Two games, two one-run losses, both by the same 6-5 score. That's how the first two games of this series have gone for Kansas City, and now they're staring down a sweep against a White Sox team that's quietly ripped off 4 straight wins. Kris Bubic gets the start tonight tasked with snapping it.
If you want a reason to like the Royals here, it's the guy on the mound. Bubic's last time out against these same White Sox, he carved them up for 7 scoreless, 11 strikeouts, 2 hits — the best start of his career. He carries a 3.50 ERA into this one and a 3-1 record, and there is no scarier draw on the schedule for a Chicago lineup that already saw him at his nastiest.
Anthony Kay is the counter, and that's where the math gets weird. Kay went into the year with a 5.70 ERA through his first 7 starts — the worst mark in the White Sox rotation — and he's hanging onto his spot mostly because the depth chart behind him is a triage ward. He did look sharper in his last outing against the Padres, but "sharper than 5.70" is still a window the Royals offense should be eyeing.
The market sees what we see. Kansas City is the road favorite at -132, Pinnacle has the fair line on the Royals around 55.7%, and DK is taking 58% of moneyline bets on the visitors. Sharp lean, public lean, pitching edge — they all point the same direction. The catch is the White Sox keep finding ways to win these one-run games, and the last two nights both turned on late-inning swings the Royals bullpen couldn't squeeze out.
- Day-To-DayAnthony Simonelli SP — no
- Day-To-DayJavier Vaz 2B — Vaz (fingers) has produced a .238/.304/.262 slash line with zero home runs and three stolen bases in 10 games since being activated from Double-A Northwest Arkansas' 7-day injured list April 22.
- Day-To-DayTyson Guerrero RP — no
- 10-Day-ILJonathan India 2B — The Royals announced Tuesday that India underwent season-ending surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder.
- 15-Day-ILCole Ragans SP — Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Tuesday that Ragans (elbow) played catch two of the past three days and remains day-to-day, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCarlos Estevez RP — Estevez (foot) was diagnosed with a right rotator cuff strain Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBailey Falter RP — Falter (elbow) allowed no hits or walks with two strikeouts across 1.1 scoreless innings with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
- 60-Day-ILJames McArthur RP — The Royals transferred McArthur (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
- Day-To-DayMason Adams RP — The White Sox announced that Adams underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILKyle Teel C — Teel (hamstring) will report to Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports.
- 10-Day-ILAustin Hays LF — Manager Will Venable said Saturday that Hays (calf) has resumed taking live batting practice and could begin running the bases next week, Jared Wyllys of AllCHGO.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILEverson Pereira RF — The White Sox placed Pereira on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to a right pectoral strain.
- 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa RP — Berroa (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILMike Vasil RP — The White Sox transferred Vasil (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILTanner Murray LF — The White Sox transferred Murray (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Monday.
- 60-Day-ILBrooks Baldwin LF — The White Sox transferred Baldwin (elbow) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.
Worth noting Kansas City is still navigating life without Cole Ragans (elbow), Carlos Estevez (rotator cuff strain), and Jonathan India, who's done for the year after labrum surgery. The Sox are similarly banged up at the corner outfield spots with Austin Hays and Everson Pereira on the shelf. Both bullpens are taxed after back-to-back 6-5 grinders, so if this one stays close late, whoever has an arm left wins it.
Bottom line: the Royals have the better pitcher, the better record on paper (kind of — Chicago is 21-21), and a very real motivation not to fly home swept by the White Sox. If Bubic does Bubic things again, this one ends a lot quieter than the first two.