Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Thursday\u2019s MLB game between the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a fast start for the Rays, who lead the AL East with a 10-7 record. Tampa Bay will hope to bolster their resume by earning a sweep over the White Sox. Chicago, despite a few intriguing new pieces, has struggled en route to a 6-12 record. Can the South Siders bounce back this afternoon at home?<\/p>\n
The Rays are favorites (-131)<\/a> over the White Sox, with the over\/under set at eight runs<\/a>. Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Thursday\u2019s showdown between Tampa Bay and Chicago on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rays vs. White Sox prediction, preview<\/p>\n As is usually the case, Tampa Bay has pieced together a competitive pitching staff. One of the club\u2019s newest success stories is Steven Matz, a 12th-year pro that spent last season as a reliever with the Cardinals and Red Sox. The lefty, returning to a starting role, has impressed so far. Through three outings, he\u2019s notched a 3.94 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 17 strikeouts. During his most recent appearance, the veteran delivered. five innings of two-run ball against the Yankees. Some added length would be ideal for the Rays in this one; their bullpen ranks 28th in baseball with a 5.99 ERA.<\/p>\n Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Tampa Bay\u2019s 2026 campaign is the lineup. Despite returning to pitcher-friendly Tropicana Field, the team has shown major improvement on offense. The Rays are averaging 5.06 runs per game, eighth-most in the majors this season. In the two games prior this series, they\u2019ve scored a combined 16 runs. Leading the way for this group has been Yandy Diaz (196 wRC+). The former batting champion is currently slashing .369\/.468\/.569 with three home runs. Former All-Stars Junior Caminero (114 wRC+) and Jonathan Aranda (107 wRC+) help form a potent middle of the order.<\/p>\n Not much has gone right for the White Sox this season, which is to be expected. Despite some intriguing moves this winter, the South Siders are still very much in rebuilding mode. Japanese import Munetaka Murakami garnered plenty of headlines early in the year, socking four homers over his first eight games. However, the slugger\u2019s high penchant for whiffs has traveled with him stateside (31.1 K%). It\u2019s a similar story for fellow infielder Colson Montgomery; the former top prospect is hitting just .175 at the plate. However, he\u2019s managed to record three homers and nine RBIs. None of Chicago\u2019s regulars own a batting average greater than .225.<\/p>\n Things have been slightly better on the mound, albeit not by much. In the early going, Chicago has gotten solid work out of veteran Anthony Kay. The 31-year-old owns a 2.45 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 14.2 innings pitched this season. In his last outing, the southpaw held Kansas City scoreless over 5.2 frames. Still, the swingman doesn\u2019t go very deep into games. That means the White Sox will need a lackluster group of relievers to step up today. Their cumulative bullpen ERA of 5.67 is 27th in baseball, just ahead of Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n Rays vs. White Sox pick, best bet<\/p>\n Matz, for all his recent success, hasn\u2019t been a full-time starter over the past few seasons. Ditto for Kay, another long relief type that can eat some innings. Tampa Bay is tied for the league\u2019s 11th-best on base percentage against left-handed pitching (.327). On the other side, Chicago hits much better against southpaws (.655 OPS) than righties (.567 OPS). On the last leg of a three-game set, I\u2019m anticipating plenty of scoring in the Windy City.<\/p>\n