White Sox-Twins prediction: Picks, odds on Monday, April 10

The Chicago White Sox (4-6) head north to start a three-game AL Central showdown against the rival Minnesota Twins (6-3) on Monday afternoon at Target Field. Ace Dylan Cease (1-0, 1.59 ERA) takes the mound for the White Sox, while Kenta Maeda (0-1, 1.80 ERA) will start for Minnesota. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. ET.

Chicago is listed as -115 favorites on the moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Twins enter as -105 underdogs. The run total is set at 7.5.

White Sox-Twins picks: Monday, April 10th

White Sox

Out: OF/DH Eloy Jimenez (hamstring), RP Liam Hendriks (cancer treatment), RP Garrett Crochet (elbow)

Twins

Day to day: OF Joey Gallo (side)

Out: OF Max Kepler (knee), 2B Jorge Polanco (knee), 1B/OF Alex Kirilloff (wrist), SS Royce Lewis (knee), SP Chris Paddack (Tommy John)

Dylan Cease vs. Kenta Maeda

Cease has picked up right where he left off after a breakout season in 2022, striking out 18 over just 11.1 innings while allowing two runs in his first two starts of the year. He was sensational in two outings against the Twins last season, firing 16 shutout innings – including a complete game in early September in which he lost a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth.

After missing most of the last two years due to Tommy John surgery, Maeda looked like his old self in his return to action last week against the Miami Marlins, allowing just one run while striking out nine over five innings of work. He's had mixed results against Chicago over the years, posting 5.47 ERA over five career starts.

When Cease can get the walks under control, he's basically unhittable, and he's looked outstanding to start the year. Meanwhile, Maeda was one of MLB's kings of weak contact before his elbow injury and his velocity and stuff seem to have made a full return. These are two starters at the tops of their games facing two lineups that tend to struggle against righties in a pitcher-friendly park, so we're taking the under here.

Pick: Under 7.5

After a bumpy series against the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, the White Sox are in desperate need for a win against their divisional rivals, and Cease is just the guy to get it for them. He's owned the Twins over the last couple of years and should benefit from the absences of Joey Gallo and Max Kepler, two of Minnesota's most powerful lefty bats. (Cease has held righties to a miniscule .201/.283/.349 line in his career.)

It's tempting to take the better odds in what should be a coin flip of a game, but Cease is enough for us to give Chicago the nod.

Pick: White Sox

  
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