Royals at White Sox
As difficult as winning has been for the Kansas City Royals this season, attempting to finish a nine-inning game of late has been even harder. The Royals will continue their three-game set in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday after Monday's opener was suspended in the fifth inning due to rain.
Kansas City did not play a game four times over a five-day stretch last week due to a combination of off-days and postponements because of severe weather issues in and around Missouri, resulting in a week in which it played two doubleheaders and went 10 innings on the only day it played a single contest. The poor weather followed the Royals to Chicago on Monday, as the game was suspended after nearly four hours of rain delays and will resume Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. ET tied 1-1. Kansas City has won two of its last three away from home but still owns the worst road mark in the majors (7-17) as well as the second-worst overall record in the American League (18-34). Chicago entered this series after going 2-5 on a road trip against AL division leaders in Houston and Minnesota - the latter of which outscored the White Sox 26-5 during a three-game sweep over the weekend.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Brad Keller (3-5, 4.43 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (6-1, 2.77)
Keller snapped a four-game losing streak and won for the first time since April 12 in Wednesday's victory at St. Louis after yielding two runs despite walking four and hitting two batters across seven innings. The Georgia native has struggled with his control all season long, issuing at least three passes in 10 consecutive outings and a major-league high 41 overall. Tim Anderson is 1-for-14 with a homer versus Keller, who is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts against the White Sox in 2019.
Giolito has won four straight starts and extended his winning streak to five games Thursday in Houston after striking out nine during a four-hit shutout - his first in 52 career turns. The 24-year-old is in the midst of the most dominant stretch of his career, permitting a total of two runs on 14 hits while fanning 29 over 28 1/3 innings in his last four outings. Giolito gave up two runs over 6 2/3 frames while winning his season debut versus Kansas City on March 31.
WALK-OFFS
1. Including his 2-for-2 effort during Monday's suspended game, Royals 3B Hunter Dozier has eight hits in 11 at-bats over the last three contests.
2. Anderson, who did not play Monday due to a wrist injury, is hitting .344 with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs and 11 runs scored over 17 games against the AL Central this season.
3. Kansas City SS Adalberto Mondesi (18) and Anderson (13) rank first and second, respectively, in the majors in steals.