Orioles vs. White Sox (June 26): Will Cease put an end to Chicago’s four-game skid?

After getting back to the .500 mark with a win over the Toronto Blue Jays, it looked like the Chicago White Sox might be in for a good week. Then the Baltimore Orioles came to town and decide to throw a major wrench into those plans.

Thanks to great pitching in the first three games of the series, the Orioles have already wrapped up a series win heading into this afternoon’s finale and will be eyeing a stunning sweep.

While Baltimore is still sitting at the bottom of MLB’s deepest and most competitive division, they are all of a sudden one of the hottest teams in the league.

Yesterday’s series-clinching 6-2 win was their seventh win in their last nine games, and with one win in their final four games in June, the Orioles will clinch their first winning month since August 2017.

In order to avoid the sweep, the White Sox will need the bats to wake from their slumber, and they will also need Dylan Cease to have another solid outing on the mound after shutting down the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Baltimore Orioles vs. Chicago White Sox Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Baltimore Orioles (34-39, 16-22 away, 5th in the AL East) vs. Chicago White Sox (33-37, 15-21 home, 3rd in the AL Central)
• Venue & Location: Guaranteed Rate Field (Chicago, Illinois)
• Date: Sunday, June 26, 2022
• Game Time: 2:10 p.m. Eastern Time (1:10 p.m. local time)
• TV Broadcast/Streaming Info: Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Orioles), NBC Sports Chicago (White Sox), MLB Extra Innings/MLB.TV (subscription packages)

Orioles vs. White Sox Pitching Matchup

• Baltimore Orioles: Jordan Lyles (2022: 14 starts, 4-6, 4.92 ERA, 78.2 IP, 66 K/27 BB, 1.50 WHIP, .288 OBA)
• Chicago White Sox: Dylan Cease (2022: 14 starts, 5-3, 2.68 ERA, 74 IP, 108 K/36 BB, 1.28 WHIP, .213 OBA)

Orioles vs. White Sox Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline. Odds from our other top reviewed and recommended online sportsbooks may also be included in this article.

Moneyline

• Baltimore Orioles +176
• Chicago White Sox -210

Over/Under

• OVER 8.5 (-110)
• UNDER 8.5 (-110)

Run Line

• Baltimore Orioles +1.5 (-111)
• Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-108)

Will Chicago’s Bats Break Out Against Lyles?

After scoring 22 runs in three games against the Toronto Blue Jays, the White Sox have managed just three runs in three games against the Orioles.

Yes, the White Sox have dealt with a lot of injuries up and down their lineup, and the hits seem to be coming more on the injured list than at the plate. But to get shut out on Thursday, manage only one hit on Friday, and tally just two runs and six hits yesterday is unacceptable no matter how you look at it.

Will today be any better?

Lyles has not been great on the road this season, so that is one thing in the home team’s favor.

Home and Away Splits for Jordan Lyles in 2022

• Home (six starts): 1-2, 2.92 ERA, 37 IP, 39 H, 16 R (12 ER), 30 K/11 BB, 1.35 WHIP, .273 OBA, 0 HR allowed
• Away (eight starts): 3-4, 6.70 ERA, 41.2 IP, 52 H, 32 R (31 ER), 36 K/16 BB, 1.63 WHIP, .301 OBA, 10 HR allowed

But he is coming off of one of his best outings of the season, as he allowed just two runs in 6.1 innings in a loss to the Washington Nationals this past Tuesday. Entering that start, he had allowed at least three runs in eight straight starts and had given up 15 runs (14 earned) in 15.1 innings in June.

As far as pitching goes, the White Sox should be able to count on another good day for Dylan Cease. Cease has not given up an earned run in five straight starts, but Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays, in which he pitched six shutout innings and struck out 11, was the first actual scoreless start in the stretch.

While the current offensive struggles diminish his margin for error, the White Sox are 10-0 this season when Cease has given up two or fewer runs. On the flip side, they are 0-4 when he has given up more than two runs. So, another good outing is likely to help bring a much-needed win for the South Siders.

Baltimore Orioles vs. Chicago White Sox Prediction and Best Bets

Orioles vs. White Sox Prediction: White Sox to win

Orioles vs. White Sox Best Bets: White Sox -1.5

There aren’t a lot of reasons to have much faith in the White Sox at the moment. But with their best pitcher on the mound, they should be able to salvage the series finale and avoid the sweep.

Only eight of Chicago’s home wins this season have been by 2+ runs, so that isn’t overly inspiring when it comes to backing them to cover the run line. However, of Cease’s five wins this season, four have been multi-run wins for the White Sox.

The run line is at or around -105 at all of our top recommended sportsbooks, so take your pick from any of those, whether you opt for BetOnline, BetUS, or elsewhere. I encourage just a small play here given how things are going at the moment for the reigning AL Central champs, but they should come through here.

Other MLB Content Today on Betting News (Sunday, June 26)

• Pirates vs. Rays Prediction & Best Bets (6/26)
• Reds vs. Giants Prediction & Best Bets (6/26)