Kansas City Royals (52-45) vs Chicago White Sox (27-71)
Game Info: Friday, July 19, 2024 at 8:10 pm (Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Kansas City Royals -196 / Chicago White Sox +164 — Over/Under: 8.5
The Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals meet Friday in MLB action from Kauffman Stadium. Here’s a Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals prediction. This will be the first installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game. We will examine:
The Chicago White Sox recent form and player performance
The Kansas City Royals recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Chicago White Sox
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Kansas City Royals
Recent betting trends in games played between the White Sox and Royals
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the White Sox vs Royals game
Chicago White Sox Betting Preview
The White Sox took on the Pittsburgh Pirates in their weekend series. Chicago had a rough go of things in that set, losing all three games for a sweep 4-1, 6-2 and 9-4.
As starter for Friday’s opener, Chicago will go with Chris Flexen. This year Flexen is 2-8 with a 4.82 ERA in 20 games (18 starts). He has a 29-42 record with a 4.93 ERA in 140 career games (98 starts).
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
Over on the Royals’ side, they played the Boston Red Sox in their last series. Kansas City started that one off well with a 6-1 win Friday, then took a 5-0 shutout loss in game two. In the Sunday rubber match, Kansas City fell again, this time 5-4.
It’ll be Michael Wacha in the starting pitcher role for Friday’s opener. Wacha is 6-6 so far this year with a 3.83 ERA in 16 starts. Over his career Wacha is 94-60 with a 3.95 ERA in 265 games (244 starts).
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the last six games between the White Sox and Royals have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Each of the White Sox’s last four road games against AL Central opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last four games as favorites against AL Central opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the White Sox’s last four road games against American League opponents.
Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded a Double in four of the Royals’ last five games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one RBI in 11 of the Royals’ last 12 games at Kauffman Stadium.
- Michael Wacha has recorded a win in each of his last seven appearances with his team as a home favorite against AL opponents.
- Michael Wacha has recorded five or more strikeouts in each of his last four appearances against AL opponents.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has scored at least one run in each of the Royals’ last eight games at Kauffman Stadium against AL opponents that held a losing record.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Royals’ last six games at Kauffman Stadium against opponents that held a losing record.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in nine of the Royals’ last 10 games.
- Hunter Renfroe has recorded at least one hit in each of his last nine appearances with his team as a home favorite against AL Central opponents.
- MJ Melendez has hit a home run in three of the Royals’ last four games against the White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.
- Bobby Witt Jr. ranks T7th in the league in Steals (22) this season.
Chicago White Sox Player Prop Facts
- Andrew Vaughn has recorded at least one RBI in four of his last five road appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Luis Robert has scored at least one run in each of the White Sox’s last five night games against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Eloy Jimenez has recorded a Single in nine of his last 10 appearances with the White Sox as road underdogs against AL opponents.
- Andrew Vaughn has recorded at least one hit in each of the White Sox’s last eight night games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Martin Maldonado has hit a home run in each of his last three appearances against AL Central opponents.
- Yoan Moncada has recorded a Double in three of the White Sox’s last four games at Kauffman Stadium against opponents that held a winning record.
- Yoan Moncada has recorded at least one total base in 13 of his last 14 road appearances against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Kansas City Royals rank 2nd in the league for home runs allowed this season (89).
- The Kansas City Royals rank 28th in the league for walks this season (257).
- The Chicago White Sox rank 30th in the league for RBI’s this season (298).
- The Chicago White Sox rank 30th in the league for slugging percentage this season (.347).
Chicago White Sox vs Kanas City Royals Prediction
I’ll probably lean toward the Royals here. Also probably not touching it. Kansas City should be okay while Wacha is out there. In his last three starts combined Wacha is 2-0 with five earned runs in 16.1 total innings on 16 hits and six walks.
KC has been scoring pretty well lately. They’ve hit four or more runs in five of the last six games, which should be plenty enough to win if they can keep the White Sox bats in check on Friday. The Royals have given up four or more runs in four of the last five games though, so that’s no guarantee.