Chi. White Sox vs Texas Rangers Picks and Predictions August 29th 2024

After game-saving play, Rangers seek sweep of White Sox

Thursday’s matchup between the Rangers and White Sox is set to get started at 2:10 PM ET from Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, IL. MLBN is carrying this one on TV, and the Rangers are the heavy favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -233 compared to the White Sox at +194. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.

The forecast for Thursday’s game calls for temperatures in the mid to upper 70s with partly cloudy skies. Nathan Eovaldi is slated to start for the Rangers, while the White Sox are going with Nick Nastrini. Chicago comes in with a record of 31-103 and is on a six-game losing streak, while the Rangers are 62-71 and are 3rd in the AL West.

Texas vs. Chicago Key Information

• Teams: Rangers at White Sox
• Where: Guaranteed Rate Field Chicago
• Date: Thursday, August 29th
• Betting Odds TEX -233 | CHW +194 O/U 8.5

The Rangers Can Win If…

Nathan Eovaldi will be looking to build off his last outing, where he faced off against the Guardians and picked up the win. In that outing, he went six innings and gave up three earned runs. Looking at his overall numbers, Eovaldi has made 23 starts and has a record of 9-7. His ERA for the season is 3.79, along with a WHIP of 1.10. Opposing batters are hitting .228 off Eovaldi this season. The right-hander has turned in 12 quality starts and is averaging 8.66 strikeouts per nine innings. Eovaldi has a walk rate of 2.03 per nine innings.

Corey Seager has been swinging a hot bat of late for the Rangers, going 14/42 in his last 10 games with three homers and 10 RBIs. Seager’s 29 homers this season is the best mark on the team and 8th in the league. Overall, he is batting .277. Adolis Garcia and Marcus Semien are also among the team’s top home run hitters, with 21 and 18 homers, respectively.

Overall, the Rangers are 23rd in scoring at 4.2 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .238 and have a collective on-base percentage of only .305. Their team slugging percentage of .377 is also just 21st in the league. Texas is also near the bottom of the league in isolated power and batting average on balls in play.

• The Rangers are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Rangers are 2-3 vs. the run line.
• Texas has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Rangers have an average of 3.8 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Rangers are 5-5
• Looking back across the Rangers last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• Texas has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Rangers have averaged 5.2 runs per game on offense

The White Sox Can Win If…

Through six starts, Nick Nastrini is still looking for his first win of the season, as he comes in with a record of 0-5 and an ERA of 8.39. Opponents have hit .229 off the right-hander this season, and his WHIP is 1.99. Nastrini’s last outing came against the Red Sox, where he finished with a no-decision, going 4 1/3 innings and giving up one earned run. In that outing, he gave up one homer. Before that, he had given up a homer in three straight outings. So far, he has allowed six homers this season.

Chicago’s offense has been the worst in the league this season, averaging just 3.1 runs per game. They have been even worse at home, scoring only 3.2 runs per contest. The White Sox are also last in the league in home runs and have the league’s worst on-base percentage and OPS. As a team, they are batting just .221.

Andrew Vaughn and Andrew Benintendi are the White Sox’s top home run hitters this season, but they are batting just .241 and .214, respectively. Vaughn has gone 7/26 in his last seven games, while Benintendi is just 4/18 in his last six games. Paul DeJong, Martín Maldonado, and Brooks Baldwin all come into the game on five-game hitting streaks.

• The White Sox are 1-9 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 3-5-2 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 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 3.1 runs per game on offense

The Lean

For a money-line pick, we are leaning towards the White Sox to come out on top at home vs. the Rangers. We also like the White Sox’s offense to have a big day, as they are our 2nd highest projected hits team in the league today. We are leaning towards taking the over, as this is projected to be the 4th highest-scoring game of the day, and for a play on the over/under line, we would be leaning towards the over. Today, the White Sox have the 5th best team runs scored projection, and the Rangers have the 6th worst team runs scored projection.

Texas Rangers reserve outfielder Travis Jankowski delivered a moment for the highlight reels on Wednesday night, robbing Chicago White Sox’s Andrew Vaughn of a potential game-tying home run in the ninth inning. Jankowski’s catch secured a 4-3 road victory, positioning the defending World Series champions for a series sweep against the White Sox on Thursday afternoon.

Reflecting on his game-saving catch, Jankowski said, “It’s the highlight of my day, for sure. It’s huge; every win matters at this point. We’re a little far back. We’ve got some work to make up, but I still believe in this team.”

Rangers Cling to Slim Postseason Hopes

Despite being nine games under .500, the Rangers remain determined as they chase the final American League wild-card spot. Although they’re trailing six other teams in the race, the Rangers are focused on finishing the season strong, fueled by moments like Jankowski’s heroics.

While the postseason remains a long shot, the team’s morale is buoyed by their recent performances, particularly against a faltering White Sox team. “We’re still in it,” Jankowski added, expressing the team’s resilience.

White Sox Spiraling Toward Historic Low

On the other side, the Chicago White Sox are enduring one of the toughest stretches in franchise history. Wednesday’s loss marked their sixth consecutive defeat and 10th loss in 11 games, leaving them at 31-103 for the season. The White Sox are just three losses away from matching the franchise record of 106 losses set in 1970. With only 28 games remaining, Chicago must win 12 to avoid tying the 1962 New York Mets’ modern major league record for most losses in a season (120).

Interim manager Grady Sizemore acknowledged the challenging season, saying, “We’re all being tested. But we keep fighting.”

Pitching Matchup: Eovaldi vs. Nastrini

The Rangers will turn to right-hander Nathan Eovaldi on Thursday to complete the series sweep. Eovaldi (9-7, 3.79 ERA) has had a roller-coaster August but showed signs of returning to form in his last outing, a six-inning, three-run performance against Cleveland. Eovaldi, who has 12 quality starts this season, aims to repeat his earlier success against the White Sox, whom he defeated on July 24 by allowing just two runs over seven innings with 10 strikeouts.

Eovaldi commented on his recent form, “Physically, I felt good. I wish I would have been able to execute a few more pitches. I felt like they worked the counts really well, and I definitely had to work out there.”

Opposing him will be rookie right-hander Nick Nastrini, who is being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. Nastrini (0-5, 8.39 ERA) hasn’t pitched in the majors since June 8, when he took a no-decision against the Boston Red Sox. His brief MLB career has been marked by struggles, including control issues, as he walked five in his last start. Thursday’s game will be his first career appearance against the Rangers.

Rangers Dominate Season Series

The Rangers have had the upper hand against the White Sox all season, winning all six of their previous matchups. They will look to sweep the season series and continue their push, however improbable, toward a postseason spot.

For the White Sox, the goal is more about pride than postseason aspirations. As Vaughn said after Wednesday’s game, “You’ve got to keep grinding, you know. Today’s over. Go home. Get some sleep. Back here tomorrow.” The team is trying to find any silver lining in a season that has tested their resolve.

Conclusion: A Test of Willpower and Determination

While the Rangers are unlikely to make the playoffs, their recent surge and moments like Jankowski’s catch show a team playing with pride and purpose. Each win fuels their belief that they can still close the gap, however slim their chances may be. Meanwhile, the White Sox, facing the possibility of a historically bad season, are fighting to avoid further embarrassment and find some positive momentum to carry into the future.

The final game of the series will be a test of will for both teams, as the Rangers look to keep their faint postseason hopes alive and the White Sox aim to halt their freefall.

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