The AL Central division has long since been decided, with the Kansas City Royals pretty much leading from start to finish. The only excitement left in that division for MLB lines fans has to do with who will finish last. Just a half game separates the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers, and those two will hook up in Chicago on Saturday as part of a 3-game series that will decide who ends up in the cellar.
Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox MLB Opening Lines
Date/Time: Saturday, October 03, 2015 7:10 PM ET Venue: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago Opening Lines: Chicago +116, Detroit -120
#Tigers BP in Chicago! pic.twitter.com/JoPD0gjnUb
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) October 2, 2015
The Tigers (73-85) are not closing out the season particularly well, and have now either lost or split their last three series. Detroit is just 4-6 in their last 10 games, but they have had a pretty tough closing schedule, with the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers their two previous opponents. They weren’t particularly competitive in either of those two match-ups, and have routinely been giving up runs at a rate that does not make it easy to pick up wins. It is going to be very interesting to see what this team does in the offseason, as they have already decided to let Brad Ausmus keep his job for now.
You would have to assume that management is placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the players with that decision, which means big changes are likely to come in the offseason. Justin Verlander (5-8, 3.39 ERA) will be looking for his third straight win with this start.
The Chicago White Sox (73-83) made sweeping changes last offseason, and were considered by many to be a legitimate playoff contender. That they have failed so miserably is somewhat baffling, and leaves the GM with some tough decisions to make once this season draws to a close. There was a lot of talk that the Sox would make big changes back in July at the trade deadline, and you now have to wonder if the players who were on the trading block at that time might well be the first ones out the door in the offseason.
The White Sox are a half game up on the Tigers right now, and a series win will keep them out of the division basement. They are just 3-7 in their last 10 games, though, so no-one will be holding their breath for a big outing. Erik Johnson (3-1, 3.45 ERA) will be on the mound for the White Sox.
Key Betting Trends
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi White Sox’s last 8 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox’s last 5 games when playing Detroit
- The total has gone OVER in 15 of Detroit’s last 20 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit’s last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
