Game 36 Thread: White Sox vs. Royals

Cole Ragans is back

After missing one start due to a groin strain, Cole Ragans is back on the mound for the first game against the hapless Chicago White Sox, who are 10-24 and already 11.5 games back from first place. One would expect the Royals to handily defeat the White Sox with this setup, but you know baseball—the White Sox could crush the Royals because it do be like that sometimes. That is, as they say, why they play the game.

In any case, Ragans should be good to go. Matt Quatraro said before the game that he probably would have played through the strain if it were later in the year, but this early they didn’t want to risk it.

Other notes: during batting practice, the Royals were wearing t-shirts honoring Graham Hoffman, a Kansas City firefighter-paramedic who a week ago was stabbed to death by the patient he was transporting to the hospital. It was a kind gesture from the team.

White Sox lineup

Starting Pitcher: Shane Smith

1. Chase Meidroth, SS
2. Miguel Vargas, 3B
3. Edgar Quero, DH
4. Luis Robert Jr., CF
5. Andrew Vaughn, 1B
6. Joshua Palacios, RF
7. Lenyn Sosa, 2B
8. Michael A. Taylor, LF
9. Matt Thaiss, C

Royals lineup