Oakland Athletics vs Chicago White Sox Analysis<\/h2>\n
The Oakland Athletics host the Chicago White Sox in the first of a four game set. The South Siders just took two of three from the Mariners in Seattle, while Oakland dropped both games of their series at home to the Braves.<\/p>\n
It’s a good pitching matchup as Dylan Cease takes the mound against JP Sears. First pitch in RingCentral Coliseum is scheduled for 9:40 PM EDT \/ 6:40 PM PDT.<\/p>\n
Cease Saving White Sox Season<\/h3>\n
Chicago is on a roll as they’ve won six of their last nine games, and they’re just 2.0 games behind Cleveland for the AL Central lead. The Sox will probably need to win the division to enter the playoffs, as they’re 7.5 games behind Toronto for the final wild card berth with just 25 games left.<\/p>\n
And they’ve had most of this success since manager Tony LaRussa took a medical leave of absence from the team on August 31.<\/p>\n
While LaRussa is considered one of the greatest managers of the last few decades – and will probably be a first-ballot Hall of Famer – the White Sox never seemed to perform up to expectations this year with him at the helm. Whether they make the playoffs or not, this will likely be his last year managing a major league team.<\/p>\n
One of the main reasons the South Siders have stayed in contention is Dylan Cease, who’s had a Cy Young-worthy season. The hard-throwing right-hander has a 13-6 record, a 2.13 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 27 starts and 156.0 innings. He’s also struck out 197 batters, allowed 64 walks and 14 home runs.<\/p>\n
Oakland Moving to Vegas Soon?<\/h3>\n
The A’s were never really in contention for the playoffs, after they traded away almost all of their best players last spring. It looks like the Athletics are negotiating with Las Vegas to build a new stadium and move the team in 2024 or 2025.<\/p>\n
While Oakland has some good players, their roster is pretty depleted. And the front office probably won’t invest money in better players until they move to Sin City.<\/p>\n
JP Sears is one of the top pitchers on the A’s roster, and came to Oakland from the Yankees as part of the Frankie Montas trade.<\/p>\n
He started his career as a relief pitcher and has made the switch to the starting rotation, splitting time between the big-league clubs and Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre and Las Vegas AAA teams, and his Triple-A numbers have been pretty darn good, with a 1.70 ERA in 12 games and 10 starts, plus a 0.73 WHIP and .163 opponents’ batting average.<\/p>\n
In the show he’s posted a 5-1 record in 12 games and seven starts with a 2.37 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. He’s not an innings eater as he averages just about five innings per start, but pitches well when he’s on the bump.<\/p>\n
Oakland Athletics vs Chicago White Sox Prediction<\/h2>\n
The White Sox have the edge in starting pitching, hitting and are simply the better team. Cease will likely pitch deep into this game and frustrate a weak-hitting Oakland squad. Chicago is also in better current form and has momentum on their side. That’s why I like the South Siders on the -1.5 run line.<\/p>\n
Prediction: Chicago White Sox -1.5 Run Line<\/strong><\/p>\n Join Drew Martin and a rotating panel of guests for First Pitch as we break down the daily baseball slate from a betting perspective. Join WagerTalk’s team of MLB betting experts every weekday at 1:45pm ET \/ 10:45am PT for First Pitch as we discuss the baseball betting slate.<\/p>\nFirst Pitch | MLB Predictions for Tuesday, September 6<\/h3>\n
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