Chi. White Sox White Sox vs Oakland Athletics Picks and Predictions September 14th 2024

From Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, we have the Athletics and White Sox facing off in an AL matchup. This one gets started at 7:10 PM ET, and it is being televised by NBCS.

The Athletics are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -165 compared to the White Sox at +139. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and Oakland is 4th in the AL West, while the White Sox are dead last in the AL Central with a record of 33-115.

Oakland vs. Chicago Key Information

• Teams: Athletics at White Sox
• Where: Guaranteed Rate Field Chicago
• Date: Saturday, September 14th
• Betting Odds OAK -165 | CHW +139 O/U 8.5

The Athletics Can Win If…

J.T. Ginn is getting the start on the road against the White Sox today. He is still looking for his first win of the season, as he took a loss in his last outing, going 5 innings and giving up 3 earned runs. He has 19 strikeouts in 17 innings so far this season.

For the season, the Athletics are batting just .234, which is 19th in the league. However, they do have the 6th most home runs in the league and are averaging 4 runs per game. This is only 26th in the league and is one of the worst marks in the league. One area where they have been strong is in avoiding strikeouts, as they are 26th in the league in strikeouts per game.

Over his last 10 games, Brent Rooker has gone 14/42 with three homers and 10 RBIs. For the season, he is batting .298 with 36 homers and 103 RBIs. His 103 RBIs are 4th in the league. Rooker’s 36 homers are the best mark on the team and 6th in the league.

• The Athletics are 5-5 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Athletics are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Oakland has an over/under record of 6-4 in their last ten games.
• The Athletics have an average of 3.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Athletics are 6-4
• Looking back across the Athletics last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• Oakland has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Athletics have averaged 5.2 runs per game on offense

The White Sox Can Win If…

Chris Flexen gets the start for the White Sox today and will be looking to bounce back from his last outing, where he finished with a no-decision. Against the Red Sox, he gave up two earned runs in six innings of work. Looking back over his last four outings, Flexen has finished with a no-decision in three of them. He has made 27 starts this season and has a record of 2-14 with a 5.26 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting .276 off Flexen this season. The right-hander has a WHIP of 1.52 and has issued 3.63 walks per nine innings compared to 6.58 strikeouts.

Andrew Vaughn has been swinging a hot bat for the White Sox of late, hitting .389 over his last nine games with two homers. For the season, he is batting .246 with a team-high 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. Andrew Benintendi is also near the top of the White Sox home run and RBI leaderboards but is batting just .220 for the season.

Chicago comes into the game as the worst offensive team in the league, averaging just 3 runs per game. They are also dead last in team batting average and on-base percentage. Overall, they are 27th in home runs and have the worst slugging percentage in the league.

• The White Sox are 2-8 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the White Sox are 1-4 vs. the run line.
• Chicago has an over/under record of 4-5-1 in their last ten games.
• The White Sox have an average of 2.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home 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 3.4 runs per game on offense

You can always refer to the current MLB Odds to stay up to date with the latest betting lines.

The Lean

Our lean for an over/under pick would be to take the over, as we have this as the 2nd highest projected scoring game of the day. For who we are leaning to take this one straight up, we like the Athletics to come out on top. Oakland’s offense is our highest projected run-scoring team in the league today, and J.T. Ginn has the 6th best chance to pick up a win.

White Sox Desperate to End Record Home Skid Against Athletics

The Chicago White Sox are enduring one of the worst seasons in their franchise history, but interim manager Grady Sizemore is staying optimistic as his team takes on the Oakland Athletics in the second game of their series on Saturday night. The White Sox are stuck in a brutal franchise-record 16-game home losing streak, and they’re desperate for a win to stop the free fall and avoid an even more painful end to the season.

White Sox on the Edge of Historic Infamy

At 33-115, the White Sox are dangerously close to matching the 1962 New York Mets’ record of 120 losses in a single season—definitely not a mark any team wants to hit. Chicago needs to go at least 10-4 in their final games to avoid tying that infamous record.

Friday night’s 2-0 loss to the Athletics only deepened the hole, as the White Sox managed just six hits, extending their home losing streak to 16 games. It’s been a month since they last won at Guaranteed Rate Field, and the frustration is mounting. Overall, they’ve dropped 18 of their last 20 games, and with each loss, the record looms larger.

Even with the tough season, Sizemore is trying to stay upbeat. “We’re struggling, no doubt, but I’m enjoying the grind with these guys,” Sizemore said. “We’re going out there to compete and show what we’ve got.” Despite his positive outlook, the numbers don’t lie. Since Sizemore took over in August, the team has gone 5-26, and the organization is clearly just trying to survive the final weeks of a disastrous season.

Lawrence Butler’s Hot Streak Fuels the A’s

While the White Sox are in freefall, the Athletics have shown some signs of life recently, winning three of their last four games. Lawrence Butler has been a major bright spot for the A’s, extending his career-best hitting streak to 21 games with a single in the fifth inning on Friday. He’s been on fire, batting .368 during the streak with eight home runs, 14 RBIs, and 17 runs scored.

His positive energy is infectious, with teammate Max Schuemann noting, “He’s having fun with his success, and that rubs off on the rest of us.” Butler’s been a rare bright spot in a tough season for Oakland, and his hot bat is helping the A’s close out the season on a high note.

Pitching Matchup: Chris Flexen vs. J.T. Ginn

Saturday’s game features two struggling pitchers who are hungry for a win. Chris Flexen (2-14, 5.26 ERA) will take the mound for the White Sox, looking to snap an ugly 22-start winless streak. His record is rough, but he has had a few solid performances this season, including his last start where he allowed just two runs over six innings against the Boston Red Sox. Flexen’s career numbers against Oakland are decent—3-3 with a 4.30 ERA in nine appearances—so he’ll be looking to finally deliver a win and end the Sox’s home skid.

For the Athletics, J.T. Ginn (0-1, 4.58 ERA) will make his sixth major league appearance, still searching for his first career win. Ginn’s been up and down, giving up 10 runs in 19 2/3 innings so far, but he’s shown promise with a solid 12-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last two starts. Oakland will be hoping he can continue to improve and help keep the White Sox bats cold.

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White Sox Players Looking for Any Positives

At this point, the White Sox are just trying to find individual successes to cling to. Chris Flexen’s mindset is all about sticking to the basics. “I just have to stay locked into my routine, keep preparing for every start, and work hard. That’s all you can do,” Flexen said. It’s a tough situation for the team, but players like Flexen are trying to stay focused on finishing strong, even with the season all but lost.

Key Themes for Saturday’s Game:

White Sox’s Struggles: Chicago is in the midst of a brutal 16-game home losing streak and needs to avoid tying the 1962 Mets’ record of 120 losses in a season. The pressure is on to get a win and restore a bit of dignity in a terrible year.

Grady Sizemore’s Positivity: Despite the overwhelming losses, Sizemore is keeping the team focused on competing hard and trying to find small victories wherever possible.

Lawrence Butler’s Hitting Streak: Lawrence Butler’s 21-game hitting streak has been a bright spot for the Athletics. His strong play is one of the few highlights in Oakland’s otherwise challenging season.

Pitching Battle: Both Chris Flexen and J.T. Ginn are looking for a win to break out of their slumps. Flexen is hoping to end his 22-start winless streak, while Ginn is still searching for his first career victory.

Conclusion

The White Sox are teetering on the edge of making MLB history for all the wrong reasons, and they desperately need a win on Saturday to avoid sinking further. Grady Sizemore is focused on keeping the team’s spirits up, but the task is daunting with the season winding down.

Meanwhile, the Athletics are looking to continue their recent good run behind Lawrence Butler’s hot bat and the development of young talent like J.T. Ginn. For both teams, this game is about more than just getting through the season—it’s about finding a way to end the year with some positives to build on for the future.