The Chicago White Sox (18-52) travel to face off against the Arizona Diamondbacks (33-36) on Friday, June 14th. This game will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix and televised on NBCS. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. First pitch is set for 8:40 CT.
White Sox vs Diamondbacks
The White Sox’s offense was carried by Andrew Vaughn in their most recent game vs. the Mariners. Chicago’s 3-2 win over Seattle was the result of a 10th-inning, go-ahead home run by Vaughn. He finished the game 2/5 with two RBIs. The White Sox also scored a run in the 3rd inning, which tied things up, and added another in the 10th to close things out.
Garrett Crochet put together a good start for the White Sox, going seven innings and giving up just one earned run, and striking out 13. However, the White Sox’s bullpen couldnjson’t close things out, and Chicago had to go to Tanner Banks in the 10th to pick up the save. Michael Kopech got the win out of the bullpen.
Chicago is on the road today to take on the Diamondbacks with an overall record of 18-52, which puts them 5th in the AL Central. So far, they have really struggled against other AL Central teams, going 5-19 this year. Looking at the division standings, they are 27 games behind the Guardians.
The White Sox have really struggled on the road this year, going just 6-29 compared to 12-23 at home. So far, they have been the underdog in most of their games, as they are 3-0 as the favorite. Chicago’s overall series record is 4-16-2, and they lost their most recent series vs. the Mariners.
Chicago is 3-0 against the run line as the favorite this season, but overall is just 31-39 against the run line. The White Sox have been a better bet on the run line at home, going 17-18, compared to 14-21 on the run line on the road. The average run differential for the White Sox this season is -2.1 runs per game.
The Chicago White Sox have been involved in games with a combined run average of 8.2 this season, and their over/under record is 33-34. When the over/under line is set at 9 runs, their record is 3-6-1. The under has hit in their last three games, and they have played in just three games this season with an over/under line set at 9 runs.
Chris Flexen Gets The Start For The White Sox
Chicago is sending right-hander Chris Flexen to the mound today as he faces the Diamondbacks on the road. Flexen has made 12 starts this year and has a record of 2-5 with an ERA of 5.06. Looking at his overall numbers, Flexen has a WHIP of 1.30 and opponents are batting .240 this year. He has made two quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he gave up two earned runs in five innings of work. In that start, he gave up two homers. Flexen has not allowed a homer in three of his last four outings.
White Sox Offense Breakdown
For the White Sox to get their offense going, they will need a strong game from Andrew Vaughn and Paul DeJong. DeJong and Vaughn are 1st and 2nd on the team in RBIs and have 13 and 8 homers, respectively. Vaughn has been especially hot of late, going 11/33 in his last eight games, with four homers and eight RBIs. DeJong has also struggled of late, hitting just .174 in his last seven games.
Overall, the White Sox are averaging only 3.1 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the majors. They are also the worst hitting team in the league, with a team batting average of just .217. Not only are they struggling to hit for average, they are also near the bottom of the league in terms of on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS.
Heading into their last game vs. the Angels, the Diamondbacks closed out the series with an impressive 11-1 win. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at -200. It was a big first inning for the Diamondbacks, as they scored three runs, and the Angels could only score one run, and that came in the 4th.
Brandon Pfaadt put together a good start for the Diamondbacks, going six innings and giving up just one earned run, and picking up the win. Arizona’s offense was carried by Christian Walker, who went 2/5 with two homers and four RBIs.
Arizona is 33-36 overall this season, and they are 8.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West. The Diamondbacks are 4th in the division, sandwiched between the Giants and Rockies. Arizona’s record is 15-12 in divisional games this year.
At home, the Diamondbacks are an even 17-17 while going 16-19 on the road. So far, they have been good as the favorite, putting up an 18-14 mark. Arizona is just 14-10 as the home favorite this season. They are coming off taking two of three from the Angels and have an overall series record of 8-11-3.
The Diamondbacks have a run line record of 32-37 this season, with an average run margin of -0.0 runs per game. They have gone 14-20 against the run line at home, where their average scoring margin is -0.4 runs per game. As the underdog, they have gone 20-17 against the run line.
The Diamondbacks have been involved in high-scoring games this season, with a combined run average of 9.6 runs per game. Their over/under record is 34-33, and their over streak is at six games. The over/under line for today’s game against the White Sox is set at 9 runs, which is right around their season average. The over/under line has been set at 9 runs for 15 of their games this season, and their record in those games is 6-8-1.
Ryne Nelson Gets The Start For The Diamondbacks
Ryne Nelson will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing against the Padres, where he took the loss. In that start, he went just 3 1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs, six hits, and one homer. Looking back over his last three starts, Nelson has given up at least one homer in each outing. Nelson’s ERA for the season is 5.96, along with a record of 3-5. Out of his 10 starts, he has turned in two quality starts and is averaging just 5.79 strikeouts per nine innings. Opposing batters are hitting .324 off Nelson this season.
Diamondbacks Offense Breakdown
Arizona comes into today’s game as one of the top offensive teams in the league, averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 8th in the MLB. Not only are they 8th in scoring, but the Diamondbacks also have the league’s 7th best team batting average at .249. They have been even better at home, averaging 4.7 runs per game. Arizona’s offense has been led by Christian Walker and Ketel Marte, who are 1st and 2nd on the team in home runs, respectively.
Over his last six games, Walker has gone 7/27 (.259) with three homers and seven RBIs. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has also been swinging a hot bat for the Diamondbacks, batting .348 with five RBIs over his last six games. As a team, the Diamondbacks have the league’s 12th best home run total and are 9th in team slugging percentage.
White Sox vs Diamondbacks Prediction
Given that the Diamondbacks are the favorite to win this one, but the payout is not great at -178, we recommend taking the over on the run line. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Diamondbacks, and with the line being set at 9 runs, there is some good value in taking the over.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we actually have Chris Flexen finishing with more strikeouts than the Diamondbacks starter, Ryne Nelson. However, our projections have Nelson finishing with a higher ERA and also giving up more hits.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:June 14, 2024 Diamondbacks, White Sox