Guardians vs. White Sox Prediction & Picks: MLB Odds for Saturday, Aug. 8

The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians figure to be locked in a tight race for the AL Central through the remainder of the regular season, which makes each head-to-head matchup critical. My Guardians vs. White Sox prediction expects Cleveland ace Gavin Williams to pitch the road favorites to a win, even if it is a Chicago slugger who has the best value to go deep with the last of my MLB picks. 

Opposing Williams on the mound is Chicago southpaw Anthony Kay, with first pitch scheduled from Rate Field in Chicago scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET (FOX). The Guardians are -125 betting favorites. 

⚾ Guardians vs. White Sox picks & odds today

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Total wagered: 2.25 units | Max profit: 3.14 units

🏆 Who will win Guardians vs. White Sox?

Cleveland has been much more successful against left-handed starting pitchers than righties. Therefore, I like its chances to beat Chicago in a game it figures to have a major edge in the starting pitching matchup.

Score prediction: Guardians 4, White Sox 3

💰 Guardians vs. White Sox prediction & best bet

Guardians ML (-124)

Cleveland may be one game under .500, but its 23-18 record against left-handed starting pitchers has me confident in its ability to beat Anthony Kay.

The Guardians are 1-3 in Gavin Williams’ last four starts, but the offense managed just two runs in those losses. The broader view shows Cleveland as a profitable 4-3 in Williams’ last seven outings, which includes a 4-3 extra-inning victory over Chicago.

I’m also selling on Anthony Kay, who has followed up a 1.95 ERA in May with a 4.27 ERA and more than three walks per nine innings since.

🔥 Best Guardians vs. White Sox player prop bet

Brayan Rocchio Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+115)

Brayan Rocchio is one of two current Guardians players with multiple hits off of Anthony Kay, and he has accomplished that in just four at-bats. 

The switch-hitting Rocchio’s batting average is 31 points lower against southpaws than right-handed pitchers, but his slugging percentage is comparable in both splits, and his home run and RBI rates are better as a right-handed batter.

Curiously, Rocchio has hit worse in the warmer weather after batting .305 and .303 in April and May, respectively. But he entered this series as a thorn in the division rival’s side, slashing .346/.393/.500 in 26 at-bats against the White Sox. He is a great value play to exceed this projected total for the first time in August.

💣 Guardians vs. White Sox home run prediction

Miguel Vargas to hit a home run (+475)

Though I expect Cleveland to win, it makes more sense to back a White Sox slugger to go deep, as they rank seventh in home runs compared to a Guardians squad that is tied for the AL’s fewest.

Miguel Vargas is 4-for-8 with a home run and four RBI off Williams, while the righty has allowed six home runs in his previous six starts. Williams has also allowed at least one home run in four of his last five road starts, with more multi-home run games (two) than homerless games in that span.

Two of Vargas’ last four hits overall have been home runs, and he is one of two Chicago sluggers with both a .230 ISO and .469 slugging percentage since the start of June.  

🚀 Guardians vs. White Sox same-game parlay

All three legs of this same-game parlay pair nicely in increasing Cleveland’s chances of winning outright. The Under on Williams’ 1.5 walks seems like the safest play of the three and is a natural swap for Vargas’ home run wager, as he has not issued multiple walks since July 3. Meanwhile, the White Sox are a free-swinging lineup that ranks outside the top 10 in walk rate on the season.

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All MLB picks, including SGPs, have been tracked since March 26.

💡 How I'm betting Guardians vs. White Sox: MLB strategy

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Given Cleveland’s offensive ineptitude in Williams’ starts of late, I thought about backing the Under instead of the Guardians’ moneyline. While I wouldn’t put anyone off backing the Under 8 runs (would be a play at 8.5 or higher), Cleveland’s 23-18 record against southpaws sold me on the moneyline being the better value play. It’s only a matter of time before its revamped lineup that includes trade deadline additions Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe gets going consistently.

📊 Live Guardians vs. White Sox odds

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📺 How to watch Guardians vs. White Sox

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 8
• First pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Ballpark: Rate Field (Chicago)
• TV: FOX
• Streaming: MLB.TV
• Guardians starter: Gavin Williams (11-6, 3.56 ERA)
• White Sox starter: Anthony Kay (8-5, 4.01 ERA)