White Sox vs Astros Game 3 Odds, Betting Lines, and Probable Pitchers
- The Chicago White Sox are -120 moneyline favorites over the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the ALDS on Sunday (October 10th, 8:07 pm ET)
- Chicago will give the ball to Dylan Cease (13-7, 3.91 ERA), while Houston will counter with Luis Garcia (11-8, 3.30 ERA)
- Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction
The Houston Astros bats were once again operating at full force in Game 2 of the ALDS, helping propel Houston to a 9-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox. The Astros now lead the best-of-5 series 2-0, and can close out the White Sox in Chicago on Sunday (October 10th).
Houston has outscored Chicago 15-5 through two games, but did not open as the Game 3 favorite.
Astros vs White Sox Game 3 Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | +102 | +1.5 (-200) | U 8.5 (-110) |
| Chicago White Sox | -120 | -1.5 (+164) | O 8.5 (-110) |
Odds as of Oct. 8th at FanDuel.
That honor belongs the White Sox, who are -120 on the moneyline in a contest that features a total of 8.5. First pitch is scheduled for 8:07 pm ET at Guaranteed Rate Field in south Chicago, with clear skies and 68 degree temperatures in the forecast.
Probable Pitchers
Dylan Cease will take the ball for the White Sox, fresh off three straight outings in which he’s allowed one run or less. The 25-year-old has yet to make a postseason start in his his three-year career, but did handle an inning of relief work in last year’s ALDS.
Cease’s 2021 campaign was by far his best to date as he established new career highs in virtually every key category. It was a toss up between him and Carlos Rodon for the role of Game 3 starter, but with Rodon’s shoulder still an issue, Cease got the nod.
Houston certainly won’t be disappointed to see Cease as they absolutely rocked him twice during the regular season. The Astros crossed the plate 10 times versus Ceases in just 9 innings, taking him deep twice.
Garcia vs Cease
| 11-8 | Record | 13-7 |
| 3.30 | ERA | 3.91 |
| 1.17 | WHIP | 1.25 |
| .230 | OBA | .223 |
| 3.2 | SO/W Ratio | 2.6 |
Luis Garcia will counter for Houston, in what will be his second career playoff start. He acted as an opener in Game 5 of the ALCS last season, pitching two shutout innings against Tampa Bay.
The 24-year-old made 28 starts during the regular season, and was pretty effective nearly every time his number was called. Garcia allowed three earned runs or less in all but four of his outings, and was brilliant in his only meeting with Chicago. Back on June 18th, he surrendered a single run and seven hits over 7 innings to the White Sox, while striking out eight in a 2-1 victory.
Luis Garcia gets the nod over José Urquidy for the Astros in Game 3 because of how well his cutter and slider play against right-handed hitters. If the Astros advance and play the Rays, I wouldn't be surprised if their order in the rotation flipped.
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) October 8, 2021
Garcia is particularly tough on righties, something that doesn’t bode well for Chicago. He’s yielded just a .182 average to righties this season, and a minuscule .247 OBP and .301 slugging percentage, thanks to a wicked cutter and slider.
Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers
| White Sox Batters | Batting Average vs Garcia | Astros Batters | Batting Average vs Cease |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Abreu | .333 | Jose Altuve | .500 |
| Tim Anderson | .250 | Yordan Alvarez | .000 |
| Zack Collins | .333 | Michael Brantley | .429 |
| Yasmani Grandal | .000 | Kyle Tucker | .667 |
| Cesar Hernandez | .000 | Martin Maldonado | .000 |
| Yoan Moncada | .333 | Carlos Correa | .125 |
| Danny Mendick | .000 | Jason Castro | .000 |
| Andrew Vaughn | .333 | Yuli Gurriel | .429 |
Chicago enters play on Sunday with only 18 hits in 68 at-bats so far this series, and has yet to record an extra base hit.
Astros vs White Sox Pick
The Astros have the best lineup in baseball and all the momentum, yet still find themselves as underdogs in this matchup. Houston has crossed the plate at least six times in five straight games and should not be getting plus money odds against any American League team, no matter who’s on the mound against them.
Add to the fact that they’ve owned Cease in both meetings this season, and Houston +102 on the moneyline is a slam dunk. It also doesn’t hurt that the Astros have crushed Chicago’s pen through two games. In eight innings against White Sox relievers, Houston has pounded 11 hits and scored six times.
Pick: Houston Astros Moneyline (+102)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
