The Chicago White Sox are set to host the Kansas City Royals today in the final matchup of a three-game set at Guaranteed Rate Field. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Royals-White Sox prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Chicago dominated Kansas City 9-2 on Tuesday after dropping the first game of the series 2-1, improving to 52-51 in the process to move ever so slightly above .500. The White Sox are two games back of both the AL Central lead and the final American League wild-card spot. Kansas City, meanwhile, is a distant thought in the playoff hunt at 41-63. The Royals are currently 13 1/2 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays for the league's final wild card spot, and would need nothing short of a miracle — and then some — to become a factor in the postseason picture.
Both teams are 5-5 against each other this year.
Here are the Royals-White Sox MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Royals-White Sox Odds
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-156) ML: +132
Chicago White Sox: -1.5 (+130) ML: -156
Over: 8.5 (-118)
Under: 8.5 (-104)
Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread
2022 has easily been the most productive season in Kansas City starting pitcher Brady Singer's three years in the majors, with an ERA of 3.51 and an average of just over one strikeout per inning, and he's picked up this pace as of late. After posting a 5.97 ERA and allowing opponents to hit .272 against him in June, Singer was downright dominant in July. He gave up just 23 hits and seven earned runs in 30 2/3 innings last month, good for a 2.05 ERA and .217 opponent's batting average, with just two earned runs allowed and 28 strikeouts over his last three starts. He's faced the White Sox twice this season, once out of the bullpen and once as the starter, allowing five hits in nine shutout innings.
There's also a presumed advantage in who Chicago is slated to send out to the mound. Coming off a career year in 2021, this season has been nothing short of forgettable for White Sox starting pitcher Lance Lynn. The 35-year-old right-hander has a 6.42 ERA on the year, and gave up four earned runs — including three long balls — in 5 2/3 innings during a loss to a bad Oakland Athletics team last week. With only nine starts, he doesn't qualify for MLB's statistical rankings. If he did, however, his .279 opponent's batting average would be the second-highest in the American League.
Why The White Sox Could Cover The Spread
While starting pitching certainly doesn't seem to favor the White Sox, they could have an advantage once the game gets to the bullpen. Chicago relievers have a 4.01 ERA this season — not stellar by any stretch, but significantly better than Kansas City's 4.60 bullpen ERA, which is the third-worst in baseball.
Both teams have been pretty bad against right-handed pitching this season, with the White Sox and Royals ranking 23rd and 27th in the MLB, respectively, in OPS against righties. Nonetheless, Chicago has a slight advantage in this department. With 327 runs driven in off righties this season, the White Sox rank 10th in the MLB. Kansas City, meanwhile, ranks among the bottom five in baseball with 265 RBIs off right-handers. The Royals posted a .723 OPS overall during the month of July, which was one point higher than Chicago. However, the White Sox have a considerable edge over the long haul, ranking 17th in the MLB this year, compared to Kansas City at 24th.
Jose Abreu has been a force at the plate for Chicago this season, with a .300 batting average, 13 home runs, 56 runs scored, 52 RBIs, and 47 walks in 101 games this year. Eloy Jimenez has also picked up his production lately, going 13-for-30 with three home runs and seven RBIs over his last 10 games.
Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of Kansas City's more reliable hitters in 2022, posting a .743 OPS with 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, 51 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. He's struggled since returning from a minor injury, though, going 1-for-12 with five strikeouts over his last three games. It also doesn't help the Royals' cause that veteran infielder Whit Merrifield, a valuable defender and team leader who had recovered nicely after a rocky start to 2022, was shipped to the Toronto Blue Jays for prospects at the trade deadline.
Final Royals-White Sox Prediction & Pick
While the White Sox have been the better team over the course of the season, there wasn't much that separated them from the Royals in the hitting department last month. This, combined with what appears to be a substantial starting pitching advantage, makes Kansas City a worthwhile play on the money line at +132.
Final Royals-White Sox Prediction & Pick: Royals money line (+132)
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