The White Sox (51-45) came out of the All-Star break swinging, racking up 12 runs en route to a series-opening victory. On the other side, it\u2019s yet another disappointing loss for the Blue Jays (45-52). With that being said, the defending American League champions are still within reach of the postseason. Turning things around on Saturday against a contending Chicago club would go a long way for Toronto\u2019s chances. Which of these two playoff hopefuls has the edge this afternoon?<\/p>\n
The White Sox are favorites (-111)<\/a> over the Blue Jays, with the over\/under set at nine runs<\/a>. Below, I\u2019ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Saturday\u2019s showdown between Chicago and Toronto on DraftKings Sportsbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n White Sox vs. Blue Jays pick, best bet today<\/p>\n White Sox vs. Blue Jays over 9.5 runs (+100)<\/a>: Bieber and Martin have both been fairly ineffective over the past few weeks. The White Sox are dangerous on offense, while Toronto is due for a better showing at home. Expect both lineups to do damage on Saturday.<\/p>\n White Sox vs. Blue Jays prediction, preview<\/p>\n The White Sox do most of their damage at the plate, but consistent pitching has been a bit of a challenge. That makes Davis Martin arguably the most important player on the roster. Chicago\u2019s ace has notched a 3.41 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 92 strikeouts (8.3 K\/9). However, he\u2019s fallen off a bit following a fantastic first few months. The right-hander has a middling 6.34 ERA and 1.90 WHIP over his previous seven outings. It\u2019s not too shocking; Martin has a middling 4.36 xERA, .269 xBA and 44.8% hard-hit rate.<\/p>\n With that being said, it\u2019s not as if the Blue Jays are an offensive juggernaut. They\u2019re 27th in runs scored (396), 22nd in home runs (101) and 26th in OPS (.691). Big bats such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (98 wRC+) and George Springer (93 wRC+) haven\u2019t looked like themselves at the plate. Toronto has scored a total of 59 runs during its previous 15 contests; that\u2019s the sixth-worst mark in baseball during that time. In addition, the Jays are tied for the ninth-lowest OPS against right-handed pitching (.707).<\/p>\n Starting pitching has been Toronto\u2019s biggest strength this season. However, Shane Bieber hasn\u2019t been great since being activated off of the injured list in June. Over 17.2 innings pitched (four starts), he\u2019s on the hook for a 7.64 ERA, 2.04 WHIP and 13 strikeouts (6.6 K\/9). It\u2019s a small sample size, but far from what fans expected from the former Cy Young winner. Most troubling for the veteran is a sky-high 3.6 HR\/9 ratio. Giving up the long ball is something Bieber has excelled at throughout his nine-year MLB career. If that ability to keep the ball in the park fades, he becomes a far less effective hurler.<\/p>\n That\u2019s especially true when facing a lineup that loves the long ball. In that regard, the White Sox fit the bill. They\u2019ve already slugged 130 home runs, fourth-most in baseball this season. In addition, the team ranks ninth in runs scored (466) and ninth in OPS (.734). Keep in mind, All-Star slugger Munetaka Murakami just made his return from the injured list; there\u2019s no reason to think the South Siders will start slumping at the plate. Four different players in this lineup have clubbed at least ten home runs.<\/p>\n