White Sox vs Tigers Odds and Picks (April 8)
- The White Sox vs Tigers odds favor Chicago as -130 moneyline favorites on Friday (April 8, 1:10pm ET)
- Chicago will give the ball to Lucas Giolito (2021 stats: 11-9, 3.53 ERA), while Detroit will counter with Eduardo Rodriguez (2021 stats: 13-8, 4.74 ERA)
- Read below for White Sox vs Tigers odds, analysis and betting prediction
The second day on the MLB calendar brings the season debuts of the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. The divisional rivals both made some big upgrades to their rosters in the offseason and are looking to make noise in the AL Central.
Following a second half last season in which they showed some promise, the Tigers will be looking for their first winning campaign since 2016. Oddsmakers aren’t showing them any love in the opener however, as Detroit is a home ‘dog.
White Sox vs Tigers Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Runline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago White Sox | -130 | -1.5 (+155) | O 8 (-110) |
| Detroit Tigers | +110 | +1.5 (-180) | U 8 (-110) |
Odds as of April 7th at Barstool Sportsbook.
The White Sox opened up as -130 moneyline favorites, in a contest that features a total of 8 runs. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm ET at Comerica Park, with rainy, 45 degree temperatures in the forecast.
Probable Pitchers
One of the Tigers’ prized offseason additions was pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, and the former Red Sox will get the start on Friday. Rodriguez signed a 5-year, $77 million contract in November, despite coming off a down season.
The 28-year-old still managed to win 13 games, but saw significant regression in his ERA and WAR. His 1.39 WHIP was the highest of his career, as was the .277 opponent batting average he yielded.
Rodriguez avoided the potent Chicago bats last season, but has fared well against them in the past. He’s 2-0 lifetime in five career starts versus the White Sox, posting a 3.60 ERA and 1.06 WHIP.
Final line for #Tigers LHP Eduardo Rodriguez in final spring training start: 5.0+ IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K. 83 pitches, 55 strikes.
Seven whiffs: two four-seam fastballs, two cutters, three changeups.
21 called strikes: 14 fastballs, five cutters, one changeup, one slider.
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) April 2, 2022
He was also exceptional during spring training, racking up 17 strikeouts against just two walks over 17 innings.
Giolito vs Rodriguez 2021 Stats
| 11-9 | Record | 13-8 |
| 3.53 | ERA | 4.74 |
| 1.10 | WHIP | 1.39 |
| .219 | OBA | .277 |
| 3.9 | SO/W Ratio | 3.9 |
Chicago will counter with Lucas Giolito, a top-three contender in the Cy Young odds. The 27-year-old is fresh off a strong 2021 season, in which he posted the second highest WAR and K/9 rate of his career.
Pretty brutal changeup from Lucas Giolito! 😷 pic.twitter.com/42DB6JWHsJ
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) April 3, 2022
Giolito was excellent away from home last year, winning seven of his 10 decisions, while sporting a 3.25 ERA. One of the few teams he experienced trouble against however, was the Tigers.
White Sox vs Tigers Betting Analysis
Giolito was 0-3 versus the Tigers in 2021, surrendering 17 runs and seven dingers over 29 innings. Detroit was by no means a quality offense last year, ranking bottom-nine in runs, OPS and slugging.
That should change this season though with the arrival of Javy Baez and Austin Meadows. Baez inked a 6-year, $140 million contract after belting 31 home runs split between the Cubs and Mets last season.
The #Tigers get their shortstop signing Javy Baez to 6-year, $140 million contract. @jonmorosi and @Feinsand on it
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 30, 2021
Meadows meanwhile, hit 27 home runs of his own to go along with 106 RBI in Tampa Bay, and is just two years removed from a 33 home run campaign with the Rays.
In the opposing dugout, the White Sox look poised to improve on a campaign where they finished seventh in runs and OPS, and top-10 in average and slugging.
White Sox highlight of the day is my favorite home run of Luis Robert’s career so far. pic.twitter.com/sQyA8ZzY4J
— Mike (@ChiSoxFanMike) February 7, 2022
The offense will be paced by Luis Robert, a top-10 candidate in the MVP odds, as well as standouts Tim Anderson and Jose Abreu. The club beefed up its power by bringing in AJ Pollock and his 21 home runs from the Dodgers, giving them dangerous bats up and down the lineup.
One batter Rodriguez won’t have to face is Yoan Moncada. Chicago’s starting third baseman is out for three weeks with an oblique injury, while catcher Yermin Mercedes (hand) is also on the 10-day injured list.
White Sox vs Tigers Last 10 Meetings
| Date | Away Team | Home Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/03/21 | Tigers | White Sox | DET, 5-2 |
| 10/02/21 | Tigers | White Sox | CHW, 5-4 |
| 10/01/21 | Tigers | White Sox | CHW, 8-1 |
| 9/21/21 | White Sox | Tigers | DET, 5-3 |
| 9/20/21 | White Sox | Tigers | DET, 4-3 |
| 7/4/21 | White Sox | Tigers | DET, 6-5 |
| 7/3/21 | White Sox | Tigers | DET, 11-5 |
| 7/2/21 | White Sox | Tigers | CHW, 8-2 |
| 6/13/21 | White Sox | Tigers | CHW, 4-1 |
| 6/12/21 | White Sox | Tigers | CHW, 15-2 |
White Sox vs Tigers Pick
If spring training taught us anything about Chicago it’s that they are going to be involved in their share of high scoring games.
11 of the White Sox’s 19 exhibition games produced double digit runs, including each of their last six. High scoring contests were the common when they faced the Tigers last year, as the teams combined for at least 9 runs on eight different occasions.
One of the main weaknesses of Detroit last was its bullpen (23rd in WAR and 22nd in ERA) and the team simply didn’t do enough to address that issue.
Given the talent on both offenses as outlined, combined with the shaky pitching behind Rodriguez, this game feels like a prime over candidate.
Pick: Over 8 (-110)
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.
