Game: Seattle Mariners @ Chicago White Sox
Time: 8:10 p.m.
Odds: Mariners -184, White Sox +168
Total: 8.5
The Seattle Mariners’ chances of making the American League playoffs have improved thanks to a six-game winning streak. Surging Seattle will try to maintain its momentum as it begins a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night. The Houston Astros were defeated 7-6 by the Mariners on Sunday to complete a three-game road sweep by Seattle. Rookie Dominic Canzone had a career-high four hits, and Eugenio Suarez homered twice.
Seattle is now just three games behind the West-leading Texas Rangers and has closed the gap on Houston for the second AL wild-card spot to just a half-game. The Mariners have won 31 of their last 44 games, and 19 of their last 24 on the road, one of their strong points.
Despite coming back to defeat the Colorado Rockies 10-5 on the road on Sunday, the White Sox are struggling going into the first game of a seven-game homestand. Despite high expectations, Chicago has dropped six of its last eight games and has been long out of the playoff picture. Before the White Sox erupted for a seven-run eighth inning in yesterday’s series finale, the Rockies had won the first two games of the weekend series by a combined score of 25-6. For the White Sox, Andrew Vaughn and Andrew Benintendi each had three hits.
Seattle will use right-hander Luis Castillo (9-7, 3.23 ERA), who has won three of his last four starts and two in a row, on Monday. Castillo has made two starts against Chicago in his career totaling 12.1 innings and is 0-2 with a 2.92 ERA. Seattle has won each of Castillo’s last four starts. His last three starts have all gone Over the total as the Mariners scored at least six runs in each game.
For the White Sox, righty Touki Toussaint (1-5, 4.47) will make his debut. He pitched against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and was given no decision after allowing three runs and three hits over four and a half innings. In his lone prior start against Seattle in August of last year, Toussaint struggled, giving up four runs and three hits in two and a third innings.
Touissaint has been absolutely miserable in August. He has pitched 14.1 innings, allowed 14 ER, walked 14 batters, and has an ERA of 6.91. After Touissaint, the White Sox bullpen isn’t much better. Over the past 30 days, Chicago’s relievers rank in the bottom 10 in all of the important statistical categories.
When the teams faced off in Seattle from June 16 to 18, the Mariners won two out of the three games against the visiting White Sox. Two of the games were decided by a single run, including Chicago’s 4-3 win in the series’ middle game, which went 11 innings.
The Over has cashed a winner in six of the last eight games played between these two teams when played in Chicago.
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