Royals at White Sox
The Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox are in similar positions in the American League Central standings but are at opposite ends of the rebuilding process. The two losing clubs will square off after the trade deadline Tuesday when the White Sox host the Royals in the opener of a three-game series.
Kansas City is at the end of a window of contention that saw them ascend all the way to a World Series crown in 2015 but could be staring at another long rebuild while sitting 41 games below .500. "I'm embarrassed the way our major-league team has performed, OK?" Royals general manager Dayton Moore said during an interview on MLB Network radio. "I didn’t necessarily expect us to be in the playoffs this year, but I didn’t expect us to be on pace to lose 100-plus games. That’s embarrassing to me personally, it’s embarrassing to our organization. (Owner) Mr. Glass doesn’t expect that, either, and so we’ve got to do a better job of that." The White Sox are well into their own rebuild and have several talented young players on the major league roster and more in the pipeline. One of the few holdovers from the 2015 World Series team, left-hander Danny Duffy, will take the mound for Kansas City on Tuesday opposite Chicago veteran righty James Shields.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, WGN (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (6-9, 4.70 ERA) vs. White Sox RH James Shields (4-12, 4.53)
Duffy would be an attractive trade chip for a contending team, but Moore expressed a desire to hang onto the lefty in an effort to contend sooner rather than later. The 29-year-old yielded a total of one run during a three-start stretch from July 9-20 but fell off that pace while serving up seven runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings against Detroit on Wednesday. Duffy breezed through seven scoreless innings while yielding four hits and striking out eight in a win at Chicago on July 14.
Shields, one of the few veterans on the White Sox, could be dealt prior to Tuesday's contest but is not helping his value with performances like Wednesday at Los Angeles. The 36-year-old was ripped for six runs on seven hits - three home runs - in four innings against the Angels. Shields' last win came at home over Kansas City on July 13, when he surrendered four runs (two earned) on five hits over 6 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals SS/3B Alcides Escobar went 0-for-11 over the last three games, dropping his batting average to .197.
2. The White Sox acquired LHP Caleb Frare from the New York Yankees on Sunday in exchange for international bonus pool money.
3. Chicago C Omar Narvaez recorded his first career triple on Sunday while finishing a double shy of the cycle.