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The Houston Astros will take on the Chicago White Sox at home on Friday night. The White Sox are fresh off a sweep of the Detroit Tigers, improving their record to 30-31. The Astros are now 39-24 after winning their series against the Texas Rangers, which concluded on Wednesday.
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"The vibes are immaculate." - Astros
The Astros will have lefty Framber Valdez on the mound in the opener. Valdez is 6-3 with a 2.64 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. The southpaw hasn't been as effective at home this season, where his ERA is up to 4.15, and his WHIP is 1.45. The positive is that he's been extremely consistent this year, as he's tossed nine straight quality starts.
The Chicago lineup that Valdez has to navigate is surprisingly 23rd in runs per nine and 22nd in OPS. Recently, however, they've woken up and have averaged 8.4 runs in their past seven contests. They also feast on lefties to the tune of a .837 OPS, the best mark in the MLB, and they'll look to keep this trend going on Friday.
The White Sox will tab Lucas Giolito, who has a 4-2 record and a 3.88 ERA this season. Giolito has had an underwhelming year by his standards, hindered by some nagging injuries. In his last three starts, he's struggled, giving up 12 earned runs in just 15 2/3 innings. His advanced metrics indicate that he's been better than a 3.88 ERA, so White Sox fans shouldn't worry about their young stud.
"Lucas Giolito, Wicked Sliders." - Rob Friedman
The Astros' offense has been slightly below average this year, doing just enough to support their dominant pitching staff.
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox Match Details
Fixture: Chicago White Sox @ Houston Astros
Date & Time: Friday, June 17, 8:10 p.m. EDT
Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox Betting Odds
This is the first meeting of the year between these clubs, but the Astros have had the White Sox's number in recent years, winning 14 of the last 17 matchups. A trend to watch is that the over has been hit in five of the last five where the White Sox have faced a left-handed starter.
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox Best Picks
Lucas Giolito hasn't been his normal self lately, but in his career, he's tossed nine innings against the Astros twice. Look for him to complete six frames today, as he's usually taken out at around 100 pitches.
Pick: Lucas Giolito Over 17.5 Outs Recorded (-110)
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox Betting Prediction
These two clubs met in last year's playoffs, and talent-wise they're pretty even, despite the White Sox being a game under .500. The White Sox hit lefties well, and they've had more success as visitors this season. Even though the Astros' bullpen is superior, look for Giolito to keep his team in the game through five frames.
Prediction: Chicago White Sox First 5 Innings +0.5 (-110) & First 5 Innings Total Over 4 Runs (-120)
