The Royals are the heavy favorite heading into this AL Central matchup, as their money line odds are sitting at -193 compared to the White Sox at +162. This one is getting started at 2:10 PM ET from Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. Brady Singer is starting for the Royals, while the White Sox are going with Drew Thorpe.
Kansas City comes in with a record of 59-49 and they are currently on a two-game winning streak. The White Sox, on the other hand, have lost 16 straight and are 27-83 overall. In the standings, the Royals are in 2nd place in the AL Central, while the White Sox are 5th.
Kansas City vs. Chicago Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Royals at White Sox
- Where: Guaranteed Rate Field Chicago
- Date: Wednesday, July 31st
- Betting Odds KC -193 | CHW +162 O/U 9
Royals vs White Sox Last Game Recap
Thanks to a three-run 8th inning for the Royals' offense, they picked up a 4-3 road win over the White Sox in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Royals were favored at -197 on the money line.
Kansas City got to White Sox starter Jonathan Cannon, who gave up just one hit and one earned run in seven innings of work. As for the Royals, they got a good outing from Michael Wacha, who gave up just two earned runs across seven innings of work and got the win.
At the plate, the Royals were led by Michael Massey and Vinnie Pasquantino, as they were the only two Royals hitters to have more than one hit. Massey, Andrew Vaughn, and Nicky Lopez each had two RBIs for Kansas City's offense.
Royals Preview
Heading into today's game, the Royals are 6-4 in their last 10 games and have won two straight, including the first two games of this series against the White Sox. They are 59-49 overall and trail the Guardians by 6.5 games in the AL Central.
Against the run line, the Royals have a 61-47 record and have been better as underdogs, going 34-22. Their games have averaged 8.6 runs, with the O/U line set at 9 runs for today, which has gone over 9 times and under 11 times this season.
Brady Singer is coming off a strong outing vs. the Cubs, as he didn't give up a run in seven innings of work. He only gave up two hits in that outing. Looking back further, Singer has turned in a quality start in three straight outings. His ERA for the season is 2.82, along with a record of 7-6. Out of his 21 starts, Singer has made nine quality starts. Per nine innings, he is averaging 8.47 strikeouts and 2.75 walks. For the season, Singer has given up 13 homers. On the road, his ERA is 4.49, compared to 2.33 at home.
As a team, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Kansas City has been very good at putting the ball in play this season, as they have the fewest strikeouts in the league. The Royals are also near the top of the league in team batting average and are 9th in isolated power.
Both Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez are among the league leaders in home runs, with 19 apiece. Witt Jr. is batting .347 for the season and is on a 12-game hitting streak. He has also gone 11/24 in his last six games. Perez is batting .273 and is 8th in the league with 71 RBIs. MJ Melendez has struggled this season, batting just .194, but he does have 12 homers.
White Sox Preview
Chicago White Sox games have averaged 8.2 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 49-57. They are currently on a 16-game losing streak and have an overall record of 27-83, which puts them 5th in the AL Central, 39.5 games behind the Guardians.
On the run line, the White Sox are 48-62 overall, losing by an average of 1.6 runs per game. As underdogs, they have a 43-59 record, but when favored, they are 5-3. The O/U line for today's game is set at 9 runs, which is higher than usual, as only 3.6% of their games have had totals of 9 or higher this season.
Right-hander Drew Thorpe gets the start for the White Sox today vs. the Royals and comes into the game with a record of 3-2 and ERA of 4.80. In his eight starts, Thorpe has made five quality starts and is averaging 5.72 strikeouts per nine innings. Looking back at his last outing, Thorpe took the loss vs. the Mariners, giving up one earned run in two-thirds of an inning of work. Before that, he had gone three straight outings without taking the loss. Thorpe's ERA at home is 38.0 compared to 4.42 on the road.
Chicago's offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, as they are dead last in batting average and on-base percentage. Overall, they are averaging just 3.1 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. Not only are the White Sox near the bottom of the league in home runs, but they are also 22nd in strikeouts and 27th in walks.
Paul DeJong and Andrew Vaughn are the team's top power threats, with DeJong leading the team with 18 homers, and Vaughn is 2nd with 13 homers. DeJong has gone 7/25 over his last eight games, while Vaughn is hitting .250 in that stretch. DeJong is also on a five-game hitting streak, as is Andrew Vaughn.
Royals vs. White Sox Prediction: White Sox ML +162
Our predicted final score for this game is 6-5 in favor of the White Sox. With the payout sitting at +162, we see this as a great opportunity to take the White Sox on the money line.
There are a couple of ways you could play this one, as you could also look to take the over, as the line is sitting at 9 runs. However, we have this one finishing with 11 runs, so we will be sticking with the White Sox to pick up the win.
