San Diego Padres vs Chi. White Sox Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024

Chicago and San Diego face off in an interleague matchup at 4:10 PM ET at PETCO Park in San Diego, CA. The White Sox are on a four-game losing streak and have an overall record of 36-119, which places them 5th in the AL Central. The Padres are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -310, and they are 2nd in the NL West with an overall record of 89-66.

The over/under line for Sunday’s game is sitting at 7.5 runs, and the forecast calls for scattered clouds and temperatures in the mid to upper 60s. Yu Darvish is set to start for the Padres, while the White Sox are going with Sean Burke.

Chicago vs. San Diego Key Information

• Teams: White Sox at Padres
• Where: PETCO Park San Diego
• Date: Sunday, September 22nd
• Betting Odds SD -310 | CHW +255 O/U 7.5

The White Sox Can Win If…

Sean Burke will be making his first road start of the season for the White Sox, as he takes on the Padres. Burke has made one start and one bullpen appearance so far, and he picked up a win in his first outing, going 5 innings and giving up 2 earned runs. He struck out 5 and allowed 1 home run.

Chicago’s offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, as they are last in the league in home runs and are batting just .221 as a team. They are also averaging only 3.1 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. The White Sox have been a little better at home, but their home and road scoring averages are both the worst in the league.

Andrew Vaughn and Andrew Benintendi are tied for the team lead in home runs, but both are batting under .230 for the season. Vaughn has gone 6/24 in his last six games, with two homers, and Benintendi is 5/20 in his last five games. Lenyn Sosa has also gone deep twice in his last six games while going 9/22.

• The White Sox are 3-7 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the White Sox are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Chicago has an over/under record of 3-6-1 in their last ten games.
• The White Sox have an average of 3.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the White Sox are 3-7
• Looking back across the White Sox last five games as the favorite, they are 2-3
• Chicago has gone 0-3 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the White Sox have averaged 3.6 runs per game on offense

The Padres Can Win If…

Yu Darvish gets the start for the Padres today and is coming off a dominant outing against the Astros. In that September 16th start, he went six innings, didn’t give up a run, and got the win. Looking at his overall numbers, Darvish has made 14 starts, and opponents are batting .218 off him this season. Darvish’s ERA is 3.21, along with a record of 6-3. For the year, he has allowed nine homers and is averaging 8.36 strikeouts per nine innings. So far, he has four quality starts.

Over the past eight games, Jackson Merrill has been on fire for the Padres, going 13/30 with a home run and six RBIs. This has helped him move into the team’s 2nd spot in home runs and 2nd in RBIs. Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. have also been swinging the bat well, with each player hitting three homers in this stretch. Tatis Jr. is also batting .353 in this stretch.

As a team, the Padres are the league’s top hitting team, batting .266, and are also 8th in scoring at 4.7 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per contest. Overall, they are 9th in home runs and have the league’s best slugging percentage. San Diego’s offense has also been tough to strike out, as they lead the league in this category.

• The Padres are 8-2 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Padres are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• San Diego has an over/under record of 2-6-2 in their last ten games.
• The Padres have an average of 3.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Padres are 6-4
• Looking back across the Padres last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• San Diego has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Padres have averaged 5.1 runs per game on offense

Padres Look to Clinch Playoff Berth, White Sox Aim to Avoid Infamous Loss

As the San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox face off in the series finale on Sunday, both teams find themselves on the verge of vastly different milestones.

For the Padres (89-66), a victory could potentially clinch a National League playoff berth if paired with a loss by the Atlanta Braves to the Miami Marlins. San Diego is currently two games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL’s first wild-card spot and just three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for the NL West title. With only seven games left in the regular season, every game holds significant weight as the Padres march toward the postseason.

Padres Push for Postseason

Xander Bogaerts, a two-time World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox, spoke about the importance of staying focused. “Whatever we were talking about down the road is pretty much right there. It’s right in front of us. We’ve got to come in here and take care of business,” Bogaerts said.

Bogaerts contributed to the Padres’ 6-2 win over the White Sox on Saturday, hitting a two-run homer to set the tone early. This victory was San Diego’s seventh in their last eight games, and pitching has been the key to their recent success. Over this stretch, the Padres’ staff has allowed just 12 runs and recorded six quality starts, including a standout performance by Sunday’s starting pitcher, Yu Darvish.

Yu Darvish Takes the Mound

Yu Darvish (6-3, 3.21 ERA) has been an anchor for the Padres’ rotation. In his last outing, he threw six scoreless innings against the Houston Astros, allowing just three hits in a 3-1 win. Darvish has also performed well historically against the White Sox, boasting a 3-2 record and a 3.57 ERA in seven career starts. His consistency and experience will be crucial as the Padres aim to solidify their postseason position.

White Sox Near Record-Low Mark

On the other side of the diamond, the Chicago White Sox (47-119) are staring down a much less desirable milestone. Saturday’s loss brought the White Sox to 119 defeats, tying them with the 2003 Detroit Tigers for the most losses in American League history. One more loss will tie them with the 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in modern-era MLB history.

Interim manager Grady Sizemore remains focused on keeping the team’s morale up. “It’s fighting, having a good mindset, trying to stay positive,” Sizemore said. “Obviously, we do want to win. It is a big priority for everybody.”

Sean Burke Aims to Build on Strong Start

Rookie right-hander Sean Burke (1-0, 2.25 ERA) will start for the White Sox, aiming to build on his first major league win. In his last start against the Oakland Athletics, Burke allowed just two runs over five innings, securing his first victory. However, the challenge against the Padres’ potent lineup could be a different story as San Diego looks to carry their momentum forward.

Padres Eye Playoff Spot, White Sox Fight to Avoid History

While the Padres push toward the playoffs, the White Sox are left reflecting on a historically poor season. Outfielder Gavin Sheets emphasized learning from this year’s struggles: “In here, it’s about how we get this behind us and what we learn from it, and make sure it never happens again.”

As both teams take the field, the stakes couldn’t be more different. The Padres hope to take one step closer to the postseason, while the White Sox aim to avoid tying a record for futility.

With Darvish on the mound for San Diego and Burke starting for Chicago, Sunday’s game is sure to be pivotal—for vastly different reasons.

The Lean

For a money line pick, we are leaning towards the Padres to come out on top at home vs. the White Sox. And as for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 3rd lowest-scoring game of the day, and this one has the 5th highest total hits projection. Yu Darvish is our 5th ranked starting pitcher of the day in terms of strikeouts, and we have him working deep into the game, as the Padres have the lowest team strikeout projection in the league today.