Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox Prediction: Does the Value Lie in NRFI or YRFI?
Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox Prediction: Does the Value Lie in NRFI or YRFI?
It's the Sox versus the... uh, Sox. Tonight will be the second series of the year between these two teams, and the series opener will kick off from Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago at 8:10 p.m. EST. However, I don't care who wins tonight because I'm not taking a side in this one but rather a prop.
Article plays have gone on a cold stretch over the past week, so I said my prayers and sought to consult on any curses that were placed over the article plays. We should be in the clear, but to be sure, I am turning back to a first-inning prop over any sides or totals to reset mentally. This happens to be the best first inning bet on the board today and will surely get us back in the win column.
Let's dive into my prediction, pick, and the odds for the White Sox vs Red Sox game.
White Sox vs. Red Sox Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds
- Date: May 24, 2022
- Game Time: 8:10 pm ET
- Where to Watch: NBC Sports Chicago, NESN, MLB Extra Innings
Click Here for White Sox vs Red Sox Odds
Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox Prediction
The Red Sox and White Sox were allergic to scoring in the first head-to-head series this season. They had a combined 15 runs through the three-game series, with all three games going under the total with an average of five runs each game. I expect this series to be similar. The Red Sox have been hitting well over their last five games, but those were all at home, and the Red Sox hit much worse on the road. The White Sox are coming off a series win and double-header sweep over the Yankees on Sunday and had a day off yesterday, so a letdown spot may be in order here, at least offensively, after the day off.
The pitching matchup is Nick Pivetta against Dylan Cease. We actually saw the exact same matchup on May 7th, a game that saw its first run scored in the fifth inning. Pivetta went six scoreless innings in that game, and Cease went five innings, with his only run allowed coming in the fifth.
Down to the stats now. This season, Nick Pivetta has a 6-2 NRFI record, and Dylan Cease has a 7-1 NRFI record in 2022. Pivetta has also dominated the White Sox, as he has given up three earned runs in 18 innings pitched for a combined 1.5 ERA against the White Sox. Cease has been less successful against the Red Sox with a 7.3 career ERA against the team, but he is having the best season of his career so far and pitches much better at home. He also just went four scoreless innings against the Red Sox on the road before giving up his only run in the fifth.
Both the Red Sox and White Sox offenses have been stagnant in the first inning in 2022. They are tied for 20th in the MLB in scoring in the first at a 24% scoring rate in the first inning. Both teams are also scoreless in the first over their last three games.
Both teams seem to play each other tight, and there wasn't a run in the first inning of any of the three games in the first series this season. The Weather should also be a bit of a factor here as it will be under 60 degrees, so anything in the air will carry less than usual. All the signs point to the NRFI here, and we can get a great price of -112 on Fanduel. Take the first inning to be scoreless here as we get back in the win column.
Chicago White Sox vs Boston Red Sox Pick
Pick: Red Sox/White Sox NRFI (No Run in the First Inning) @ -112 (Bet $112 to win $100)
*Odds available at FanDuel at time of publishing*
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Article Author
Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.