Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros Prediction & Picks: Best Bets for the Champs’ Curtain Raiser

One of the must-see matchups on Opening Day features two AL Cy Young favorites as Dylan Cease and the Chicago White Sox match up with Framber Valdez and the reigning World Series champions, the Houston Astros (7:00 pm ET, ESPN).

No MLB team has repeated since the New York Yankees three-peated from 1998 to 2000, and the Astros will start their quest to do so with a visit from the White Sox.

This series will see 2020 AL MVP Jose Abreu face off against his former team for the first time since signing a three-year, $58.5 million deal with the Astros in the offseason.

Will he help his new team start their campaign on a winning note? Read on for our White Sox vs Astros prediction and best bets.

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White Sox vs Astros Odds

Odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, March 30, 2023, at 12:40 pm ET.

Moneyline

• Chicago White Sox +120
• Houston Astros -142

Over/Under

• Over 7.5 (+100)
• Under 7.5 (-122)

Run Line

• Chicago White Sox +1.5 (-176)
• Houston Astros -1.5 (+146)

Will the Astros Continue Their Outstanding Opening Day Run?

With Justin Verlander now with the New York Mets, Valdez is the ace of Houston’s staff, and he has quite a formidable record to uphold.

Coming into this season, the Astros have won ten straight season openers. The last time they lost a season opener was 2012, a 5-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies. That was the franchise’s first season under the ownership of current owner Jim Crane and their last season in the National League.

In 2015, Houston returned to the postseason for the first time since 2005, when they were in the National League and lost to the White Sox in the World Series.

Since then, only the Dodgers have won a higher percentage of their home games (67.2% to 63.5%), only the Dodgers have won a higher percentage of their games as a favorite (63.9% to 62.4%), and only the Dodgers and Yankees have won a higher percentage of their non-division games (61.3% and 58.8% to 58.1%).

So, Cease and the White Sox certainly have a task on their hands. Last season, he had more success on the road (8-4, 2.00 ERA in 14 starts) than at home (6-4, 2.35 ERA in 18 starts). But he was better in day games (8-4, 1.44 ERA in 18 starts) than in night games (6-4, 3.24 ERA in 14 starts).

The same can be said for Valdez, however. At home, he was 7-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 14 starts, while he was 10-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 17 road starts. And in 12 daytime starts, he was 6-3 with a 2.40 ERA, while he was 11-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 19 nighttime starts.

White Sox vs Astros Prediction and Best Bets

Prediction for Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros: Astros to win

Best Bets for Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros: Astros ML (Best Value: -135 at Bovada Sportsbook)

The Astros haven’t lost a season opener since moving to the American League, and I don’t expect that streak to come to an end tonight.