Athletics vs White Sox Odds, Picks, and Probable Pitchers (August 19)

• The Chicago White Sox are home favorites over the Oakland A’s on Thursday afternoon
• The Pale Hose send Dylan Cease (9-6, 4.04) to the bump to face James Kaprielian (6-4, 3.33)
• The odds and pitching matchups can be found below with a prediction

The Chicago White Sox go for the series sweep against the American League Wild Card-contending Oakland A’s at 2:10 pm ET Thursday in the finale of a four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field.

The White Sox are big favorites at home.

A’s vs White Sox Odds

Odds as of August 18h at DraftKings.

Tony La Russa’s club has taken the first three games of the series from one of his former teams in stunning fashion. The ChiSox won the series opener 5-2, followed by a 9-0 victory Tuesday and a 3-2 nail-biter Wednesday. The South Siders aim to extend the largest division lead in baseball (a 12-game spread in the AL Central) with Dylan Cease getting the start Thursday.

Prior to visiting the Windy City, the A’s had been on a roll in August, either winning or splitting three of their four series. But Oakland has hit a wall in Chicago, only scoring four runs in 27 innings. The A’s are still tied with the Red Sox — and a game behind the Yankees — in the Junior Circuit’s Wild Card standings.

Probable Pitchers

On the mound, Chicago’s Dylan Cease (9-6, 4.04) faces James Kaprielian (6-4, 3.33).

Two of Cease’s last four starts have been of the quality variety (he’s tossed seven in 24 stars this season). The third-year big leaguer is coming off a five-inning, four-hit effort against the Yankees on Saturday, where he allowed three earned runs, no walks and struck out six in an eventual 7-5 loss.

Kaprielian vs Cease Key Stats

La Russa would be delighted to get the Cease of the previous three outings Thursday. He went 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA with the White Sox winning all three in the stretch. He’s only had four starts allowing more than three runs and has thrown 124.1 innings this season (compared to a combined 131.1 between 2019 and 2020). In other words, this is pitcher that is coming into his own at the age of 25.

Cease is 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA in 12 home starts this season. In eight day game starts, he has a 3-1 record and 2.79 ERA.

Dylan Cease in 2021

3.2 fWAR
124.2 IP
21.6% K-BB%
3.39 FIP
3.86 xFIP
3.63 SIERA

Lance Lynn in 2021

3.3 fWAR
119.2 IP
20.5% K-BB%
3.17 FIP
3.87 xFIP
3.73 SIERA

One is the Ace, the other is not a playoff starter in some people’s eyes. Respect Dylan. #ChangeTheGame pic.twitter.com/xbzH2qL6Vg

— Ryan (@Moncada4MVP) August 19, 2021

As for Kaprielian, the 27-year-old rookie has been a minor revelation for manager Bob Melvin in 2021. He’s recorded seven quality starts in 15 starts this season, with six of those outings coming after June 1st. He went 5.1 innings in his last start Saturday against Texas, allowing eight hits, three earned runs to go along with no walks and no strikeouts.

The Southern California native  is 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA in nine road starts in 2021. He’s 4-2 with a 2.17 ERA in eight day game starts. He also picked up his first MLB win in his first outing of the season, a 4-1 victory over the Red Sox on May 12th. He was solid against Boston, going five innings while allowing five hits, an earned run and three walks while striking out six.

Guaranteed Offense

Not surprisingly (based on its record), Chicago has one of the best home offenses in the AL. The club owns a .252 team batting average (good for fourth-best in the league) and a .753 OPS (also fourth-best) at Guaranteed Bank Field. One player that has been especially warm of late is shortstop Tim Anderson. He’ gone 4-for-13 so far in the series against Oakland. Plus, you might remember a home run he hit last Thursday that was downright heavenly.

A FIELD OF DREAMS IT WAS!✨

TIM ANDERSON WINS IT FOR THE @whitesox!!! pic.twitter.com/kkX4sRcgN6

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 13, 2021

Neither pitcher has had much experience in the big leagues, nor do they have essentially any experience against the respective teams they’ll be facing Thursday.

The only batter Kaprielian and Cease have combined to face is Oakland utility man Elvis Andrus, who has gone 1-for-3 lifetime against Cease. That’s it. Outside of that one hitter, this will be the first time either lineup has faced either starter.

A’s vs White Sox Pick

Considering the complete lack of experience either roster has had against the respective starters, you have to go off of the head-to-head matchup this season — and that heavily favors the White Sox — who are 3-0 against the A’s in 2021.

Can Oakland and Kaprielian salvage a victory on getaway day? Absolutely. But I wouldn’t bet on it.

The Pick: White Sox moneyline (-170)