So much is happening in Major League Baseball right now. Surprises and disappointments abound, and betting odds on MLB are constantly changing as a result, particularly when it comes to hammering out the World Series landscape. Perhaps the toughest team to get a handle on so far, has been the Chicago White Sox. They will be our focus for this next round of 2022 MLB betting. Are the Chicago White Sox World Series contenders? Or is their recent streak just a flash in the pan? We'll use their game against the New York Yankees on Thursday, May 12 to investigate.
But first, let's go over the latest MLB betting odds:
All MLB betting lines can shift right up until the opening pitch, so make sure you're double-checking these odds on MLB before settling on any wagers. You should also try to browse through our reviews of the top online sportsbooks while you're at it. These thorough evaluations will allow you to identify the best betting sites for MLB in 2022.
Can You Trust the Chicago White Sox?
After a rough start to the 2022 MLB season, the Chicago White Sox are on an absolute heater right now. They enter Thursday's matchup with the Yankees having won seven of their last eight and returning to within striking distance of a first place in the American League Central Division.
What the White Sox have done almost defies logic. Their starting rotation has struggled to provide deep outings, but the bullpen has absolutely been killing it. The Chicago White Sox are now up to fifth in collective ERA on the season, and as we all know, elite pitching is a quality recipe for World Series contention.
Still, there's something that just feels unsustainable about the White Sox's current tear. Pitching staffs that don't get great mileage out of their starters can only hold up for so long. More than that, Chicago's bats are in need of a thorough makeover. The White Sox are presently 25th in on-base percentage, making them uniquely vulnerable when they go up against pitchers who do a nice job finding the strike zone.
Perhaps the White Sox's front office can shore up their offense closer to the trade deadline. Only then, though, could they have the look and feel of a contender. Their most recent success feels more like a blip on the schedule. And at the moment, there may be no better team to bring the White Sox back down to earth than the Yankees, who also rank among the hottest teams in baseball.
OSB Prediction: New York Yankees (+122)
Los Angeles Dodgers Keep Rolling vs. Philadelphia Phillies
It might be time to start asking whether the Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the best pitching staffs of all time. They lead MLB in ERA by a healthy margin, and opponents are barely hitting .190 against them at the plate.
Consider this to boot: Tyler Anderson has been the least impressive among Los Angeles' six starters in the rotation. And yet, he's still turning out an ERA under 2.80. That is absolutely wild.
If you're looking for a flaw in the Dodgers' armor, it's in their hitting. Los Angeles' on-base percentage has fallen off a cliff in recent performances, and they're not sporting much power. Relative to the names and talent on their roster, though, it's fair to expect this will be temporary. But even if it's not, the pitching alone is enough to make mincemeat out of lower-level squads like the Philadelphia Phillies.
OSB Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers (-156)
New York Nets Look to Shut Down Washington Nationals
Don't look now, but the New York Mets' bats are starting to come alive.
Though they've spent much of this season getting carried by their pitching staff, New York has started to get on base with way more consistency. The Mets, in fact, now lead MLB in on-base percentage.
Skeptics will bemoan their aggregate lack of power and point to some injury-prone arms in the pitching rotation. We won't do that. At least, we won't do that when they're facing the Washington Nationals, a team that arguably has the single worst pitching rotation, from the starters to the bullpen, in the league.
OSB Prediction: New York Mets (-156)
Minnesota Twins are Good Sleeper Pick vs. Houston Astros
Move beyond the Houston Astros' name recognition, and there just isn't much there these days. Houston has the third-worst batting average in the league and ranks in the bottom 10 of on-base percentage. To be fair, the pitching staff has been solid, and the Astros enter Thursday on an eight-game winning streak. But it's also not like they've beaten up on a ton of superior competition.
The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, are one of the league's biggest surprises to date. They place in the top five of ERA, and while they're not an elite offensive team, they rank right around the middle in all the important metrics.
Oddsmakers seem to be catering too heavily toward the Astros' eight-game winning streak in this one. Give us the team that's clawed their way to the top of the AL Central Division.
OSB Prediction: Minnesota Twins (+116)
Detroit Tigers Shouldn't Be Favored Over Oakland Athletics
In a battle between two of MLB's worst offenses, we're taking the chance to invest in the Oakland Athletics at better than even money.
Granted, this isn't an airtight pick. The Detroit Tigers and Athletics rank second to last and dead last, respectively, in on-base-plus-slugging percentage. Neither has an elite pitching staff, either. But Oakland has been more consistent, is less prone to blowouts and has racked up more strikeouts from their starters while also walking fewer batters.
OSB Prediction: Oakland Athletics (+100)
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