Thursday June 27 Best Sports Betting Picks For MLB, WNBA & Copa America Predictions

Learning Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale would start Thursday’s road game against the Chicago White Sox prompted one Chicago sports talk radio host to cut up.

If you’re the White Sox, he suggested, why not wear the 1976 throwback uniforms Sale notoriously sliced in protest in July 2016, getting him sent home from a scheduled start?

Head games are likely futile for Sale, who is 10-2 with a 2.91 ERA this season and no stranger to defeating his former club (see below). It’s how he’ll go about it that’s of interest here, and nah, there’s no line for Sale bringing scissors to the mound.

Along with matinee baseball, we take a look at Copa America men’s soccer and some Left Coast, late-night WNBA. Let’s go.

ATLANTA BRAVES AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Sale initially was set to start during the Braves’ previous stop in St. Louis before rotation shuffling pushed him back. As another 1976 creation, “The Bad News Bears,” might say, that can only mean one thing: “bad news for the White Sox.”

Chicago has the worst record in the majors at 21-61, has lost four straight, and on Wednesday was silenced by Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Gavin Stone in a four-hit shutout. The only player with an extra-base hit against Stone, Gavin Sheets, is day-to-day with a heel bruise sustained later in the game.

Sale started against Chicago five times during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox, going 2-1 with a 3.30 ERA and 46 strikeouts over 30 innings. Expect that sharpness to continue here. Sale has 107 strikeouts against just 16 walks in 86 2/3 innings this season.

White Sox under 1.5 runs and Chris Sale most Ks (+220 with BetMGM)

COPA AMERICA MEN’S SOCCER

Speaking of Atlanta, its Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host a Copa America group-stage match between the host U.S. men’s national team and Panama at 6 p.m. ET.

An American victory coupled with a Uruguay win or tie against Bolivia later Thursday would propel the USMNT into the knockout round with one group match remaining.

Meanwhile, the Soca Warriors (less derivative than “Panamaniacs,” one supposes) face greater urgency after a previous two-goal loss to Uruguay.

U.S. midfielder Yunus Musah called Panama “really aggressive” and a “really strong team,” attributes that were on display during Panama’s shootout victory against the Americans in a Gold Cup semifinal last year.

The USMNT boasts a 17-2-7 edge against Panama all-time, including 6-1-5 in tournament action. Yes, there’s something to the recency effect, but with Christian Pulisic surging, the U.S. has what it takes to prevail amid a challenge.

Both teams to score in regular time (+105 at BetMGM)

INDIANA FEVER AT SEATTLE STORM

Fever rookie standout Caitlin Clark sparked a rally against the Storm in the first meeting between the teams on May 22 before faltering when Indiana had a chance to win in the closing seconds.

Seattle rolled by 15 points at Indiana eight days later, but Clark again kept her team afloat, falling one assist short of a double-double.

Indiana has won six of nine since then to vault into the playoff race, using balanced scoring from Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, NaLyssa Smith, and Clark to go with a disciplined defense.

The Storm have been multiple in their attack, too, but Jewell Loyd has had the hottest hand against the Fever, scoring a team-high 32 and 22 points, respectively. Staying up to watch Clark and Loyd light it up will be worth it.

Jewell Loyd and Caitlin Clark 20+ points (+280 at BetMGM)