White Sox ML Crashes as Astros Offense Erupts in 9-5 Rout

So much for that Davis Martin ERA advantage. The Astros waltzed into Chicago and torched the White Sox 9-5, making our Martin-over-Arrighetti thesis look foolish in the process. Houston's offense, supposedly hobbled and road-weary, exploded for nine runs and reminded everyone why you don't fade championship pedigree based on small-sample away splits.

Martin's 1.03 ERA edge? Meaningless when you can't keep the ball in the park. The White Sox starter got shelled, and whatever theoretical win probability bump we calculated evaporated by the middle innings. Arrighetti wasn't dominant, but he didn't need to be—Houston's bats did the heavy lifting. Yordan Alvarez and company feasted, turning those "brutal" road numbers into a distant memory with one swing at a time.

The White Sox offense showed up enough to plate five, but when you're chasing from behind against a lineup that can stack crooked numbers, moral victories don't cash tickets. Our -134 price looked like value on paper, but baseball has a cruel way of reminding you that ERA differentials mean nothing if your guy serves up meatballs. Houston improves their road record while we're left holding a losing stub and a lesson: never underestimate a contender's ability to flip the script, no matter how ugly the recent road trip looks.