The Chicago White Sox take on the Kansas City Royals. Our MLB odds series has our White Sox Royals prediction and pick. Find out how to watch White Sox Royals.
The Kansas City Royals clearly look like a much better team than they were a year ago. The Royals have made some aggressive moves in the offseason, primarily focused on beefing up their pitching staff. They very nearly won a road series against the Baltimore Orioles, a team which hit the 100-win mark last season and is viewed as a leading contender in the American League. The Royals were one out from winning the series, but they gave up a game-deciding two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to lose 4-3 in a game they led 3-0 in the seventh inning. The Royals' two losses to the Orioles both came in the bottom of the ninth in games they led 3-0. It's clear the Royals have strong starting pitching. Where they still fall short is in the bullpen and in the bottom of their batting order. They have Bobby Witt as a superstar No. 2 hitter, and they have a lot of speed on the basepaths, so there are some building blocks in place. Can the Royals' starting pitching and high-end hitters compensate for their weaknesses? That's the main question in Kansas City after one week of play in the 2024 Major League Baseball season.
Here are the White Sox-Royals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: White Sox-Royals Odds
Chicago White Sox: +1.5 (-142)
Kansas City Royals: -1.5 (+118)
Over: 8.5 (-104)
Under: 8.5 (-118)
How To Watch White Sox vs. Royals
TV: NBC Sports Chicago (White Sox) / Bally Sports Kansas City (Royals) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 8:10 p.m. ET/5:10 p.m. PT
*Watch White Sox-Royals LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The White Sox Could Cover The Spread
The Royals are better than they were last year, but that doesn't make them a good team overall. The Royals were terrible for much of the 2023 season, so while they have undeniably improved, they are still more likely to finish under .500 than above it. Kansas City's bullpen is a real problem, having already squandered the lead in the Wednesday loss to Baltimore. The back end of the Kansas City pen was also shaky in the opening series against the Minnesota Twins one weekend ago. The White Sox are not a good team, but the Royals are not that much better than Chicago. Expect these teams to trade punches, so after the Royals won on Thursday, the White Sox are likely to fight back on Friday.
Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread
The Royals actually are much better than the White Sox. It's not a slight difference. It's a larger one than some people might be willing to admit. The Royals have made real upgrades to their roster, but beyond that, they gave their young up-and-comers a lot of reps last season. Those young players should be sharper and more polished this season, and you can begin to see glimpses of that. The Royals should mow down the White Sox, who look like the worst team in the American League Central by far.
Final White Sox-Royals Prediction & Pick
The Royals have been tough in the first week of the season. The White Sox look like a basement-dwelling team. Take the Royals.
Final White Sox-Royals Prediction & Pick: Royals -1.5
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