There was a manager fired in Major League Baseball on Wednesday, but to the dismay of many Chicago White Sox fans, it wasn’t Tony La Russa. He continues to come under fire for puzzling decisions with his team struggling. The Sox open a series at the AL Central-leading Twins on Thursday.

Nitrobetting checks out the game in this preview. Get a complete look at the game information, team and player statistics, and the latest MLB betting odds. We also deliver timely betting trends and predictions that help you secure the best picks.

White Sox vs. Twins Game Information

• When: Thursday, July 14, 2022, 7:40 PM ET
• Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, MN
• TV: NBCSCH, Bally Sports North
• Radio: WMVP 1000 AM (White Sox) / WCCO-AM 830 (Cardinals)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Odds: White Sox (TBA) / Twins (TBA)

READ MORE: Dodgers vs. Cardinals MLB Odds, Preview and Prediction – July 13th, 2022

Why bet on the Chicago White Sox?

The White Sox counter with veteran Johnny Cueto (3-4, 2.91 ERA). Cueto was fabulous last Saturday in a victory over the Tigers, scattering five hits over eight scoreless innings. The 36-year-old punched out five batters in the game and didn’t issue a free pass. All of the hits against him were singles except for a two-out double by Spencer Torkelson in the eighth inning. Cueto generated nine swings and misses on 101 pitches on the day, posting a CSW of 26 percent. He pitched at least eight scoreless innings for the 17th time in his career and for the first time since throwing a shutout against the Padres on May 23, 2016, while pitching for the Giants.

The Sox are more fortunate to have Cueto, who didn’t make his first appearance until May 16. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine of his 10 starts.

“He should have been in here since Opening Day, that’s what he’s meant,” manager Tony La Russa said of Cueto, who signed a minor-league contract April 8. “He’s picked us up when we needed it. We were talking about it earlier. It still bothers a lot of us about the records of our starting rotation. Johnny is still an under-.500 pitcher, and he’s pitched much better than that.”

Cueto faced the Twins on July 4 in Chicago and took a no-decision, allowing two runs and five hits over six with an uncharacteristic five walks. Arraez is 2-for-3 off him career with two doubles.

Why bet on the Minnesota Twins?

Minnesota is 5-1 against the White Sox this season. No. 1 Chicago catcher Yasmani Grandal remains on the injured list with a back injury. He is in Triple-A playing rehab games and it’s possible he could join the team as early as Thursday or before this series ends. Grandal has been sidelined since June 11, when he suffered a leg injury while running to first base. He said the leg discomfort stemmed from lower back spasms, which landed him on the 10-day IL.

The Twins got some bullpen help before Wednesday’s game vs. Milwaukee as they activated Joe Smith from the 15-day injured list. He missed around three weeks due to upper trap tightness. The veteran holds a 2.78 ERA in 22 2/3 innings this season. Outfielder Max Kepler didn’t start Wednesday after exiting in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s 6-3 loss with a bruised right knee. Kepler appeared to pick up the injury when he fouled a ball off his knee in the bottom of the sixth inning. He was able to finish out the plate appearance and went 0-for-3 before he was lifted in the top of the seventh inning.

All-Star Luis Arraez, who leads the majors with a .347 average, didn’t start Wednesday, either, but simply for rest. The 25-year-old has produced at least one hit in 10 of his last 11 games, batting .400 with seven doubles, nine runs and two RBI over that stretch. Arraez’s nickname is “La Regadera,” or The Sprinkler, because he sprays hits all over the field.

“Think about all the great hitters we’ve all seen,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “You remember games. You remember a swing. That happens all the time. But rarely do you remember an entire at-bat, where the at-bat itself is the memory. And that’s what Luis does. I can’t think of anyone else I’ve ever played with or coached or managed in my life, that the memory of them is the at-bat.”

The Twins are scheduled to start right-hander Sonny Gray (4-2, 3.03 ERA) on Thursday. Gray took the loss in his last start on July 8 at Texas, after yielding five runs (all earned) on four hits, with two walks and no strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work. It was only his fifth career start with no strikeouts. He will face the White Sox for the first time this season and ninth time in his career (8th start). Gray 4-1, 3.63 ERA (44.2 IP, 18 ER) with 19 walks, 43 strikeouts and a .190 (30-for-158) opponent batting average in his prior outings against Chicago. At home this year, Gray is 2-0, 2.83 ERA (35.0 IP, 11 ER) with 12 walks and 42 strikeouts in seven starts at Target Field (Twins are 5-2).

White Sox vs. Twins Betting Trends

• White Sox are 5-17 in their last 22 Thursday games.
• White Sox are 1-5 in their last 6 during game 1 of a series.
• The total went over in 6 of LA Dodgers’ last 9 games against an opponent in the National League Central Division division.
• Twins are 4-1 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a losing record.
• Cardinals are 8-2 SU in the last 10 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers.
• The total went under in 9 of St. Louis’ last 10 games.

White Sox vs. Twins Betting Prediction

Twins moneyline.

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