Joe Ryan will get the start for the Twins (50-48, 26-22 home) as they host the White Sox (41-57, 20-32 away) at Target Field. The White Sox will give the starting nod to Lance Lynn. Check out my prediction for game one of this AL Central matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX VS MINNESOTA TWINS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Minnesota Twins -155

This game will be played at Target Field at 8:10 ET on Friday, July 21st.

WHY BET THE MINNESOTA TWINS:

  • The White Sox have gone just 4-6 in their last ten games.
  • Minnesota is on a three game winning streak when favored on the moneyline.
  • The Twins are 2-1 in Joe Ryan’s last five starts.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX HAVE BEEN GOOD AGAINST THE AL CENTRAL

On a record of 41-57, the White Sox find themselves in 4th place in the AL Central. When playing away from home, Chicago is just 20-32 and come into the game with an overall series record of 9-19-2.

Lance Lynn has made 19 appearances so far this season, with a .480 slugging percentage allowed and a WHIP of 1.43. His record stands at 6-8 with an ERA of 6.07, and he’s recorded 133 strikeouts, averaging 11.05 per nine innings. On the road, Lynn is 4-4 with an ERA of 6.24; at home, his record is 2-4 with an ERA of 7.22.

Lance Lynn’s most recent outing saw him surrender four runs on six hits to the Braves, but he still managed to get the win for the White Sox in their 6-5 triumph.

During their last five games, Chicago is the 20th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .208 and are averaging 5 runs per game. Across the entire season, the White Sox are hitting .238 with an OBP of .296 while averaging 4.2 runs per contest. This figure puts them 19th in the league.

Luis Robert Jr. has been a key contributor to the White Sox offense this season, boasting a .275 batting average and .571 slugging percentage. In the team’s last ten contests, Robert Jr. has been on fire at the plate, leading Chicago with hits and posting a .281 average.

WILL THE MINNESOTA TWINS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Twins have an overall record of 50-48, placing them 1st in the AL Central. Against other AL Central opponents, they are 18-12 along with going 26-22 and 24-26 at home and on the road, respectively. So far, they have played a total of 29 series, going 13-13-3.

Joe Ryan will take the mound for his 20th appearance of the season today, and he has an 8-6 record to show for it. His ERA is 3.77 and opponents have a .261 OBP against him. He has struck out 131 batters and holds a 1.03 WHIP. On the road, Ryan’s ERA is 5.21, while it drops to 3.65 when he pitches at home.

Joe Ryan recently faced the Athletics, surrendering three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 frames. Despite not being credited with a win, the Twins emerged victorious by a score of 5-4.

Having gone deep 11 times in their last five games, the Twins are 1st in that span. At 4.3 runs per game, Minnesota is 17th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .235 while hitting a total of 129 home runs (7th).

Edouard Julien has been a force at the plate for Minnesota this season, boasting a .316 batting average and an impressive .566 slugging percentage. Over the Twins’ last ten games, Julien has been even more impressive, leading the team in hits with a remarkable .585 average.