Find the Official Lineup for White Sox vs Rangers – 7/23/2024

Chicago White Sox

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Texas Rangers

As the Texas Rangers prepare to host the Chicago White Sox on July 23, 2024, at Globe Life Field, both teams find themselves in the midst of lackluster seasons. The Rangers, with a 48-52 record, are having a below-average year, while the White Sox, sitting at a dismal 27-75, are at the bottom of the standings. Yesterday’s game saw the Rangers edge out the White Sox with a close 4-3 victory, showcasing their ability to win tight contests even in a challenging season.

Today’s pitching matchup features Jon Gray for the Rangers and Garrett Crochet for the White Sox. Gray, a right-hander, has had an up-and-down season with a 4-4 record and a respectable 3.96 ERA. However, his underlying metrics, such as a 4.82 xERA, suggest he’s been somewhat fortunate and might face regression. On the other hand, Crochet, a left-hander, has been a standout performer with a 3.02 ERA and an impressive 2.40 xFIP, indicating he’s been unlucky and could improve further. Crochet’s 7.0 strikeouts per game also highlight his dominance on the mound.

Offensively, the Rangers have struggled, ranking 24th in MLB. Their best hitter, Marcus Semien, has been a bright spot, tallying 63 runs and 52 RBIs in 98 games. Over the past week, Nate Lowe has been their standout performer with a .333 batting average and a 1.050 OPS. Conversely, the White Sox have the worst offense in MLB, ranking 30th overall. Andrew Vaughn has been their top hitter, while Tommy Pham has been heating up recently, hitting .333 with a .944 OPS over the last week.

Bullpen-wise, the Rangers hold an advantage, ranking 11th in the Power Rankings, while the White Sox’s bullpen ranks last. This disparity could play a crucial role in the game’s outcome, especially in a close contest.

Despite the Rangers’ struggles this season, they are favored to win today with a current moneyline of -140 and an implied win probability of 56%. THE BAT X, the leading MLB projection system, projects the Rangers’ win probability at 57%, suggesting a slight edge for Texas. With the White Sox’s offense and bullpen woes, the Rangers have a good chance to secure another victory in this series.

Chicago White Sox Insights

• Garrett Crochet – Over/Under 6.5 Strikeouts (-105/-125)
  Garrett Crochet’s 96.4-mph fastball velocity this year grades out in the 97th percentile out of all starters.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Nicky Lopez – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-160/+125)
  Texas’s #2-ranked outfield defense on the slate today poses a formidable challenge for Nicky Lopez, who tends to hit a lot of flyballs.
  Explain: This player’s skill set matches up poorly with the opposing team’s defensive strength, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.
• Chicago White Sox – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Chicago White Sox’ bullpen grades out as the worst out of all the teams in MLB.
  Explain: Most bettors only consider the starting pitcher, but a weak bullpen sneakily creates an easier matchup for the opposing offense and boosts a game’s runs.

Texas Rangers Insights

• Jon Gray – Over/Under 14.5 Pitching Outs (-180/+140)
  Considering both his underlying tendencies and the matchup, Jon Gray is projected to throw 82 pitches today by the leading projection system (THE BAT X) system, which is the 15th-least of all pitchers on the slate.
  Explain: Pitchers who throw relatively few pitches are more likely to get pulled from the game earlier, record fewer outs, and generate fewer strikeouts.
• Jonah Heim – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-160/+125)
  In the past two weeks, Jonah Heim’s Barrel% has experienced a negative regression, plummeting from his seasonal rate of 7.6% down to 0%.
  Explain: Barrel% measures how often a player hits the ball at the optimal exit velocity and launch angle and is a terrific measure of underlying power.
• Josh H. Smith – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-120/-110)
  Josh Smith hits many of his flyballs to center field (38.9% — 91st percentile) and will be challenged by the game’s 6th-deepest CF fences in today’s matchup.
  Explain: This player’s skill set does not match up particularly well with the park he’s in today, which may lead to worse-than-usual performance.

Betting Trends

• Over/Under 7.0 Game Total (-120/+100)
  The Texas Rangers have hit the Game Total Under in 28 of their last 41 games at home (+16.15 Units / 36% ROI)
• Over/Under 7.0 Game Total (-120/+100)
  The Chicago White Sox have hit the Game Total Under in 23 of their last 36 games (+9.65 Units / 24% ROI)
• Marcus Semien – Over/Under 0.5 Singles (+110/-140)
  Marcus Semien has hit the Singles Under in 13 of his last 17 games at home (+8.80 Units / 48% ROI)