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White Sox vs. Royals Prediction and Odds for Wednesday May 18 (Expect Low-Scoring Contest)

By Joe Summers

MJ Melendez's first career home run was a bright spot for a struggling Royals offense last night
MJ Melendez's first career home run was a bright spot for a struggling Royals offense last night / Jamie Squire/GettyImages
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The 13-22 Kansas City Royals wrap up a series with the 18-18 Chicago White Sox tonight at 8:10 p.m. EST.

Kansas City won last night behind a dominant performance from Brady Singer, though the White Sox prevailed in the first two. Zack Greinke gets the call for the Royals and is coming off his worst start of the season, giving up five earned runs in 4.2 innings against the Rockies. He does have a 3.52 ERA and had been steady prior to that outing, notching a quality start in two of his last three.

Chicago will counter with Lucas Giolito, who tossed seven-innings of one-hit baseball against Cleveland in his last start. He's yet to allow more than three runs in an outing while amassing a 2.70 ERA over five appearances.

Will Kansas City salvage a series split against their divisional foe or will the visitors earn a win behind Giolito? Perhaps we should target the total, instead?

Let's check out the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook to help answer those questions ahead of this White Sox vs Royals matchup:

White Sox vs Royals Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line:

  • White Sox -1.5 (+110)
  • Royals +1.5 (-130)

Moneyline:

  • White Sox: -150
  • Royals: +140

Total:

  • 8.0 (Over -105/Under -115)

White Sox vs Royals Prediction and Pick

Greinke has been consistent in his return to the organization that drafted him, relying on a strong defense while preventing walks at an elite level. He's in the 97th percentile in walk rate, but just the sixth percentile in expected batting average, so he may be a bit lucky to have a 3.52 ERA thus far.

It's fortunate, then, that he's facing the White Sox today. Chicago is 28th in OPS against right-handed pitchers on the season, and Greinke limited them to three runs in six innings just last month. They're averaging just 2.6 runs per game over their last five as the under has hit in each game.

But the Royals' offense stinks too. They're 26th in OPS against righty's and face one with elite stuff in Giolito today. He ranks in the 94th percentile in strikeout rate and just limited the Guardians to one run in seven innings. Cleveland leads MLB in OPS against right-handed pitchers, so Kansas City is certainly a step-down in competition.

With struggling offenses against more-than-capable starters, I'm inclined to take the under.

The under is 13-4-1 in Chicago's last 18 and 10-4 in Kansas City's last 14 at home. It's hit in each of the first three games of this series and I expect more of the same today. Back the under and revel in each pathetic at-bat from these inept lineups.

Pick: Under 8.0 (-115)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.

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