Upcoming Match-ups
Tmrw
24
Apr
7:00 PM
MIA
BOS
+15
-15
203
9:30 PM
NO
OKC
+7.5
-7.5
211
Thursday
25
Apr
7:00 PM
CLE
ORL
+1
-1
19.5
7:30 PM
NY
PHI
+4
-4
205
10:00 PM
DEN
LAL
-1
+1
215.5

White Sox vs Cleveland Picks and Odds – Cease vs Bieber (June 1)

John Perrotto

by John Perrotto in MLB Baseball

Updated Jun 1, 2021 · 6:39 AM PDT

Chicago White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease following through after a pitch
Chicago White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease follows through during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees on Saturday, May 22, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
  • Cleveland is a -150 home favorite over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night at Progressive Field
  • Shane Bieber (5-3, 3.13 ERA) is scheduled to start for Cleveland against Dylan Cease (3-1, 2.98).
  • Analaysis of the White Sox-Cleveland matchup and a prediction can be found below

The top teams in the American League Central square off again when the division-leading Chicago White Sox visit second-place Cleveland at 6:10 p.m. ET Tuesday at Progressive Field.

Dylan Cease (3-1, 2.98 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the White Sox against Shane Bieber (5-3, 3.13).

After splitting a doubleheader with Cleveland on Monday to open the four-game series, the White Sox (33-21) maintain a 3.5-game edge in the division standings. Chicago has won seven of its last nine games and is 18-7 in its last 25.

Cleveland (29-24) has lost three of its last five games but is favored with their ace on the mound.

White Sox vs Cleveland Odds

Team Moneyline at DraftKings Runline Total
Chicago White Sox +125 +1.5 (-175) Over 7 (-118)
Cleveland -150 -1.5 (+143) Under 7 (-104)

Odds as of June 1st

2024 Cy Young Odds Tracker
Read More

Cease Making Hitters Desist

Cease is coming off one of the best starts of his career when he beat the Baltimore Orioles last Thursday in Chicago. Cease struck out 10 in six innings while allowing one run, four hits and two walks. He threw a career-high 111 pitches.

All three of Cease’s quality starts this season have come within his last six rotation turns. He has allowed zero or one run four times during that span.

In three career starts against Cleveland, Cease has a 1-1 record and 5.14 ERA. He has struggled at Progressive Field, going 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA in two games.

Cleveland Career Stats vs Cease

Player AB H HR RBI K AVG
Cesar Hernandez 4 3 0 0 0 .750
Amed Rosario 3 1 0 0 0 .333
Jose Ramirez 5 0 0 0 1 .000
Eddie Rosario 5 2 0 1 2 .400
Harold Ramirez 0 0 0 0 0 —
Josh Naylor 0 0 0 0 0 —
Owen Miller 0 0 0 0 0 —
Jake Bauers 3 0 0 0 2 .000
Austin Hedges 0 0 0 0 0 —

Back to Being Bieber

After back-to-back rough outings, Bieber looked like the 2020 AL Cy Young Award version of himself in his last start.

Bieber took a no-hitter into the seventh inning last Thursday at Detroit as he beat the Tigers. He wound up allowing one run on one hit – a homer by Jonathan Schoop – while striking out 12 and walking four.

In his previous two starts, Bieber was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA. They also marked the only two times this season he has failed to pitch at least six innings in 11 starts. The clunkers came on the heels of Bieber running off eight quality starts in a row to begin the season.

Bieber is 4-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 10 career starts against the White Sox. He pitched a three-hit shutout against them April 13 in Chicago and had 11 strikeouts.

White Sox Career Stats vs Bieber

Player AB H HR RBI K AVG
Nick Madrigal 8 2 0 0 0 .250
Adam Eaton 6 1 0 0 4 .167
Yoan Moncada 25 7 2 3 11 .280
Jose Abreu 26 8 3 4 6 .308
Yermin Mercedes 4 1 0 0 1 .250
Yasmani Grandal 9 2 0 1 3 .222
Jake Lamb 3 0 0 0 2 .000
Leury Garcia 10 2 1 1 6 .200
Danny Mendick 4 1 0 0 2 .250

Headaches caused by allergies forced rookie left fielder Andrew Vaughn to miss both games of Monday’s doubleheader and shortstop Tim Anderson to sit out Game 2. Both are questionable Tuesday.

Bieber might have his hands full with third baseman Yoan Moncada, who has reached base in 24 of his last 25 games. Moncada is hitting .333 with one home runs, 13 RBIs and 23 walks during that time.

First baseman Jose Abreu finished May with a .333 batting average, going 28-for 84, with five doubles, six homers and 27 RBIs in 25 games.

Twinbill Split

The White Sox won the first game of Monday’s twinbill 8-6 in eight innings and Cleveland bounced back with a 3-1 victory in the nightcap to gain a split.

In the second game, Jose Ramirez hit a two-run home run in the third inning to break a 1-1 tie. Reliever Cal Quantrill made a spot start for Cleveland and yielded one run in 3.2 innings.

Emmanuel Clase struck out three in the seventh inning for his ninth save.

In the opener, Adam Eaton’s two-run homer off James Karinchak and Jose Abreu’s sacrifice fly in the eighth led Chicago to the win. Eaton has missed the previous four games with a hamstring injury.

Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie struck out a club-record eight straight hitters. That was two away from the major league record set by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver in 1970. Aaron Bummer gave up a run in the eighth before getting his first save.

Both games were scheduled for seven innings.

Five-Year Dominance

Cleveland is 4-2 against the White Sox this year after going 8-2 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Furthermore, the Clevelanders hold a 59-37 edge since the start of the 2016 season, including going 31-15 at home.

Bieber and Cease are coming off strong outings. While picking against Bieber is always risky, playing Cease, a burgeoning ace, at good odds on the moneyline just feels like the right move.

The Pick: White Sox (+125)

Author Image