MLB matchup analysis

Tigers vs White Sox Prediction, Odds and Model Pick

Saturday, September 19, 2026 at Rate Field · 2:10 PM ET

Pass

Leo decision: Pass on Tigers vs White Sox

Lab Rating
4.8/10
Model lean
White Sox 62.0%
Market probability
53.9%
Model edge
+8.1%
Best moneyline
-118
Sportsbooks checked
9
Leo model
62.0%
Market
53.9%

The case for Chicago White Sox

Starting pitcher edge: 10 points
Leo gives Sean Burke a 10-point edge over Jackson Jobe, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.99 vs 1.51) and expected innings (5.1 vs 4.5).

The case for Detroit Tigers

Late-inning bullpen advantage
Chicago White Sox relievers have a 4.46 ERA over the last 7 days; Detroit Tigers relievers have a 2.67. If this is still close after six innings, that gap favors Detroit Tigers.
Their bats are hot: +0.029 wOBA
Detroit Tigers is outhitting its own season form over the last 15 days.
Team strength favors Detroit Tigers
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's own team-strength model has Detroit Tigers ahead (58.5% to 48.0%). The pick still comes from Chicago White Sox once the pitcher and bullpen terms are applied.

Why it is not official

Setup quality below the bar
Lab Rating is 4.8/10, under the 7.2/10 required for an official pick.
Own bullpen carries risk: 10.0/10
The Chicago White Sox bullpen comes in high risk. A lead after six innings is less safe than usual.
Opponent is swinging it
The other lineup is +0.029 wOBA above its season form over the last 15 days.

Why the setup score is what it is

Conviction: 3.52/10
Leo leans toward Chicago White Sox, but not strongly enough to earn full conviction credit.
Pitching plan: 26.67/40
Sean Burke rates 71 on Leo's pitcher score, judged on its own merits (50-80 is the credited range). That is a strong start on its own, and it earns most or all of the available credit here.
Offense: 17.83/50
Chicago White Sox's recent form does not clearly outpace Detroit Tigers's.

Why the price is what it is

Team strength: 48.0%
Before any pitcher or bullpen adjustment, Leo's team-strength model alone makes Chicago White Sox 48.0% to win. Everything below moves the price from this starting point.
Pitcher score gap: 8 points
The pitcher-score gap favors Chicago White Sox by 8 points. This is the biggest single mover of the price -- a large gap moves it a lot, a small gap barely moves it.
Bullpen adjustment: -0.072
The bullpen-fatigue gap between the two pens nudges the price toward Detroit Tigers. This moves the price less than the starting pitchers do, since a starter covers more of the game than the bullpen.
Net effect: 48.0% -> 62.0%
Team strength alone had Chicago White Sox at 48.0%. After the pitcher and bullpen terms, the price is 62.0% -- the same number shown as Model Lean above.
The verdict Leo passes. The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.
Read the full model output

The combined Lab Rating did not clear the official threshold.

Game information

MatchupDetroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox
DateSaturday, September 19, 2026
First pitch2:10 PM ET
VenueRate Field
Starting pitchersJackson Jobe vs Sean Burke
WeatherGame-time forecast: 68°F, 44% precipitation chance, 6 mph wind from NW.

Starting pitcher matchup

Full Pitcher Matchup Tool →
Jackson JobeTigers · RHP
vs
Sean BurkeWhite Sox · RHP
MetricTigersWhite Sox
Pitching planLimited starterTraditional starter
Expected innings4⅓5
ThrowsRR
Leo pitcher score (higher is better)6171
ERA (lower is better)4.043.42
WHIP (lower is better)1.291.19
K/9 (higher is better)9.19.7
K-BB% (higher is better)14.4%17.3%
K% (higher is better)23.5%25.9%
BB% (lower is better)9.2%8.6%
BB/9 (lower is better)3.53.2
HR/9 (lower is better)1.51.0
Ground-ball rate58.2%38.0%
Fly-ball rate41.8%62.0%

Pitcher edge: Leo gives Sean Burke a 10-point edge over Jackson Jobe, driven mainly by HR/9 (0.99 vs 1.51) and expected innings (5.1 vs 4.5).

How to read this: the scorecards above name the starters; every number lives in this table.

Strikeout Projections Full strikeout projections →

Jackson Jobe strikeouts
6.6 Leo projected Ks
Official pick: OVER 4.5K · +2.5K difference
Market 4.5K · O -115 / U +110 · 4 books
Sean Burke strikeouts
5.4 Leo projected Ks
No K play · -0.1K difference is below Leo's 0.7K threshold
Market 5.5K · O +105 / U -125 · 4 books

Same data source as the Pitcher Matchup Tool, where every starter on the slate is compared side by side.

Tigers are 7-3 in their last 10 and averaging 5.7 runs per game over the last 15 days; White Sox are 3-7 in their last 10 and averaging 4.3 runs per game over the last 15 days. Season run differential separates them by almost nothing (+0.50 against +0.21).

MetricTigersWhite Sox
Last 107-33-7
Last 10 by venue (away team on the road, home team at home)5-5 on the road5-5 at home
OPS, last 15 days0.7840.693
wOBA, last 15 days (hot/cold read)0.3460.311
Runs per game, last 15 days5.74.3
K% last 15 days (lower is better)23.8%28.8%

Last 15 days only. Hot and cold streaks for all 30 teams live on the Stats page.

30-day offense

Full offense tool →
Last 30 daysTigersWhite Sox
OPS0.684 (-0.034 vs szn)0.680 (-0.040 vs szn)
Runs per game4.21 (-0.270 vs szn)4.07 (-0.596 vs szn)
wOBA (model offense input)0.305 (-0.013 vs szn)0.306 (-0.012 vs szn)
K% (lower is better)24.1% (+1.3% vs szn)26.2% (+2.0% vs szn)

Over the last 30 days the White Sox have been the better offense, 0.306 wOBA to 0.305. They are cooling off against their own season line (-0.012 wOBA). White Sox are striking out at 26.2% over the window — something the opposing starter can lean on.

Season profile

Full Stats page →
MetricTigersWhite Sox
Record73-8178-76
Run differential / game (team quality)+0.50+0.21
Runs scored / game (offense, season)4.514.69
Runs allowed / game (defense, season, lower better)4.014.47
Season OPS0.7180.721
K% season (lower is better)22.8%24.3%
OPS vs opposing hand (season)0.7250.714

Season-long team quality, not recent form. Run differential and run environment come from the season standings; splits for all 30 teams live on the Stats page, including the run environment table.

Every team on today's slate, on any two axes you pick. Tigers and White Sox are highlighted.

Tigers
Combined risk
7.6 Tired
Fatigue
8.3 High risk
Efficiency
6.4 Effective
White Sox
Combined risk
10.0 High risk
Fatigue
9.8 High risk
Efficiency
4.6 Average

Risk is what the model actually uses: fatigue blended with how well the pen has pitched. High fatigue with high efficiency is a tired pen that is still getting outs.

MetricTigersWhite Sox
Fatigue8.3/10, High risk9.8/10, High risk
Efficiency6.4/10, Effective4.6/10, Average
Combined risk7.6/10, Tired10.0/10, High risk
Relief innings, last 7 days33.742.3
Back-to-back arms54
7-day ERA2.674.46
7-day WHIP1.011.49

Fatigue measures workload. Efficiency measures recent run prevention. Combined risk is what the moneyline and totals systems use.

Run total projection

Full Totals Projections →
Leo projection
4.8
Market total
8.0
Projected away runs
2.6
Projected home runs
1.8
Over price
-102
Under price
-113
Detroit Tigers team total
2.6 projected
Line 3.5 · O -120 / U -102
Under research lean (-0.9)
Chicago White Sox team total
1.8 projected
Line 3.5 · O -137 / U +115
Under research lean (-1.7)

The model projects 3.2 runs below the market total. A research lean still requires a setup rating of at least 7.0/10. Team totals remain research-only until their graded sample is established.

More games today

All matchups →

Every Leo pick, graded in public

Free daily model card by email, or open today's full slate. Membership adds delivery before first pitch.

Today's picks Membership

Model outputs are not guarantees. Leo provides analysis and education only. Every official pick remains visible on the Results page. 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.