Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox Preview
Where: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, IL
When: Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 2:10 PM ET
Line: Detroit Tigers (-133) at Chicago White Sox (+123); total: 8.5 – view all MLB lines
TV Broadcast: FS-D, CSN-C
Betting on the Detroit Tigers (1-0)
The Detroit Tigers would love to get back into title-contention conversations after missing the postseason for the past two years, and they made a strong case on Opening Day at that with a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
Former Cy Young awardee Justin Verlander, who had a resurgent 2016 campaign as the runner-up for the same award, exhibited on Tuesday why he was once the greatest pitcher in the majors. Verlander struck out 10 Chicago batters – the most by a Detroit pitcher in a season-opener since 1970 – and allowed just six hits and two runs in 6.1 innings.
Detroit now hopes that it’ll get a similar performance from Jordan Zimmermann (9-7, 4.87 era in 2016) this Wednesday. The two-time All-Star was plagued by injuries last season, which would explain the dip in his numbers. However, Zimmermann didn’t show promising results from his stint in spring training, having allowed 20 hits and 15 runs in just 14.1 innings of work.
Then again, the Tigers offense certainly clicked on Tuesday, with Ian Kinsler, Nick Castellanos and rookie centerfielder JaCoby Jones each hitting a homer. Jones’ three-run blast was his first in the majors, while Castellanos’ shot drove in two runs.
And although Miguel Cabrera was limited to just two walks in the win, he’s in line for a bounce-back effort this Wednesday with Chicago’s James Shields set to start. In 45 plate appearances against Shields, Cabrera has hit .356 with nine RBIs and a pair of homers.
Betting on the Chicago White Sox (0-1)
Four-consecutive losing seasons is more than enough, but the Chicago White Sox don’t appear equipped to end that skid based from what we’ve seen in Tuesday’s defeat.
Without bona fide ace Chris Sale on the team anymore, Jose Quintana didn’t exactly prove in the loss that he deserves to be at the top of the starting rotation, giving up six earned runs to the Tigers in just 5.1 innings of work.
What’s worse is that the White Sox’s inept offense from the previous campaign seems to have carried over into 2017 as well. Tyler Saladino, Melky Cabrera and Jose Abreu combined for six runs and a couple of runs, but the last five batters in the starting lineup went a dismal 2-of-19 with eight strikeouts.
Chicago badly needs James Shields (6-19, 5.85 ERA) to rediscover his mojo from half a decade ago. However, we’re not really high on the 35-year-old righty returning to form after seeing him surrender 31 home runs in 33 starts last season.
Shields, who came to the Windy City by way of San Diego in a mid-season trade last year, probably isn’t thrilled that his previous and current teams are division outliers as well. The White Sox, mind you, went 7-13 against Detroit in 2016.
Writer’s Prediction
Back-to-back wins for the Tigers (-133), 5-2.
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