PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Interleague Game of the Day - Perfect 3-0 With Sides Yesterday!
(MLB) Chi White Sox vs. Miami,
Money Line: -118.00 Chi White Sox (Away)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -118.00 Chi White Sox (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Marlins, not the White Sox, opened this three-game IL series with 2016 postseason hopes but it's Chicago which finds itself on the verge of a sweep in Sunday's series finale at Marlins Park. Sunday's game was expected to be a matchup of All Stars, Chris sale vs. Jose Fernandez but Miami has decided to rest Fernandez, skipping him until next Friday to afford him more rest. The 56-60 White Sox are 7 1/2 games out of the AL's second wild card spot and have four teams ahead of them. However, that's not the case with the 60-56 Marlins, who despite back-to-back loses Friday and Saturday, are only a half-game behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the race for the second and final NL wild-card playoff berth.
The pitching matchup: Chris Sale (14-5, 3.16 ERA) takes the mound as intended for Chicago, while Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.83 ERA) will take the place of Fernandez, who famously owns a 26-2 (1.62 ERA) career record at Marlins Park. Sale opened the season 9-0 (1.59) but his ERA is now almost double that, as he's just 5-5 over his last 13 starts (team is 6-7). Koehler's no Fernandez but he is coming off a gem this past Tuesday against the Giants. He scattered just two hits and three walks over seven scoreless innings and struck out six in the 2-0 win. He'll take the mound 3-0 with an 0.27 ERA (two ERs allowed in 27 innings!) over his last four starts (team is 3-1)
The pick: "He's been our best starter the past month," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Koehler but the Marlins seem to be buckling under the pressure. Miami had a chance to gain some ground in the wild card race but head into the finale of its six-game homestand just 1-4. Sale notably used a knife to cut up several of his team's throw-back uniforms, costing him a five-day suspension. He is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts since that incident (team is 1-2) but let's not forget that he still owns nasty stuff. He is a five-time All-Star and entered this season having finished in the top-10 in the American League in ERA and strikeouts four years in a row and has a shot to extend that streak in 2016. Make it a 10* play on the White Sox to complete the sweep.
The pitching matchup: Chris Sale (14-5, 3.16 ERA) takes the mound as intended for Chicago, while Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.83 ERA) will take the place of Fernandez, who famously owns a 26-2 (1.62 ERA) career record at Marlins Park. Sale opened the season 9-0 (1.59) but his ERA is now almost double that, as he's just 5-5 over his last 13 starts (team is 6-7). Koehler's no Fernandez but he is coming off a gem this past Tuesday against the Giants. He scattered just two hits and three walks over seven scoreless innings and struck out six in the 2-0 win. He'll take the mound 3-0 with an 0.27 ERA (two ERs allowed in 27 innings!) over his last four starts (team is 3-1)
The pick: "He's been our best starter the past month," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Koehler but the Marlins seem to be buckling under the pressure. Miami had a chance to gain some ground in the wild card race but head into the finale of its six-game homestand just 1-4. Sale notably used a knife to cut up several of his team's throw-back uniforms, costing him a five-day suspension. He is 0-2 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts since that incident (team is 1-2) but let's not forget that he still owns nasty stuff. He is a five-time All-Star and entered this season having finished in the top-10 in the American League in ERA and strikeouts four years in a row and has a shot to extend that streak in 2016. Make it a 10* play on the White Sox to complete the sweep.
