White Sox vs. Guardians Prediction & Picks: Game 5 ALDS Odds for Today
The Guardians aim to become the fourth team in MLB history to come back from an 0-2 series deficit after losing the first two games at home when they host the White Sox in Game 5 today. My White Sox vs. Guardians prediction expects Cleveland to do just that after its offensive explosion in Games 3 and 4 in Chicago.
I also expect the White Sox's struggles with making contact to continue and back one of the most revered players in Guardians history to go deep with my final MLB pick. Game 5 is a standalone MLB playoff game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, with first pitch set for 8 p.m. ET (TBS/truTV). The Guardians are a -138 betting favorite, with Sean Burke starting for Chicago and Cleveland sending out Gavin Williams.
White Sox vs. Guardians picks & odds: ALDS Game 5
See all of our experts’ MLB picks based on the latest MLB odds.
| Pick | Best Odds | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Guardians ML | -135 via BetMGM | 1 unit to win 0.74 units |
| Munetaka Murakami 2+ strikeouts | -159 via DraftKings | 1 unit to win 0.63 units |
| Jose Ramirez to hit a home run | +770 via DraftKings | 0.25 units to win 1.93 units |
Total wagered: 2.25 units | Max profit: +3.3 units
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White Sox vs. Guardians prediction & best bet
Guardians ML (-135)
I expect Cleveland to continue its offensive momentum. In Games 1 and 2, the Guardians collectively batted .115 with a .398 OPS, while totaling three runs and going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. In Games 3-4, Cleveland batted .300 with a .929 OPS while exploding for 18 runs and going 10-for-26 with runners in scoring position.
In the sixth inning of Game 4 alone, the Guardians had five hits in 10 plate appearances while scoring six runs. Chicago used three pitchers in that inning alone, which is a microcosm of its bullpen strategy likely starting to wear down.
📡 SBR Edge: Cleveland goes as Jose Ramirez goes
When Jose Ramirez records two-plus hits like he did in Games 3 and 4, Cleveland is 24-6. The Guardians are 27-22 when he records one hit, and 18-32 when he goes hitless.
Best White Sox vs. Guardians player prop bet
Munetaka Murakami to strike out 2+ times (-159)
White Sox batters have had trouble putting the bat on the ball of late. Collectively, they have struck out 31 times over the last two games, with 50% of their outs coming via strikeout. Combined with their pitching staff issuing 17 walks, it makes Chicago the first team in MLB in the modern era with that many strikeouts at the plate and that many walks on the mound over a two-game span (regular or postseason).
Williams had extra juice facing the White Sox in the postseason for the first time in Game 2. He entered the game with 30 career pitches at 100-plus mph, and never had more than four such pitches in a game. But in Game 2 alone, Williams threw a whopping 18 pitches at 100 or more mph.
Munetaka Murakami’s scouting report entering the big leagues was his difficulty hitting fast pitches. This is great value on a player who has struck out multiple times in six of 10 games dating back to the regular season.
White Sox vs. Guardians home run prediction
Jose Ramirez to hit a home run (+770)
In Game 4, Jose Ramirez hit his fifth career postseason home run, which is tied for fourth most in franchise history (Francisco Lindor, Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr.). In the process, he drove in his 24th career postseason RBI, which passed Kenny Lofton for fourth most in franchise history (and left him two shy of Manny Ramirez for third).
Ramirez and Jim Thome are the only players in Guardians franchise history with four go-ahead playoff home runs. Thus, I am banking on the seven-time All-Star to keep his momentum going from his three extra-base hits in the last two games, and help him overcome the 0-for-6 he produced in the first two games.
Live White Sox vs. Guardians odds
As of Friday morning, Cleveland's moneyline odds plummeted at some of the best sports betting sites, namely the 10-cent move from -145 to -135 at BetMGM. That could signal early sharp action on the road underdogs, as 62% of the wagers to that point backed Cleveland.
The total at BetMGM also lowered from an opening number of 7.5 to 7, which is a case of drastic reverse line movement as 78% of the early wagers backed the Over.
White Sox vs. Guardians injuries
How to watch White Sox vs. Guardians: ALDS Game 5
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
- First pitch: 8 p.m. ET
- Ballpark: Progressive Field (Cleveland)
- TV: TBS/truTV
- White Sox starter: Sean Burke (Postseason: 1-0, 3.86 ERA)
- Guardians starter: Gavin Williams (Postseason: 0-0, 3.00 ERA)
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