We are at the point of the MLB season where baseball experts are putting out their lists of biggest All-Star Game snubs. And near the top of nearly all those lists among American League players is White Sox ace Davis Martin, who got totally hosed. Thus, I expect a quite motivated Martin tonight against the visiting Red Sox. It’s a 7:40 ET first pitch on the South Side.
Red Sox-White Sox MLB same-game parlay
- Chicago alt +1.5
- First inning 3-way result: Tie
DraftKings SGP price: +134
The White Sox have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises but are still largely an anonymous bunch nationally, so they have no cache and thus really no chance in 2026 to get a player onto the All-Star Game through fan voting. Chicago’s only All-Star is third baseman Miguel Vargas. He is the first White Sox third-sacker to be named since Joe Crede in 2008 and is having a career season.
But Martin (9-3, 3.08 ERA) has been the anchor of a rotation that has helped Chicago take the AL Central lead and is among the AL leaders in wins and ERA. His WAR of 3.2 is second-best in the Junior Circuit among pitchers, behind only New York Yankees ace, Cy Young favorite and likely AL All-Star starter Cam Schlittler (4.0 WAR). Martin has been among the most valuable pitchers in the majors, as bettors who wagered $100 on each of his starts for Chicago to win are up $813.
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Look, I don’t get too worked up about All-Star rosters, but there’s no way MLB should have chosen Kansas City pitcher Michael Wacha (5-6, 3.45 ERA) over Martin, especially with Wacha throwing for a last-place club.
The 29-year-old Martin – a former 14th-round pick — has had a couple of rotten starts in 2026, to be fair, and comes off one. Last Thursday, he surrendered two runs and six hits over 3.1 innings of a loss in Cleveland. And he hasn’t been quite the same since starting the season 8-1 with a 2.00 ERA, but that pace was never sustainable.
Since this will be Martin’s last start before the break, I expect him to deal perhaps in an effort to make his case as a possible injury replacement or the like on the AL squad managed by Toronto’s John Schneider. And Martin is 5-0 with a 0.88 ERA in seven home starts even though the White Sox’s Rate Field is considered quite hitter-friendly.
Martin has made two career starts vs. Boston, one last year and one in 2024, and is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. The SportsLine Projection Model forecasts him tonight at 5.6 innings, 4.7 strikeouts, 5.7 hits allowed and 2.5 earned runs. He is +175 to win at DraftKings.
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The Red Sox have two All-Stars, and one of them in closer Aroldis Chapman is nearly a lock to be traded by the Aug. 3 deadline – maybe to the White Sox, who have had major issues at the back end of the bullpen. ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently gave the flame-thrower a 90% chance of being dealt. Did you know Chapman recently broke the all-time strikeouts record among relievers?
Meanwhile, rookie lefty Jake Bennett (3-3, 3.10 ERA in seven starts) has been a pleasant surprise for Boston and starts on the mound tonight. Th 25-year-old has thrown three straight quality starts and won the past two. The Red Sox, so far anyway, appear to have stolen him this offseason in a trade with Washington.
Bennett was the Red Sox’s No. 6 prospect at the time of his May 1 call-up, and he’s succeeding despite an average fastball velocity of 92.7 mph, which is rather low these days. Bennett pitches more to contact with 31 strikeouts in 40.2 innings, and he doesn’t walk many (seven).
It’s his first look at the White Sox. The model has him projected at 5.9 innings pitched, 5.2 strikeouts, 4.5 hits allowed and 2.2 earned runs. Bennett is +190 to win.
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I am not comparing Davis Martin to Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, but Wheeler was arguably the biggest NL All-Star pitching snub. He admitted it fueled him Tuesday in Cincinnati, and Wheeler utterly dominated in one of his career-best performances. Here’s hoping Martin follows suit. Check out other expert picks in the SportsLine daily newsletter.
