White Sox vs Rays Odds, Betting Lines, and Probable Pitchers (August 21)
- The Tampa Bay Rays are -130 favorites over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday (August 21st, 1:10 pm ET)
- Tampa Bay will give the ball to Luis Patino (2-3, 4.73 ERA), while Chicago will counter with Dallas Keuchel (8-6, 4.48 ERA)
- Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction
After a thrilling series opener, the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will play the second game of their three-game set on Saturday afternoon. The AL Central leading White Sox claimed a 7-5 extra innings win on Friday, but it’s the AL East leading Rays who opened up as the favorite on Saturday.
White Sox vs Rays Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox | +110 | +1.5 (-160) | O 9 (-115) |
| Tampa Bay Rays | -130 | -1.5 (+140) | U 9 (-105) |
Odds as of August 20th at DraftKings.
Tampa Bay is a -130 moneyline favorite, in a game that features a total of 9. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 pm ET inside Tropicana Field, while Chicago will be seeking its third consecutive victory against the AL’s top team.
Probable Pitchers
Former Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel will get the start for the White Sox, while the Rays will counter with 21-year-old Luis Patino.
Keuchel is in the midst of one of the worst statistical seasons of his career, posting a 1.33 WHIP and a measly 5.44 K/9 rate. He’s been hit hard in three of his past five starts, allowing at least four runs, while posting just one win since the All-Star break.
Dallas Keuchel is pitching on national TV tonight against a really good team… pic.twitter.com/iJwmrdSP5B
— Mike (@ChiSoxFanMike) August 16, 2021
He’s on pace for his lowest WAR since his rookie season, and his 4.49 xFIP is the highest he’s posted since he debuted with the Astros in 2012. That spells trouble against a Tampa Bay lineup that is absolutely loaded.
Keuchel vs Patino
| 8-6 | Record | 2-3 |
| 4.48 | ERA | 4.73 |
| 1.33 | WHIP | 1.31 |
| .256 | OBA | .229 |
| 1.98 | SO/W Ratio | 2.4 |
The Rays are tied for the MLB lead in runs, and rank third in the AL in homers and OPS+. They’ve crossed the plate 39 times in their past five games, and have scored at least five times in three of their four matches with the White Sox this season.
Patino meanwhile, has also been hit hard lately, surrendering at least four runs in four of his past seven starts. Last time out, he didn’t make it out of the fourth inning, and has had trouble keeping the ball in the yard in 2021. He’s yielded a 1.58 HR/9 rate, and a 34% hard hit rate, both of which are concerning against a potent White Sox club.
Batting Average vs Starting Pitchers
| White Sox Batters | Batting Average vs TB | Rays Batters | Batting Average vs Keuchel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Anderson | .538 | Randy Arozarena | .333 |
| Luis Robert | .333 | Ji-Man Choi | .000 |
| Jose Abreu | .077 | Nelson Cruz | .316 |
| Eloy Jimenez | .166 | Yandy Diaz | .333 |
| Yoan Moncada | .333 | Kevin Kiermaier | .125 |
| Andrew Vaughn | .364 | Brandon Lowe | .000 |
| Brian Goodwin | .200 | Austin Meadows | .333 |
| Seby Zavala | .250 | Joey Wendle | .000 |
Chicago is one of five AL teams that has eclipsed 600 runs this season, while ranking fourth in OPS+. Tim Anderson was the catalyst in Friday’s victory, racking up three hits and four runs, including a game-tying home run in the top of the 9th.
TIM ANDERSON TIES IT!!!! pic.twitter.com/wwnDW9JSWz
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) August 21, 2021
He’s now hit safely in 10 games, and is batting .538 against the Rays this season.
White Sox vs Rays Pick
With two high powered lineups squaring off against two struggling pitchers it’s hard not to like the over in this contest. Friday’s matchup soared over the total, as have 11 of Tampa Bay’s past 14 games.
The Ji-Man can pic.twitter.com/ftZ8Sqrxaj
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 20, 2021
During that stretch, the Rays have crossed the plate at least seven times on 11 separate occasions, while the White Sox are no stranger to high scoring affairs. Five of their past eight contests have produced a total of at least 9, and they should excel versus Patino.
Speaking of the right-hander, seven of his nine 2021 starts have produced totals of at least 9, with five of those outings reaching at least 11 runs.
Pick: Over 9 (-115)
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.
