Brewers vs White Sox Prediction, Picks, Odds
Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff has missed most of 2023 due to injury, but he's making up for lost time in the strikeout department. Our MLB betting picks expect him to mow down the weak White Sox lineup this Saturday.
The second installment of this three-game interleague series gets underway Saturday evening with the AL Central’s Chicago White Sox hosting the NL Central’s Milwaukee Brewers.
Milwaukee won the first matchup, 7-6, in a back-and-forth affair that required an extra inning.
Will the Brewers take care of business once again, or can the White Sox enact revenge on their home diamond? Find out in our free MLB picks and predictions for Brewers vs White Sox on Saturday, August 12.
Brewers vs White Sox odds
Brewers vs White Sox predictions
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff takes the mound for the Milwaukee Brewers, and he should be a great candidate to back. After missing most of the campaign with a sprained shoulder, Woodruff returned to the rubber against the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the week and did not disappoint, allowing two runs on four hits through five innings while striking out nine.
A strikeout specialist, the right-hander has finished each of his past five seasons with a K% north of 26%. This year, he boasts a 35% K%, although that is over a very small three-game sample size due to the sprained shoulder.
This is the avenue in which we will back Woodruff in this contest. Currently, you can find his strikeout prop at 6.5 at PointsBet. Dating back to last season, Woodruff has recorded seven or more strikeouts in seven of his past eight starts, averaging just south of nine strikeouts per game over that stretch.
This strikeout success is likely to continue against the Chicago White Sox, a team that has struggled at the dish this season. Currently, Chicago ranks in the Bottom 5 of the league in runs scored per game, SLG, and OPS. The White Sox rank 21st in K% when facing right-handed pitching this year.
Performance is unlikely to improve against Woodruff, at least in the strikeout department. In his last start against Chicago, the right-hander allowed three runs on five hits through seven innings pitched while racking up nine strikeouts. Through 28 career plate appearances against Woodruff, this current White Sox lineup possesses a fade-worthy 32.1 K% and a 35.8 Whiff%.
My best bet: Brandon Woodruff Over 6.5 Strikeouts (-140 at PointsBet)
Brewers vs White Sox same-game parlay
Brandon Woodruff Over 6.5 Strikeouts
Under 8
Brewers moneyline
We already covered the first leg in the best bet section above, now let’s look at the other two.
While Woodruff is highly likely to take care of his side of the business, right-hander Jesse Scholtens could also serve as a solid candidate to back in this contest for Chicago. Alternating between the bullpen and the rotation this season, Scholtens boasts a 3.06 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.
His underlying metrics are a tad more concerning, ranking in the bottom-half of the league in average exit velocity, xBA and xSLG while ranking in the top-half in HardHit%, xERA/xwOBA and Barrel%. However, even if slight regression hits, Milwaukee’s lineup is not menacing enough to cause too much concern.
Currently, the Brewers rank in the bottom third of the league in runs scored per game, OPS, and home runs. With that said, they still rank higher than the White Sox in each of those categories while also boasting the better starting pitcher.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
Brewers vs White Sox moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The Brewers opened as a -148 favorite and were quickly bet up to the current price of -162. This line movement makes sense considering they clearly hold the better pitcher while arguably possessing the stronger lineup.
However, it is unlikely that this line will trend towards two dollars, considering that the White Sox are also throwing out a competent young pitcher. That brings us to the total, which opened at eight and has stayed at that number.
The juice is on the Over due to the low number, but I suspect bookmakers will be hesitant to move the line to 8.5 with these two guys on the mound and the inconsistency of each of these two lineups.
Best MLB bonuses
Looking to bet on some baseball action? Here are two of the best bonuses* available:
A) Get one 25% profit boost to use on any bet this weekend at Caesars! Opt-in Now
best sportsbook promotions for 2023.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Trend to know
Dating back to last season, Woodruff has recorded at least seven strikeouts in seven of his past eight starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. White Sox
Brewers vs White Sox game info
Starting pitchers
Brandon Woodruff (1-1, 1.65 ERA): After missing most of the campaign with a sprained shoulder, Woodruff returned to the rubber against the Pirates earlier in the week and did not disappoint, allowing two runs on four hits through five innings while striking out nine. One of Milwaukee’s aces returns to the mound at a key time as it looks to hold onto first-place in the NL Central.
Jesse Scholtens (1-4, 3.06 ERA): Alternating between the bullpen and the rotation this season, Scholtens boasts a 3.06 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. His underlying metrics are a bit more chaotic, ranking in the bottom-half of the league in average exit velocity, xBA and xSLG while ranking in the top-half in HardHit%, xERA/xwOBA, and Barrel%. With that said, the journeyman has been impressive thus far in his rookie campaign.
