Grayson Rodriguez will get the start for the Orioles (81-49, 40-25 home) as they host the White Sox (52-79, 24-42 away) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The White Sox will give the starting nod to Michael Kopech. Check out my prediction for game one of this American League matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX VS BALTIMORE ORIOLES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Baltimore Orioles -1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at 7:05 ET on Monday, August 28th.

WHY BET THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES:

  • Against the runline, the Orioles have gone 3-2 in their five games at home.
  • The Orioles are on a six game runline winning streak as the home underdog.
  • Across Grayson Rodriguez’s 17 starts, the Orioles have put together a record of 10-7.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX LOOKING FOR UPSET AS ROAD UNDERDOGS

The White Sox will be looking for their 3rd straight win in today’s game and have an overall record of 52-79. At home, Chicago has put together a record of 28-37 while going 24-42 on the road. Currently, they are in 4th place in the AL Central.

Chicago White Sox starter Michael Kopech has had a challenging season thus far, with an overall record of 5-11 and an ERA of 4.95. On the road, his ERA stands at 9.95, while it is slightly better at home with 4.83. Kopech’s WHIP for the season is 1.49, and opposing teams are batting .212 against him with a slugging percentage of .437.

Michael Kopech’s most recent start against the Mariners saw him surrender no runs and just one hit over four innings. Despite not earning a decision, the White Sox ultimately emerged victorious in a 5-4 final score.

The White Sox have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 8 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 5th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 16th in home runs and 22nd in slugging percentage. Overall, Chicago is averaging 4.2 runs per game (22nd).

The White Sox’s offensive leader, Andrew Benintendi, is having a strong season at the plate. He currently leads the team in hits with a batting average of .277 and has an impressive SLG% of .374 as well as an OBP of .342.

WILL THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Orioles are 81-49 overall, including going 41-24 on the road and 40-25 at home. When looking at their overall series record, Baltimore is above .500 at 25-13-3. In the AL East, the Orioles are currently 1st.

Baltimore Orioles starter Grayson Rodriguez has a 3-3 record and 5.38 ERA this season. On the road, his ERA is 4.79, while it’s 7.94 at home. His WHIP is 1.43 and opponents are hitting .265 against him with a slugging percentage of .450.

Grayson Rodriguez was unable to secure a win in his most recent start, as he pitched six innings and allowed three runs. The Orioles ultimately fell to the Blue Jays, 6-3, despite Rodriguez’s quality start.

For the season, the Orioles are 10th in batting average, hitting a combined .253. Over their last five games, they have hit .255 which is 9th in that span. Baltimore’s average of 4.9 runs per game puts them 8th in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 154 times and have a team slugging percentage of .424.

Anthony Santander has been a major contributor to the Orioles’ offense in 2023, leading the team with 24 home runs and 70 RBIs. His slugging percentage of .478 is indicative of his powerful bat.