Chicago @ Kansas City preview
Kauffman Stadium
Last Meeting ( Feb 23, 2025 ) Chi. White Sox 3, Kansas City 4
Kansas City's Cole Ragans has struggled of late, but he's been at his best against the Chicago White Sox.
Ragans and the Royals look to continue their recent dominance over the visiting White Sox in Monday night's opener of the four-game series.
Dating back to September 2023, Kansas City has won 14 of 15 against the White Sox, outscoring them 84-34 in the process. The Royals also have won six straight overall versus Chicago and seven in a row at home.
Since Aug. 10, 2022, the White Sox have won just twice in 17 games at Kansas City.
Ragans (1-1, 4.40 ERA), meanwhile, has yielded an unearned run and four hits while striking out 10 over 11 innings in two career starts versus Chicago in 2022 and 2023.
Poised to be a star of the Royals' rotation this season, Ragans instead has allowed nine runs, nine hits and five walks over seven innings of his last two starts -- after posting a 2.28 ERA in his first four. He gave up four runs and two homers in three innings before leaving with a groin issue in his most recent start, a no-decision against Colorado on April 24.
Some extended rest and a solid bullpen session has the left-hander ready to go.
"We wouldn't have him out there if we weren't confident," Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. "He says he feels completely normal. So, we're looking forward to that."
Winners in 11 of 13, the Royals should be eager to get home, where they are 11-5. The homestand follows a 5-1 road trip, where they hit 10 home runs while winning the final two at Baltimore.
Sizzling Maikel Garcia hit two of the Royals' franchise-record seven home runs during Sunday's 11-6 win over the Orioles. Garcia is batting .400 in the last 13 contests and has three three-hit games in the last four.
The Royals are 11-0 this season when Garcia has two or more hits.
"Just be patient at the plate, hit the ball hard," Garcia, who is batting .333 in his last six games against the White Sox, told FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City.
"We're playing good baseball. ... Just keep swinging and playing hard."
Kansas City batters, however, could be in for a serious challenge against scheduled Chicago starter Shane Smith (1-1, 2.23).
The No. 1 pick in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, Smith has been one of the early surprises in 2025, while allowing more than two earned runs just once through his first six major league starts this season. However, the right-hander looks for a better effort after he yielded six hits, three walks and three runs (one earned) in five innings last Wednesday of a 6-4 loss to Milwaukee -- the club he first signed with in July 2021.
"He'll be the first one to tell you his stuff wasn't very good (Wednesday)," White Sox catcher Matt Thaiss told the club's official website. "It's going to happen."
Chicago is just 3-13 on the road but has won three of its last four home games. The White Sox rallied from a 4-0 deficit against Houston on Sunday to win 5-4 in a seven-inning, rain-shortened victory.
Luis Robert Jr. had two hits Sunday and is batting .381 with seven RBIs in his last six games to raise his average to .195 with 15 RBIs.
--Field Level Media