Chi. White Sox White Sox vs Ny Mets Mets Picks and Predictions August 30th 2024

From Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, we have the Mets and White Sox facing off in an interleague matchup. The money line odds have the Mets as the favorites, with their line sitting at -222 compared to the White Sox at +187. First pitch for this one is set for 8:10 PM ET, and WPIX will be carrying it on TV.

New York comes in with a record of 70-64 and they are 3rd in the NL East, while the White Sox are just 5th in the AL Central with an overall record of 31-104. Jonathan Cannon is starting for the White Sox, and they are currently on a 7 game losing streak. Tylor Megill is starting for the Mets.

New York vs. Chicago Key Information

New York is sending Tylor Megill to the mound today vs. the White Sox. Megill has made nine starts this season and has a record of 2-5 with an ERA of 5.17. So far, he has made one quality start and is coming off an outing in which he went just two innings out of the bullpen. In that appearance, he gave up one earned run, three hits, and a homer. Megill’s ERA for the season on the road is 9.6 compared to 4.13 at home. His last road start came on June 22nd, where he gave up six earned runs in three innings of work.

Heading into today’s game, the Mets are one of the league’s top home run-hitting teams, and they are also among the top 10 offenses in terms of runs scored. Overall, they are averaging 4.8 runs per game, and they have been even better on the road, averaging 5 runs per contest. As a team, the Mets are batting .249, which is 9th in the MLB, and their team on-base percentage is also among the league’s best.

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Francisco Lindor has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/27 in his last six games with three homers. This has helped him move into the team lead in RBIs and put him 2nd on the team in homers. For the season, he is batting .270. Pete Alonso is also near the top of the league in homers, as he has gone deep 29 times so far this season.

Jonathan Cannon will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing as he gets the start for the White Sox today. In his most recent start, he gave up five earned runs in four innings of work to the Tigers. He ended up taking the loss in that outing. Looking back over his last three starts, Cannon has taken the loss in each one. His record for the season is 2-8, and he has an ERA of 4.57. Opposing batters are hitting .267 off Cannon this season. So far, he has made six quality starts and is averaging 6.25 strikeouts per nine innings.

Chicago’s offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, as they are last in home runs and are averaging just 3.1 runs per game. Their team batting average of .220 is 24th in the MLB, and they are also near the bottom of the league in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. However, Andrew Vaughn and Andrew Benintendi have provided some power this season, as they are tied for the team lead with 15 homers apiece.

Benintendi has two homers in his last seven games and has gone 5/21 over that stretch. Luis Robert Jr. is also near the top of the White Sox home run leaderboard, as he has 14 homers but is batting just .221 for the season.

Today’s Mets vs. White Sox game has the highest combined runs projection in the league, and our lean would be to the over. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have our lean on the Mets to pick up the win. Looking at today’s starters, Tylor Megill is 4th worst in our projections in terms of strikeouts compared to Jonathan Cannon, who is 9th.

Eyeing Wild-Card Run, Mets Visit Struggling White Sox

The New York Mets head into their road series opener against the Chicago White Sox on Friday with their sights set on making a push for the National League wild-card spot. Despite some recent setbacks, the Mets have maintained a resilient mindset, which has kept them in the thick of the playoff race.

Mets’ Resilience in the Wild-Card Race

The Mets have been riding the wave of resilience all season, a quality that left-hander David Peterson believes is crucial to their wild-card aspirations. “It’s just the resilience of the group,” Peterson said. “We have talked all year about letting each day be its own thing. When we win, we celebrate the little victory and move on. When we lose, we take a little from it and move on to the next day.”

This mentality was on display Thursday when the Mets rebounded from an 8-5 loss, where they surrendered a grand slam in the eighth inning, to secure a 3-2 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jose Iglesias played the hero, driving in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning. With that win, the Mets enter Friday’s game just three games behind the Atlanta Braves for the final NL wild-card spot.

White Sox’s Season of Struggles

The Chicago White Sox, in stark contrast, have been mired in a challenging season filled with disappointment. They are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers on Thursday, marking their 21st series sweep of the season. The White Sox have now lost seven games in a row, pushing their loss total to 104 games. They are just two losses away from tying the franchise record set in 1970 and are in danger of matching the infamous 1962 Mets’ record of 120 losses, the most in modern baseball history.

Despite the grim outlook, the White Sox clubhouse continues to emphasize the importance of resetting and improving. Rookie right-hander Nick Nastrini embodies this attitude, as he pitched six innings of one-run ball in his first major league outing since June 8, despite taking the loss.

“I just needed to refine some things. Needed to get in the zone. Needed to stop walking guys,” Nastrini said after falling to 0-6. “It’s nice to see all the hard work pay off and just a testament that it’s not over ’til it’s over.”

Andrew Benintendi provided a glimmer of hope with a solo home run, his second in four games, but the White Sox offense remains inconsistent.

Mets Call Up Megill, White Sox Counter with Cannon

To kick off the series, the Mets will call on right-hander Tylor Megill, who has spent most of the season shuttling between the majors and Triple-A. Megill, with a 2-5 record and a 5.17 ERA, has made 10 appearances this season, including nine starts. His most notable performance came on May 28, when he delivered seven shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner notes that Megill’s struggles are often self-inflicted.

“When he does struggle, it’s self-inflicted — it’s often not the other team,” Hefner said. “It’s like ‘walk, walk, homer.’ So, prevent the walks and then if they hit the solo home run it’s more manageable.”

Megill has never faced the White Sox in his career, adding an element of uncertainty to the matchup.

The White Sox will counter with rookie right-hander Jonathan Cannon, who has had a rough August. Cannon, with a 2-8 record and a 4.57 ERA, has lost three consecutive starts after beginning the month with a strong six-inning, one-run performance against the Oakland Athletics. Over his last 14 2/3 innings, Cannon has allowed 13 runs on 21 hits, reflecting the struggles that have plagued the White Sox all season.

Outlook for the Series

As the Mets continue their push for a wild-card spot and the White Sox aim to avoid further ignominy in a lost season, this series will test the resilience and resolve of both teams. The Mets will look to capitalize on Chicago’s struggles and keep their postseason hopes alive, while the White Sox will seek to play spoiler and build some momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.