Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox Picks and Prediction for Thursday, September 17, 2026

The Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox meet Thursday at Rate Field, with the opening pitch scheduled for 7:40 PM ET and the game televised on MLB.TV. Detroit is 72-79, third in the AL Central and five games behind first-place Chicago, with 11 games remaining. The Tigers are also 4.5 games behind Cleveland for the third AL Wild Card spot. Chicago is 77-74 and leads the AL Central by half a game over Cleveland, with 11 games remaining. Detroit has won six straight after beating Toronto 10-1, while Chicago lost 7-6 to Cleveland in its most recent game. Build your bankroll with our free MLB picks.

Detroit Tigers Riding a Six-Game Winning Streak

Detroit has caught fire at an important stage of the season, winning five straight games listed in its recent results and six in a row overall. The Tigers scored 41 runs across their last five, including wins of 10-1 and 6-5 at Toronto. Riley Greene has been Detroit’s top hitter by average at .284, along with 20 home runs, 72 RBI and an .854 OPS. Dillon Dingler leads the power production with 27 home runs and 88 RBI.

Kevin McGonigle has also played a major role with 153 hits, a .273 average, a .375 on-base percentage, and 17 home runs. Spencer Torkelson has added 24 homers and 72 RBI. Detroit is batting .240 with 682 runs, 171 home runs, and a .317 on-base percentage. Pitching has been a bigger strength, as the Tigers rank sixth in MLB with a 3.66 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and .233 opponent batting average.

Injuries: Colt Keith (questionable), Parker Meadows (out), Kerry Carpenter (out), Burch Smith (out), Jack Flaherty (out).

Chicago White Sox Holding a Narrow Division Lead

Chicago has alternated wins and losses across its last five games, going 2-3 during that stretch. The White Sox lost 7-6 at Cleveland last time out after beating the Guardians 7-3 one day earlier. Miguel Vargas has powered Chicago with 31 home runs, 84 RBI, and an .832 OPS. Colson Montgomery has also hit 31 homers with 84 RBI, while Sam Antonacci owns a team-best .271 average and a .367 on-base percentage.

The White Sox have scored 708 runs with 194 home runs despite batting .235 as a team. Chase Meidroth has collected 143 hits with a .268 average, while Tristan Peters is batting .275 with 31 doubles, 12 homers and 54 RBI. Chicago’s pitching staff ranks 12th in MLB with a 4.11 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Opponents are batting .241, and White Sox pitchers have allowed 166 home runs while recording 1,240 strikeouts.

Injuries: Drew Thorpe (out), Tommy Pham (out), Huascar Brazoban (out), Tanner Murray (out), Joey Bart (out).

Pitching Matchup

Detroit Tigers - Framber Valdez

Framber Valdez is 10-10 with a 4.01 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 163.2 innings this season. The left-hander has allowed 163 hits and 60 walks while striking out 121. Valdez has kept the home-run total relatively low, surrendering 15 across his workload. His strikeout numbers are modest compared with some starters, but limiting home runs has helped keep his ERA near four despite allowing one hit per inning.

Chicago White Sox - Undecided

Chicago had not yet announced its starting pitcher at the time this preview was written.

Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox Game Pick

• Detroit Tigers

Detroit is the pick in the series opener. The Tigers arrive on a six-game winning streak and have scored at least six runs in each of their last five games, including 10 runs against Toronto in their latest victory. Detroit also owns the stronger pitching numbers with a 3.66 ERA and 1.22 WHIP compared with Chicago’s 4.11 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. Chicago leads the season series 6-3, but Detroit’s recent scoring surge and stronger pitching make the Tigers the choice Thursday.

Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox Over/Under Pick

• Over

The play is Over with these offenses producing plenty of recent scoring. Detroit has scored 41 runs across its last five games, reaching six runs or more in every contest during that stretch. Chicago has scored six or more in three of its last five and owns 194 home runs for the season. Valdez has a 4.01 ERA and 1.36 WHIP, while Chicago’s staff has a 4.11 ERA. With both lineups showing enough power to create multiple runs scored in different innings, the play is over.