White Sox vs. Royals Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 9/1/2022

The Chicago White Sox (64-66) host the Kansas City Royals (53-78) Thursday to close out a three-game series. The White Sox are favored (-232) to win the rubber match, which starts at 2:10 PM ET from Guaranteed Rate Field. Chicago’s Johnny Cueto gets the start, and he’ll go against Kansas City’s Daniel Mengden.

White Sox vs. Royals Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for White Sox vs. Royals

After looking at all of the key stats and trends for this matchup, our best bet is the Royals on the moneyline at +191. Our computer picks see the scoring going under the total of 9 runs.

Our computer pick: Kansas City Royals (+191) and Under (9)

White Sox vs. Royals Game Info

• Chicago White Sox probable starting pitcher: Johnny Cueto
• Kansas City Royals probable starting pitcher: Daniel Mengden
• Game Day: Thursday, September 1, 2022
• Game Time: 2:10 PM ET
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Stadium: Guaranteed Rate Field

Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals Pitching Matchup

White Sox Starter Johnny Cueto

• Cueto (6-6) gets the starting nod for the White Sox in his 19th start of the season. He has a 2.98 ERA in 123 2/3 innings pitched, with 77 strikeouts.
• In his most recent outing on Saturday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the right-hander tossed five innings, giving up seven earned runs while surrendering five hits.
• The 36-year-old has put up an ERA of 2.98, with 5.6 strikeouts per nine innings, in 19 games this season. Opponents are batting .253 against him.
• Cueto has 15 quality starts this year.
• Cueto will aim to pitch five or more innings for his 20th straight start. He’s averaging 6.2 frames per outing.
• The opposing Royals offense has the 24th-ranked slugging percentage (.380) and is 25th in MLB play with 112 home runs. It has a collective .244 batting average, and is 13th in MLB with 1073 total hits and 24th in MLB action scoring 515 runs.
• Head-to-head against the Royals this season, Cueto has pitched 12 innings, giving up two earned runs on 11 hits while striking out 11.

Royals Starter Daniel Mengden

• Mengden will make his first start of the season for the Royals.
• The 29-year-old right-hander will make his season debut.
• The White Sox rank 19th in MLB with 544 runs scored this season. They have a .260 batting average this campaign with 111 home runs (26th in the league).

White Sox Betting Picks & Insights

• This season, the White Sox have won 44 out of the 87 games, or 50.6%, in which they’ve been favored.
• Chicago has played as a favorite of -232 or more twice this season and split those games.
• The sportsbooks’ moneyline implies a 69.9% chance of a victory for the White Sox.
• Chicago and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 58 of their 134 opportunities.
• In 134 games with a spread this season, the White Sox are 58-76-0 ATS.

Royals Betting Picks & Insights

• The Royals have come away with 44 wins in the 112 contests they have been listed as the underdogs in this season.
• This season, Kansas City has come away with a win four times in 17 chances when named as an underdog of at least +191 or worse on the moneyline.
• The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Royals have a 34.4% chance of walking away with the win.
• Kansas City’s games have gone over the total in 65 of their 134 opportunities.
• The Royals have posted a record of 64-70-0 against the spread this season.

White Sox Leaders & Batting Stats

• Not only does Jose Abreu lead the White Sox in hitting with his .309 average, he also is their premier power option with 14 home runs and 61 RBI.
• Among all batters in the majors, Abreu ranks 89th in homers and 53rd in RBI.
• Abreu has collected a hit in four games in a row. During his last five outings he is batting .278 with three walks and two RBI.
• Andrew Vaughn has hit 14 home runs with 61 RBI. Both are team-highs.
• Vaughn is 89th in home runs and 53rd in RBI among all MLB hitters this season.
• Luis Robert has 18 doubles, 12 home runs and 17 walks while hitting .300.
• Elvis Andrus is hitting .239 with 26 doubles, nine home runs and 32 walks.
• Andrus brings a four-game streak with at least one hit into this one. In his last five games he is batting .316 with a double, a home run, a walk and three RBI.

Royals Leaders & Batting Stats

• Bobby Witt Jr. leads the squad with a batting average of .251, while leading the Royals in home runs, with 19 and runs batted in with 66.
• Witt Jr. ranks 44th in home runs and 35th in RBI among all batters in the majors.
• Witt Jr. carries a two-game hitting streak into this matchup. In his last five games he is batting .227 with a double, a home run, a walk and two RBI.
• Salvador Perez has a team-high 19 home runs.
• Perez is 44th among all hitters in the majors in homers, and 48th in RBI.
• MJ Melendez is hitting .221 with 15 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 50 walks.
• Hunter Dozier is batting .243 with 23 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs and 31 walks.