochet is racking up 11 strikeouts to just two walks issued per nine innings, allowing 1.8 home runs per nine innings has been costly and has seen things unravel of late, allowing at least five runs in three of his past five starts.
The White Sox back up Crochet with a bullpen that entered Thursday’s series opener 18th in the league in ERA while the Guardians 2.44 ERA in the bullpen entered the series ranked second among MLB teams.
The Guardians entered the series eighth in the league in runs per game and supplying more offense on the road than at home — averaging 4.7 runs per game at home compared to over 5.1 runs per game on the road.
With Carrasco finding his grove and facing the league’s worst team in generating runs, the Guardians hit start to the season will continue on Friday.
The Play: Guardians +105
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