White Sox vs. Giants (July 2): Cease, Chicago seek series win in San Francisco

After an outstanding pitching performance yesterday against the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago White Sox are in position for a road series win with their best pitcher on the mound.

In yesterday’s series opener in San Francisco, Lance Lynn pitched six shutout innings, and the bullpen didn’t allow a hit in three scoreless innings. The two teams threw up zero after zero until the top of the ninth inning, when Leury Garcia drove in the game’s lone run with an RBI single.

As has been the case for the reigning AL Central champions all season long, the key now is to build off of that win. They haven’t done a good job of doing that to this point, but now is the time to do it so they can get some wins under their belt and pick up some steam ahead of a pivotal couple of weeks to close out the first half.

Chicago White Sox vs. San Francisco Giants Betting Odds and Matchup Information

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Chicago White Sox vs. San Francisco Giants
• Venue & Location: Oracle Park (San Francisco, California)
• Date: Saturday, July 2, 2022
• Game Time: 4:05 p.m. Eastern Time (1:05 p.m. local time)
• TV Broadcast/Streaming Info: NBC Sports Chicago (White Sox), NBC Sports Bay Area (Giants), MLB Extra Innings/MLB.TV (subscription packages)

White Sox vs. Giants Pitching Matchup

• Chicago White Sox: Dylan Cease (2022: 15 starts, 6-3, 2.56 ERA)
• San Francisco Giants: Logan Webb (2022: 15 starts, 7-2, 3.04 ERA)

White Sox vs. Giants Odds

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

Moneyline

• Chicago White Sox +128
• San Francisco Giants -152

Over/Under

• OVER 7 (-122)
• UNDER 7 (+100)

Run Line

• Chicago White Sox +1.5 (-170)
• San Francisco Giants -1.5 (+140)

Can Cease Carry June Form into July?

After giving up seven runs in three innings in a loss to the Boston Red Sox on May 24, Cease’s ERA stood at a season-high 4.24.

But since then, he has allowed just one earned run in 34.1 innings in a six-start stretch, which has seen him move into the top ten in the league in ERA. That lone run came in his most recent start, in which he allowed one run, four hits, and one walk and struck out 13 in a win over the Baltimore Orioles last Sunday.

In his last three starts, Cease has given up two runs (one earned), 12 hits, and four walks and has piled up 32 strikeouts in just 18 innings.

That he has given up just the four walks is the most notable number in there, as he had 14 walks in the three previous starts, including seven in 4.2 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 4.

The White Sox are just 9-13 as a road underdog and 16-19 after a win, but they have to like their chances to get the win today with Cease on the bump. They are 11-4 in his starts and 25-34 otherwise, including a 5-1 record in his road starts.

If he can be stingy again, there’s a good chance that record will move to 6-1. When his number of hits + walks allowed is equal to or less than his number of innings pitched, Chicago is 7-0.

Chicago White Sox vs. San Francisco Giants Prediction and Best Bets

White Sox vs. Giants Prediction: White Sox to win

White Sox vs. Giants Best Bets: White Sox ML (+128 at BetOnline & BetUS) & White Sox/Giants UNDER 7.5 (-122 at BetUS)

Webb has certainly been no slouch this season, and he heads into this start on top of his game. In his last three starts, he is 2-0 with a 0.45 ERA and has allowed just two runs (one earned) in 20 innings.

With Cease and Webb both in fine form, runs should be at a premium this afternoon in San Francisco.

Neither team is exactly lighting up the scoreboard with great consistency at the moment either.

San Francisco has been held to three or fewer runs nine times in their last 14 games, while Chicago has scored three or fewer runs six times in their last eight games. So, the under is certainly the best play in this matchup.

And though Webb’s recent excellence and Chicago’s maddening inconsistency are both reasons to favor the Giants, the better value is on the South Siders here.

On their current homestand, the Giants are just 2-4 against the Reds, Tigers, and White Sox. The first two are a combined 25-49 on the road this season, while Chicago is one of the season’s biggest disappointments thus far.

All four losses have come in games started by right-handed pitchers, and going back to their series against the Braves, the Giants are 0-6 in their last six games against right-handed starters.

At some point, my continued illogical faith in the White Sox will pay off. With Cease on the mound, things line up well for today be the day.

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