The Detroit Tigers (2-4) host the Chicago White Sox (2-4) on Friday, April 4. First pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Detroit, CHSN and can also be streamed on MLB.TV.
Dare I say it, but is there a chance that the White Sox are not that bad? The White Sox currently have the best record in the AL Central. Granted, it’s at just 2-4 but they already look like they will be a lot more competitive than they were last year. Detroit started the year getting swept by the Dodgers, but bounced back to win a series against the Mariners.
Find my White Sox vs Tigers prediction and Friday pick below.
My White Sox vs Tigers Prediction
- White Sox vs Tigers picks:Under 7 (-105)
My White Sox vs Tigers best bet is on Under 7, with the best odds at BetMGM. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
White Sox vs Tigers Odds, Spread, Over/Under, Best Bet
| White Sox Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 7 -115o / -105u | +200 |
| Tigers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 7 -115o / -105u | -250 |
- White Sox vs Tigers Moneyline: White Sox +200, Tigers -250
- White Sox vs Tigers Total: 7 (-115o / -105u)
- White Sox vs Tigers Run Line: White Sox +1.5 (-110), Tigers -1.5 (-110)
- White Sox vs Tigers Best Bet: Under 7 (-105)
White Sox vs Tigers Preview, Prediction
White Sox Betting Preview
Jonathan Cannon will make his second start for Chicago after a strong first outing. Cannon struck out five batters across five scoreless innings. His changeup was working great and his fastball reached over 96 miles per hour. He struggled with his command a little, issuing three walks, but was able to get out of trouble.
After making his MLB debut early last season, Cannon finished his first campaign with a 4.49 ERA across 23 outings. The 6-foot-6 right-hander throws a five-pitch mix. He uses all five pitches around the same amount, but uses sinker and sweeper the most. He doesn’t strikeout many hitters but uses his off-speed stuff to limit hard contact.
It’s no secret that the White Sox offense was dreadful last season. They scored 50 runs fewer than any other team and finished last in the league in team home runs, OPS, wRC+, and every other offense category.
Chicago did not have a single player with a wRC+ above 105 last season or an OPS over .700. This team was pitiful. However, a week into the season, five starters have an OPS above that mark, led by Andrew Benintendi, who leads the way with a 1.010 OPS. As a team, the White Sox rank eighth in home runs this season.
Tigers Betting Preview
After battling with injuries for the better part of four years, Jack Flaherty finally returned to form last season with the Tigers. He finished the season with a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts with Detroit and the Dodgers. His season was especially strong with the Tigers. He had a 2.95 ERA when he was traded at the deadline.
After resigning with Detroit this offseason, his first start was solid, allowing two runs before leaving in the sixth inning. He pitched five scoreless innings against his former team, the Dodgers, before allowing a two-run homer to Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the sixth inning. Flaherty struck out five hitters in the outing, and his punch-out ability is his best asset. Flaherty’s resurgence last season was largely due to his 10.78 K/9 rate. He throws strikes with his fastball and has an elite curveball that gets guys to chase.
Detroit’s offenses tended to be a tad top-heavy last season as they finished in the bottom half of the league in most categories. They had stretches where they could get hot, but it was far from a feared lineup.
Outfielder Riley Greene has all the makings of a future superstar if he can just take a step forward. They also have a lot of potential breakout candidates with Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, and 23-year-old Colt Keith.
White Sox vs Tigers Prediction, Over/Under Betting Analysis
While the Tigers do have some potential with talented hitters at the top of their lineup, they are still very top heavy. The bottom of the lineup are all below-average hitters and Carpenter and Keith are both off to slow starts.
And I’m not buying this early little power surge from the White Sox. This is still the worst offense in baseball. Andrew Vaughn is still the only player in this lineup with a projected wRC+ of at least 110.
Cannon looked strong in his first outing, throwing five scoreless innings. He had some issues early but settled in nicely, striking out five batters. He throws a bunch of off-speed stuff to limit hard contact. If he can avoid allowing too many walks, he can limit damage.
Flaherty is one of my favorite pitchers to back. This is a guy who finished in the top five in Cy Young voting in 2019 before dealing with injuries. He was finally back to 100% last year and showed it with his 10.78 K/9 rate. He had the third-highest strikeout rate in the league last year. His recipe is very simple. He pounds the zone with his fastball and then throws an elite curveball to get guys chasing with a 43.6% whiff rate.
With both teams off yesterday, we will be getting both bullpens at full strength and rested. Temperatures in Detroit will be in the 40’s, creating one of the lowest expected scoring environments across the league on Friday. Bet for runs to be at a premium on Friday afternoon.
Pick: Under 7 (-105)
Moneyline
I'll not be betting on either side of the moneyline for this matchup.
Run Line (Spread)
I'm also staying away from run line bets in this game.
Over/Under
My White Sox vs Tigers best bet is on Under 7 with the best odds currently on SPORTBOOK. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
