Baseball Free Picks – Can Favored White Sox Beat AL West’s Mariners?

The White Sox were supposed to be a true contender in the AL Central and while they’re still in the race, they haven’t come close to living up to expectations yet.

The lineup has faltered, but the pitching has been solid and that’s a big reason why they’re the MLB betting favorite according to the baseball odds tonight at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

The home field advantage helps too and it also explains why the Mariners are the MLB betting underdog according to the baseball betting odds.

The pitching matchup in this one is interesting in that it pits two talented but fairly unknown pitchers against each other in what could turn out to be a duel in the Windy City.

Seattle Mariners (Ryan Rowland-Smith, L) at Chicago White Sox (Gavin Floyd, R)

8:10 pm ET,

MLB betting line: White Sox favored at -1 ½, -135 SU, +155 SU for Mariners.

For the Mariners to win they’ll have to keep the crowd out of the game.

That means they will need a big pitching performance from Rowland-Smith and at the very least another quality start from the crafty left-hander on the road. They don’t want the crowd to get behind the White Sox because with the wind in U.S. Cellular Field, long outs can turn into a bevy of home runs with ease.

The White Sox aren’t a big power-hitting team but doubles and triples against Rowland could also be a big problem with the newfound speed in the White Sox lineup.

Rowland-Smith had a great game against the Detroit Tigers his last time out but the Tigers at home are a different animal than playing at Chicago in another time zone.

The Mariners could have trouble with Floyd, a sharp finesse pitcher with a little bit of power behind his arsenal as well, and Floyd should be able to pitch well enough to give the MLB betting favorite White Sox a win according to the MLB betting odds.

The MLB betting underdog Mariners will come within two runs but fall just short according to the baseball betting odds in this one.

MLB betting pick: White Sox (-1 ½); -135 SU.