Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals Predictions, Betting Odds & Picks

• White Sox newfound ace tries to keep the streak alive
• Royals continue to surprise in early on
• X-factors to watch on both sides

Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals Odds

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Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals Predictions and Picks

The Royals have been slumping hard, losing five in a row and six of their past seven. The White Sox meanwhile continues to alternate wins and losses — they’ve done so for seven straight games.

This game is one of those ones that might feel a bit too easy, but I wouldn’t question it. The White Sox have as wide of a pitching advantage as you can reasonably expect — so we’re taking the White Sox against the spread, on the moneyline and the over.

Picks:

-1.5 (+102)

Over 8.5 (-122)

White Sox to Win (-165)

Garcia’s 2021 record: (16-9-1)

How to Watch Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals

Rodon Looks to Continue Near-Perfect Season

Carlos Rodon has started four games this season. In those contests, the White Sox are 4-0. In the 25 games where he hasn’t pitched, Chicago is just 12-13.

And this isn’t coincidental that they’re winning when he pitches. It’s not because he’s getting a lot of run support — although he is, they White Sox have scored six or more in three of the four games — it’s because he’s been nearly unhittable.

Well, technically, for one game he was. Rodon threw the first no-hitter of his career less than a month ago and if it wasn’t for a hit batter on the toe in the ninth inning, he very likely would have had a perfect game.

Rodon is 4-0 with a 0.72 ERA — that’s just two earned runs in 25 innings — a microscopic 0.64 WHIP and 36 strikeouts on the year. He’s given up just seven hits ALL YEAR. Yes, you read that correctly. Seven hits in 25 innings.

Lucas Giolito came into the year as the South Siders de-facto ace, but after the first month of the season — in which he was robbed of the AL Pitcher of the Month Award — it’s hard to argue that Rodon has the best stuff going right now.

Carlos Rodón is the first pitcher in American League history with 7+ K and 3 or fewer hits allowed in each of first 4 starts of a season. pic.twitter.com/oqblvz7NoU

— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) April 29, 2021

The lefty has been nearly unhittable, a welcomed sight to see after the trials and tribulations of his career up until this point. This should be a real test against Kansas City, however. The teams he’s seen thus far — Seattle, Detroit and Cleveland twice — don’t exactly have great offenses.

This should be telling.

Can Kansas City Get Its Mojo Back?

Most people picked the White Sox to win the AL Central Division this year. After all, they are coming off a postseason appearance, added to their lineup and their rotation in the offseason and boast one of the most dangerous batting orders in baseball (however it’s not quite as deep without Eloy Jimenez or Luis Robert available).

If they weren’t the team being picked, it was the Minnesota Twins, who also made the playoffs in 2020. And is somehow somebody was picking either of those teams, they were trusting Cleveland to find a way to string some wins together with their perennially underrated pitching staff.

Very few people, if anybody, saw the Royals having the April they had and the hot start to the season — they’re currently just one game back of the AL Central lead.

That said, they led by multiple games at this time last week, but have gone on a slide as of late, losing six of their past seven including a four-game sweep to get leap-frogged in the standings by the aforementioned Indians.

The issue during this stretch has been pitching. Royals hurlers have given up 49 runs the past seven games — an average of seven per contest.

That doesn’t bode well exactly as they turn to Brad Keller who has struggled all year. Keller is 2-3 with a sky-high 8.05 ERA and equivalently higher 2.15 WHIP. If you’re averaging more than two baserunners per game, you’re going to have a short season.

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X-Factor to Watch on Both Sides

When trying to figure out who might have a big game on any given night, it’s often prudent to see not just who is the best player, but who has been playing the best as of late.

For Kansas City, that means either Hunter Dozier or Andrew Benintendi. Dozier has been on fire the past week, pacing the team with three home runs, three doubles, and six RBIs during that stretch. Benintendi hasn’t had as much power, but he’s been every bit as consistent.

The Royal’s new outfielder is hitting .458 this past week, going 13-for-24 with two home runs and two RBIs.

For Chicago, that’s a second baseman, Nick Madrigal. The youngest is batting .400 over the past week — going 8-of-20  with a team-best .429.

He hasn’t hit for any power during that stretch — just one double — but don’t be surprised if he runs into one against Keller.