White Sox, Mariners American League Best Bets for August 23

There are multiple games tonight on the American League schedule, and there’s value to be found. Below, you can find our AL best bets from FanDuel Sportsbook.Chicago White Sox (-146) vs. Baltimore Orioles (+124) Total: 7.5 (O-104, U-118)

The Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles are set to kick off a three-game series tonight from Camden Yards. The South Siders enters this series after splitting a set with the Cleveland Guardians, while the Orioles took two-of-three games from the Boston Red Sox.

Both clubs are still in the playoff hunt, with the White Sox sitting three games back in the AL Central and four games back in the wild-card race, while the O’s are 2.5 games behind for the AL wild card. The White Sox enter with a 6-4 record over their past ten games, while the Orioles are 5-5 over that same sample size. There’s a lot on the line in this matchup, and if one of these teams gets swept, that could be it for them this season.

Even with the Orioles slightly ahead of the White Sox in the American League playoff chase, things certainly won’t be easy for them tonight, with one of the best arms in the AL set to toe the rubber for Chicago. The White Sox are expected to send AL Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease to the bump, while the O’s counter with Austin Voth. Cease has been incredible over the past three months with a 12-5 record, 2.09 ERA, and 178 strikeouts. Voth is not at the same level with a 3-1 mark, 4.86 ERA, and 62 punchouts.

Chicago is the road favorite in this contest on the moneyline at -146, but with the way the Orioles have played this year, it shouldn’t be a surprise the Sox aren’t even bigger favorites, despite Cease being on the mound. 

It’s been difficult to have a ton of confidence in what the Pale Hose have offered this season, thanks to the team’s lack of consistency. Bettors continue to come back to the Sox because of how talented they’re on paper and the expectations they carried entering the year. With that, it’s hard not to side with the visitors when Cease is pitching, meaning looking towards the plus-money value the Sox are offering on the run line makes a lot of sense at +118. 

Best Bet: White Sox run line (+118)

The Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners will begin a two-game mini-series tonight from T-Mobile Park. The Nationals split a four-game set with the San Diego Padres over the weekend, while the Mariners lost two-of-three games to the lowly Oakland Athletics.

The Nats enter this contest after losing two consecutive games and owning a 4-6 record over their past ten, while the Mariners have also lost two straight but are 6-4 over that same stretch. The M’s currently occupy the third wild card position in the American League. After underachieving in their series with the A’s, they’ll need to get those results out of their mind and bounce back against an even worse Nationals squad. 

Things have been good for the Mariners when they’ve played at home this year, owning a 31-26 record, compared to the Nationals sitting at 22-38 as the visitors.

The opening pitching matchup in this short series is expected to feature Erick Fedde of the Nationals taking on Robbie Ray of the Mariners. The Nationals right-hander owns a 5-7 record, along with a 4.95 ERA and 70 strikeouts, while Ray is 9-8 with a 3.87 ERA and 166 strikeouts.

After a difficult first month in Seattle, Ray has come as advertised and pitched like we saw him do consistently during his Cy Young campaign in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays. In addition, when Ray has thrown at his home ballpark this season, he’s been much more effective, making 13 starts and pitching to the tune of a 2.80 ERA. 

Those numbers should play very well in this matchup with a Washington team that hardly strikes fear into opponents. The Mariners are sizable favorites on the moneyline tonight at -270, and there’s no value in that number, but if you look towards them on the run line, you can at least get a number that is worthwhile to consider at -120. 

Best Bet: Mariners run line (-120)