Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 6/22/2022

Time: 2:10 p.m. ET

Venue: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, IL

Where to watch: SNET-1, NBC Sports Chicago

DraftKings: Blue Jays -130, White Sox +110

BetMGM: Blue Jays -125, White Sox +105

Caesars: Blue Jays -125, White Sox +105

Blue Jays: 38-30

White Sox: 33-33

Well, if it means anything and I'm sure it doesn't because things are weird in the realm of baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays actually were not the ones that needed a late comeback. Technically speaking, they did because it took all the way up until the 7th inning before the Blue Jays finally got on the board. But Toronto actually sustain that up until the 8th inning and had a two run lead going into the 9th and all they had to do was get a save. All they had to do was rely on their bullpen to get the job done.

Alas, here we are on the heels of what was probably the weirdest game that we could have ever anticipated happening on a summer Chicago night, with the Chicago White Sox not only rallying to win in 12 innings, but having to rally twice in extra innings. And as a result of those two other rallies, the White Sox have taken the first two games of this series over Toronto and it is quite clearly one of the weirdest series we have come to watch to this point. And now Chicago has a chance to get this sweep of the Blue Jays because Toronto, for some ungodly reason, has found its way back to being that team that you just can't trust.

And you wonder at some point if the Blue Jays are going to address the bullpen. That isn't the main reason as to why Toronto has been struggling, that isn't the reason why Toronto has now lost six out of its last seven games, and it's definitely not the reason why Toronto has completely forgotten how to play a complete 9 inning game without any clear conscience thought on how to hold on to a lead. Because everything was going right for the Blue Jays to this point. Alejandro Kirk homers in the top of the 7th to cut the lead in half, 2-1. Cool, what more could you ask for? Cavan Biggio gets an RBI single to tie the game, Bo Bichette gets an infield RBI single, and Kirk draws a bases loaded walk. All things considered, things are going well. And then, Luis Robert turned into the hero.

Robert finished with four RBI's including a game tying hit in the bottom of the ninth and the bottom of the 11th to keep the White Sox alive, and then Josh Harrison with an RBI single in the bottom of the 12th gave the White Sox a 7-6 victory over Toronto.

There are clearly some parallels to how this series has unfolded to this point. First of all, we can look at the return of Tim Anderson for the White Sox and say that it has proven fruitful very much to this point. He is an All Star, he is a potential batting champion, which I completely understand. But if he is the consensus reason as to why the White Sox are winning games right now, we might as well give the man MVP votes. On the other hand, we are looking at Toronto just folding under pressure and proving that they are not a clutch team whatsoever.

It truly is remarkable that this team has completely struggled as much as it has. This is a team built with a stellar rotation and a batting order that no one wants to face, and here they are sitting just eight games over 500 with no real future as to when they are going to turn this thing around. And now going into this finale, Toronto will send Ross Stripling to the mound against Lucas Giolito. And I can honestly tell you I do not favor the road team no matter how much of a favorite the books might have them when the books open.

That being said, I will be the prisoner of the moment and I will take the White Sox to win this game. They have all the momentum right now, Anderson is back and playing very well in the lineup and providing that extra element they have not had before, and I just think the pitching matchup does not favor Toronto at this point. White Sox win 6-5

Blue Jays are 41-31 as a road favorite the past three seasons.

Blue Jays are 9-8 this season against AL Central teams.

White Sox are 10-18 as an underdog this season.

Blue Jays:
George Springer (R) CF
Bo Bichette (R) SS
Vladimir Guerrero (R) 1B
Alejandro Kirk (R) C
Teoscar Hernandez (R) DH
Santiago Espinal (R) 2B
Matt Chapman (R) 3B
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) LF
Raimel Tapia (L) RF
SP - Ross Stripling

White Sox:
Tim Anderson (R) SS
Andrew Vaughn (R) DH
Luis Robert (R) CF
Jose Abreu (R) 1B
AJ Pollock (R) LF
Jake Burger (R) 3B
Reese McGuire (L) C
Adam Engel (R) RF
Josh Harrison (R) 2B
SP - Lucas Giolito

Batting average: Alejandro Kirk -- .304

Home runs: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. -- 17

RBI: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. -- 42

Wins: Alek Manoah -- 8

ERA: Alek Manoah -- 2.00

Batting average: Andrew Vaughn -- .326

Home runs: Jose Abreu -- 9

RBI: Jose Abreu -- 35

Wins: Dylan Cease -- 5

ERA: Dylan Cease -- 2.91