We don’t need to see those symbols beside the name of a team in the official standings to know when they are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Even though every team is essentially still in play, you do not need to be a math whiz to know which teams will not be playing beyond the final game of the regular season. For those teams, the final few weeks of the season are important in a different way. We will see some young prospects get some playing time, with a few of them almost certainly doing enough to win a spot in the starting line-up next season.

We will also see some guys fail to push themselves as hard as possible, which could mean a change of scenery next year. Even when you have a series between two teams on the outside looking in, there are still storylines to follow and wagers to be made. The White Sox and Angels are two such teams, and they will kick off a weekend series on Thursday night in Anaheim. The Angels are favored by 1 ½ at home, with the run total set at 9.

White Sox vs Angels MLB Week 20 Lines & Game Preview

• When: Thursday, August 15 at 10:07 PM EST
• Where: Angel Stadium, Anaheim
• Starting Pitchers: Lopez vs. Heaney
• TV: MLB Extra Innings
• Radio: AM 830
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Week 20 Lines: Los Angeles Angels -160 (Total 9)

Astros vs Athletics MLB Odds & Game Analysis

Weather Forecast

• Sunny: 26°C/78°F
• Humidity: 50%
• Precipitation: 0%
• Cloud Cover: 0%
• Wind: 8 mph SSW
• Stadium Type: Open

Why bet on the Chicago White Sox?

It has been quite the week for the Chicago White Sox, who come into this series on the heels of an improbable sweep of the Houston Astros. It is certainly a great achievement to take down a team of that quality, but the reality is that the sweep does little to help or hinder either team. The Astros are going to be playoff-bound, while the White Sox look to close out the year with similar small victories.

Chicago is now 54-65 on the season after that series win, but they will now be heading back out on the road, where they are a miserable 24-34 SU this season. They did, though, take 3 of 4 from the Tigers in their last road outing. They will have Reynaldo Lopez (7-9, 5.16 ERA) on the mound for this Thursday night game.

Team Stats

• Runs: 4.10
• Hits: 8.62
• Walks: 2.35
• Strike Outs: 9.58

• Runs: 5.10
• Hits: 8.92
• Walks: 3.63
• Strike Outs: 7.88

Why bet on the LA Angels?

You hate to keep harping on the same subject, but you do have to wonder id the Angels are squandering the best years of Mike Trout’s career by not spending some money and surrounding him with a stellar supporting cast. The Angels are currently sitting 4 games below .500 at 59-63 and are just 30-30 SU in their own ballpark this season.

They appear to be heading towards the end of the regular season without putting up too much of a fight, winning just 3 of their last 7 games. If there is one positive to look at here, it’s that the Angels have won in 16 of the last 19 games played against the White Sox at home. The OVER has hit in 5 of their last 6 overall. The Angels will start Andrew Heaney (1-3, 4.89 ERA) on Thursday.

Team Stats

• Runs: 5.00
• Hits: 8.64
• Walks: 3.64
• Strike Outs: 7.36

• Runs: 5.30
• Hits: 8.76
• Walks: 3.52
• Strike Outs: 8.72

How to Bet Giants vs Diamondbacks MLB Betting Odds & Pick

White Sox vs Angels MLB Week 20 Betting Trends

• White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi White Sox’s last 6 games against an opponent in the American League
• Angels are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games against an opponent in the American League
• The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels’ last 5 games at home
• Angels are 60-45 against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons
• White Sox are 54-65 against the money line in all games this season
• Lopez is 0-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.000
• Heaney is 1-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 1.45 and a WHIP of 0.857

Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction

While the White Sox are coming off a very positive performance, you still need to look at their inability to get the job done when playing in Anaheim. I see a close one here, but I like the Angels to edge it.

Score: Chicago White Sox 4 – LA Angels 5