The Houston Astros won the first World Series in franchise history in 2017 and have made the playoffs in each season following, but have not won another championship. The Chicago White Sox have reached the postseason for the second year in a row for the first time in franchise history. Their last World Series title came in 2005 in a sweep of the Astros, then in the National League. The clubs meet Thursday afternoon in their first playoff meeting since in Game 1 of the American League Division Series from Houston. It’s a matchup of AL Cy Young contenders in the White Sox’s Lance Lynn (11-6, 2.69 ERA) and Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr. (13-5, 3.16).
First pitch in this 2021 MLB playoff matchup is set for 4:07 p.m. ET. The latest White Sox vs. Astros odds from Caesars Sportsbook list Houston as the -130 favorite (risk $130 to win $100) on the money line. The over-under for total runs is set at 7.5. Before making any Astros vs. White Sox picks, you need to see what SportsLine expert Matt Severance has to say.
Severance, SportsLine’s breaking news writer, multi-sport handicapper and an Early Edge podcast regular, is 147-107 in his past 254 MLB picks, returning more than $2,400. Severance is 33-14 on his last 47 MLB picks involving White Sox games, returning nearly $1,600. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Severance has dialed in on White Sox vs. Astros and just released his coveted 2021 ALDS Game 1 picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see all of Severance’s MLB playoffs picks. Here are the MLB odds and betting lines for Astros vs. White Sox:
- White Sox vs. Astros money line: Houston -130, Chicago +120
- White Sox vs. Astros over-under: 7.5 runs
- White Sox vs. Astros run line: Houston -1.5 (+150)
- CHI: White Sox are 6-0 in their last six games vs. a right-handed starter
- HOU: Astros are 20-8 in their last 28 Thursday games
Featured Game | Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox
Why you should back the White Sox
The White Sox lost in the three-game Wild-Card series last year to the Oakland A’s, but that team was inexperienced in the playoffs. That lesson could prove valuable this year, plus the White Sox now have a Hall of Famer and World Series-winning manager in the dugout in Tony La Russa. He was hired to get this club over the top. Chicago closed the regular season well in winning six of seven and has won 35 of its past 52 series openers.
La Russa will go with an experienced playoff pitcher and Cy Young candidate on Thursday in Lynn. His ERA would have led the majors if Lynn didn’t come up just short of qualifying and was the lowest ERA by a White Sox since Chris Sale (2.36). Lynn was 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 11 starts on the road this year.
Why you should back the Astros
While Chicago was just 40-41 on the road, Houston had of the best home records in the majors at 51-30 and also swept four from the White Sox at Minute Maid Park from June 17-20. The Astros led the majors in runs scored (863) and were second in OPS (.783) and have a star-studded lineup led by former AL MVP Jose Altuve, ex-AL MVP runner-up Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Michael Brantley, Yordan Alvarez and 2021 AL batting champion Yuli Gurriel. All of those guys have plenty of postseason experience.
One of the best young pitchers in the American League gets the call on the mound in McCullers Jr., who finished 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA. He led qualified AL starters in opponents’ batting average (.205), opponents OPS (.628) and hits per/nine IP (6.76) while ranking second in ERA (3.16), tied for second in winning percentage (.722) and T-5th in wins (13). The Astros are 8-1 in their last nine ALDS home games.
How to make White Sox vs. Astros picks
Severance is leaning over on the run total and he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the money line. He’s sharing that Astros vs. White Sox ALDS Game 1 pick only at SportsLine.
So who wins White Sox vs. Astros in the 2021 ALDS Game 1? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the money line a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the money line to jump on, all from the MLB expert who has a 33-14 record in his past 47 picks involving the White Sox, and find out.
