White Sox (Dunning) vs Athletics (Fiers) Game 3 Picks and Odds – Oct 1st

• A decisive Game 3 will take place between the Oakland A’s and the Chicago White Sox in their Wild-Card series today (Oct. 1st) at 3:10 pm ET
• Oakland battled back with a 5-2 win on Wednesday after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss
• Check out the odds, matchup analysis, and best bets for the series finale in the article below

Both the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox have made it to October baseball. The catch is, only one team will live to play another day.

The A’s and White Sox split the first two games of their best-of-three Wild-Card series over the past two days — both winning by three-run margins — setting up a winner-take-all Game 3 today (3:10 pm ET) with a spot in the American League Division Series on the line.

Oakland hasn’t reached the ALDS since 2013; Chicago hasn’t reached it since 2008. The White Sox are slight favorites to end their drought in the Game 3 odds.

Athletics vs White Sox Game 3 Odds

Odds as of Oct. 1. 

A’s Battle Back to Even Series

It took nearly seven innings for the A’s to display any signs of life from their offense in Game 1, ultimately producing just one run on three hits in a losing effort.

In Game 2, Oakland’s bats came alive much quicker. With four runs in the first two innings — including a second-inning home run courtesy of Marcus Semien — the A’s rode a hot start en route to a 5-3 win.

All told, the A’s only managed seven hits (versus Chicago’s 10) but their pitching staff held the White Sox to an 0-for-8 clip with runners in scoring position.

Semien’s homer should be encouraging for A’s fans, who saw the leadoff hitter go from a career year in 2019 (.892 OPS, third-place in MVP vote) to a struggling hitter in 2020 (.679 OPS).

On the White Sox’ side, Tim Anderson collected three hits and is now 6-for-9 in the series.

Pitching Matchup

The starting pitchers for this game were revealed less than four hours before first pitch, which is highly unusual (but since both sides did this, there’s really no competitive advantage to speak of).

Chicago sends rookie Dane Dunning (2-0, 3.97 ERA in seven starts) to the mound opposite Oakland’s Mike Fiers (6-3, 4.58 ERA in 11 starts).

Dane Dunning appreciation post. pic.twitter.com/FOsPApusXT

— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) September 16, 2020

Fiers, 35, has nine years of life experience on Dunning — but has only appeared in one postseason game. That came in 2015 with the Astros, when he allowed a run in his lone inning of work.

Dunning is coming off his worst start of the season (five runs allowed on three hits and three walks in three innings), and hasn’t been his best on the road: 4.30 ERA, 1.364 WHIP in three starts.

Game three. #RepTheTown pic.twitter.com/rVROPfjIHB

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) October 1, 2020

For Fiers, September was a fairly solid month (2-2, 4.09 ERA), but he only achieved four quality starts this season.

In other words, neither of these pitchers is likely to take over and dominate this win-or-go-home game.

Offense Favors White Sox

Without aces on the mound, the attention shifts to the offense. In that realm, the advantage goes to the White Sox.

Not only have they been far better at the dish through two games (19 hits, .742 team OPS versus Oakland’s 10 hits and .453 OPS) but Chicago was also a force to be reckoned with throughout the regular season.

Yasmani Grandal is the 3rd @WhiteSox hitter to go deep in back-to-back #postseason games (Konerko, Crede, 2005). pic.twitter.com/EW44yiCBEu

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) September 30, 2020

Chicago hit 96 homers (most in the AL) and boast seven starters with above-average OPS numbers. Defense might win championships, but offense should surge the White Sox into the next round.

Pick: Chicago White Sox (-110)