:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71262332/1415645552.0.jpg "White Sox vs. Guardians prediction: Picks, odds, live stream, TV channel on Friday, August 19")
The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians square off on Friday with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. ET. The game takes place at Progressive Field in Cleveland and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Lance Lynn (3-5, 5.62 ERA) will start for the White Sox with Triston McKenzie (8-9, 3.14 ERA) on the mound for the Guardians.
Chicago (61-58) followed a five-game winning streak with consecutive losses against the Houston Astros including a 21-5 defeat on Thursday. Lynn will make his 13th start of the season and allowed two runs over six innings against the Detroit Tigers in Sunday's outing. The White Sox rank third in batting average (.260), and Jose Abreu's streak of multiple hits ended at five games on Thursday.
Cleveland (63-55) split a four-game series with the Tigers earlier this week and will enter this divisional matchup a game ahead of the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. McKenzie will make his 23rd appearance and 22nd start, and he gave up two runs over 6.2 innings in Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Guardians have the seventh-best batting average (.253), and Jose Ramirez drove in his 98th run of the season on Wednesday.
White Sox vs. Guardians
Pitchers: Lance Lynn vs. Triston McKenzie
First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET
White Sox local broadcast: NBC Sports-Chicago
Guardians local broadcast: Bally Sports Great Lakes
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)
Odds, picks & predictions
Run Line: Guardians -1.5 (+165)
Run total: 7.5
Moneyline odds: Guardians -130, White Sox +110
Moneyline pick: Guardians -130
Cleveland has a strong pitching edge in this matchup, and that will be the difference. McKenzie allowed two or fewer runs in six of his last eight starts, while Lynn has been far more inconsistent and allowed at least four runs in five of his last eight outings.
Player prop pick: Lance Lynn Under 4.5 strikeouts (-105)
Lynn continues to put up strong strikeout numbers with a 9.5 K/9 this season, but he is going up against a Guardians lineup that strikes out just 6.9 times per game, which is the fewest in the MLB. Cleveland struck out seven or fewer times in three straight matchups prior to Wednesday's matchup when it struck out 10 times.