Game Thread: White Sox at Royals

The four-game series with a division rival starts today

The White Sox have embarked on a road trip to Kansas City for a four-game series against a division rival, the Royals. After finally reaching double digits in the win column, the 10-24 Sox will get their first look at the (recently) hot 19-16 Royals and the top of their pitching rotation.

Shane Smith, who is sitting with a stellar 2.23 ERA, will start. Andrew Benintendi has the day off again, leaving Luis Robert Jr. between Michael A. Taylor and Joshua Palacios. Thankfully, Andrew Vaughn’s recent failures at DH prompted a change, and now we’ll see Edgar Quero in that spot instead.

Cole Ragans will get the start for the home team this evening. Ragans has pitched 30 2⁄3 innings this season with a slightly inflated ERA of 4.40 and 46 strikeouts. White Sox starter Smith will have to face three of the hottest K.C. hitters first: Jonathan India with 26 hits, Bobby Witt Jr. with 41, and Vinnie Pasquantino, who recently started mashing, with 26.

First pitch will take place at 6:40 p.m. CT. You can watch the game on CHSN or listen on ESPN Chicago 1000.