See the Updated Player Rankings for White Sox vs Tigers – September 27, 2024

Chicago White Sox

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Detroit Tigers

As the Detroit Tigers prepare to host the Chicago White Sox on September 27, 2024, at Comerica Park, both teams find themselves at opposite ends of their season performance spectrum in this American League Central matchup. The Tigers, boasting an 85-74 record, have had a commendable season, keeping them in the hunt for potential postseason play. Meanwhile, the White Sox have struggled tremendously, sitting at a dismal 39-120 and eliminated from division contention long ago.

Notably, both teams enter this series opener coming off victories—Detroit edged out the Rays 4-3, while Chicago shut out the Angels 7-0. However, these wins for the White Sox are rare bright spots in an otherwise challenging season. Detroit not only holds the home-field advantage but also a robust bullpen ranking 8th according to Power Rankings, much improved from their 23rd-ranked offense.

The pitching matchup features Brenan Hanifee for the Tigers, who typically works from the bullpen, and Garrett Crochet for the White Sox, an elite lefty despite his 6-12 record. Hanifee’s prowess includes an impressive 1.98 ERA, though his below-average ability to pitch deep into games could pose a challenge. Meanwhile, Crochet’s solid 3.68 ERA and projections suggest he’s due for stronger performances.

Offensively, both teams have their struggles. Detroit’s offense, ranked 23rd in Power Rankings, relies heavily on the talent of Riley Greene and has been bolstered by Jace Jung’s recent hot streak. Conversely, the White Sox, last in batting average and home runs, see Korey Lee leading their efforts amid a generally lackluster performance.

While the Tigers appear to be the favorites for this game with both THE BAT X and betting markets giving them the edge, the unpredictable nature of baseball always leaves room for surprises. With the Tigers’ playoff hopes on the line, this game carries significant weight for Detroit fans and analysts alike.

Chicago White Sox Insights

• Garrett Crochet – Over/Under 5.5 Strikeouts (+110/-140)
  Garrett Crochet’s 96.5-mph fastball velocity this year grades out in the 96th percentile out of all starting pitchers.
  Explain: Velocity is a key component to fastball success in generating strikeouts and preventing runs.
• Nicky Lopez – Over/Under 1.5 Total Bases (+160/-210)
  Extreme flyball batters like Nicky Lopez are generally less successful against extreme flyball pitchers like Brenan Hanifee.
  Explain: This mostly has to do with the way the hitter’s swing plane interacts with the pitch trajectory, and it can create diminished performance across all categories and hidden value few are considering.
• Chicago White Sox – 2H Moneyline
  According to the leading projection system (THE BAT), the Chicago White Sox’ bullpen grades out as the 4th-worst among all the teams in Major League Baseball.
  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.

Detroit Tigers Insights

• Brenan Hanifee will “start” for Detroit Tigers in today’s game but will be treated as more of an opener and may not stay on the mound for more than a couple frames.
  Explain: Openers have become a common strategy where a relief pitcher is used for the first (and maybe second) inning. This can suppress early run scoring as relievers are generally of a higher quality than non-ace starters.
• Justyn-Henry Malloy – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-120/-110)
  Justyn-Henry Malloy has primarily hit in the back-half of the lineup this season (52% of the time), but he is projected to bat 4th in the lineup in today’s game.
  Explain: The higher in the order a player bats, the more plate appearances he will get and the more opportunities he will get to hit the Over for every market. A player who hits higher in the order than he normally does may provide extra value opportunity since the market may be based on him hitting lower.
• Parker Meadows – Over/Under 0.5 Total Bases (-110/-120)
  Parker Meadows hits a high percentage of his flyballs to center field (39.5% — 97th percentile) and has the misfortune of hitting them towards baseball’s 2nd-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

• Detroit Tigers – Moneyline (-205)
  The Detroit Tigers have hit the Moneyline in 32 of their last 46 games (+18.95 Units / 32% ROI)
• Chicago White Sox – Over/Under 2.5 Team Total (-150/+120)
  The Chicago White Sox have hit the Team Total Under in 23 of their last 33 away games (+12.20 Units / 32% ROI)
• Lenyn Sosa – Over/Under 0.5 Hits (-230/+175)
  Lenyn Sosa has hit the Hits Over in 22 of his last 29 games (+8.10 Units / 13% ROI)