baseball | Tuesday, August 23, 2022 10:01 AM

Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox Moneyline Best Bet: Cease Deals ChiSox to Win

Sam Cox

Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox Moneyline Best Bet: Tuesday, August 23rd

The Baltimore Orioles begin their three-game series with the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards on Tuesday. Baltimore, one of the stories of the season, has a two-game advantage over the ChiSox in the loss column, and took three of four when the teams met earlier in the year. Chicago is still the favourite for the series opener, however, with AL Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease taking the ball.

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Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox Preview
Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox Best Bet

Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox Preview

Tue, Aug 24. 00:05 (UK time)

Austin Voth, a swingman who has started 10 games for the Orioles this year, is on the mound for the home team. Voth has an ERA under 2.80 since the start of July, including six shutout frames against the Toronto Blue Jays last time out. It has been a remarkable turnaround after posting a 10.13 ERA over 19 bullpen appearances for the Washington Nationals earlier in the season.

Baltimore hasn’t done anything drastic with Voth’s pitch mix, yet he has morphed from relief liability to impressive starter. The high spin rates on his fastball and curve certainly help.

This is a seriously tough matchup for the former National, however. Cease has been utterly dominant this year, even after giving up three earned runs in his last outing (that was his worst performance since mid-May). Whichever way you look at it, Cease has been spectacular, riding a slider which might be the most unhittable pitch in the big leagues.

Cease held the Orioles to four hits and one run over seven frames when they last met. Baltimore’s offence is seventh by wRC+ since the beginning of July, just a few spots ahead of the White Sox. Even if the Orioles have a slightly stronger line up, it is not enough to compensate for the gap between Cease and Voth (which still exists despite the latter’s strong performances over the last couple of months).

Baltimore Orioles vs Chicago White Sox Best Bet

It’s no secret the Orioles have the bullpen advantage over every team with elite numbers throughout the year. Yet, the White Sox have been decent in that department of late, too, placing 10th in xFIP since the beginning of July.

Much like when Sandy Alcantara is on the mound for the Marlins, though, all else goes out the window when Cease gets the ball. Chicago is 18-6 in his starts this year, and has won 10 of his last 12 appearances.

The White Sox offence is doing enough damage recently to put up a couple of runs against the impressive Voth, and that could well be enough with how Cease has been throwing the ball this year.