The Chicago White Sox (27-71) and Kansas City Royals (52-45) open a 3-game set at Kauffman Stadium Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the White Sox vs. Royals odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Royals lead 6-1

The White Sox were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 3-game weekend series in Chicago before the All-Star break. They’ve lost 4 games in a row and haven’t won a series since taking 2 of 3 against the Colorado Rockies at Guaranteed Rate Field June 28-30.

The Royals were flat heading into the break, dropping 2 of 3 games at the Boston Red Sox July 12-14. SS Bobby Witt Jr. outperformed expectations at the Home Run Derby, though. After entering tied for the 4th-longest odds to win (+500 at BetMGM Sportsbook), he lost by just 1 HR in the final to Los Angeles Dodgers CF Teoscar Hernández.

White Sox at Royals projected starters

RHP Chris Flexen vs. RHP Michael Wacha

Flexen (2-8, 4.82 ERA) makes his 19th start and 21st appearance. He has a 1.37 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9 and 6.6 K/9 in 97 IP.

• Last start: Loss, 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K in 6-2 home defeat vs. Pirates Saturday
• 2024 road stats: 1-3, 4.86 ERA (37 IP, 20 ER), 1.22 WHIP, 7.1 K/9 in 8 appearances (6 starts)
• 2024 vs. Royals: 0-1, 4.26 ERA (6 1/3 IP, 3 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K in 1 start, a 3-0 road loss April 6
• Career vs. Royals: 2-1, 2.25 ERA (20 IP, 5 ER), 1.10 WHIP, 5.4 K/9 in 4 appearances (3 starts)

Wacha (6-6, 3.83 ERA) makes his 17th start. He has a 1.24 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9 in 89 1/3 IP.

• Last start: Win, 5 IP, 3 ER (4 R), 7 H, 1 BB, 3 K in 8-5 victory at St. Louis Cardinals July 10
• 2024 home stats: 3-1, 3.49 ERA (38 2/3 IP, 15 ER), 1.32 WHIP, 7.9 K/9 in 7 starts
• 2024 vs. White Sox: 1-1, 1.38 ERA (13 IP, 2 ER), 0.69 WHIP, 8.3 K/9 in 2 starts
• Career vs. White Sox: 3-1, 3.89 ERA (39 1/3 IP, 17 ER), 1.07 WHIP, 9.4 K/9 in 7 starts

Who’s going yard? Here’s a breakdown of today’s best home run props with our top picks. Include the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to score a $1,500 first-bet offer.

White Sox at Royals odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:03 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline (ML): White Sox +170 (bet $100 to win $170) | Royals -210 (bet $210 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): White Sox +1.5 (-115) | Royals -1.5 (-105)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)

White Sox at Royals picks and predictions

Prediction

Royals 6, White Sox 4

Moneyline

The Royals (-210) have won 6 of 7 against the White Sox this season and have a sizable advantage at starting pitcher Friday. However, it’s hard to beat MLB long term betting into sides that are -190 or higher.

PASS. Bet the run line and/or total instead.

Run line/Against the spread

The Royals are 14-11 as run-line favorites at home this season, good for the 2nd-best record in MLB. The White Sox, on the other hand, have the 2nd-worst record in the majors as run-line underdogs on the road (20-26).

Flexen is the least profitable pitcher in MLB this season, according to OddsShark.com. If you were to bet $100 on White Sox ML every time Flexen started this season, you would be down $1,215. The White Sox have also lost 15 of his 20 appearances this year by 2 or more runs.

Wacha has been trending upwards after losing 4 of his 1st 5 decisions to start the season. He’s won back-to-back starts, and the Royals won both outings by multiple runs.

BET ROYALS -1.5 (-105).

Over/Under

The Royals have the 2nd-best home offense in MLB, averaging 5.16 runs per game, and should bounce back after scoring a total of just 4 runs over their final 2 outings before the break. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re facing Flexen, who has allowed 6 or more runs in 3 of his last 4 road starts.

BET OVER 8.5 (-120).

Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Corey Scott on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Fantasy baseball help from BaseballHQ.com:
Subscribe now to dominate the competition.

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Military officers representing 94 nations met Governor Laura Kelly, learned about the government, and toured the state capital building.

On Thursday, July 18, 122 international military officers visited the Kansas state capital to learn about the Kansas National Guard and its duties, learn about the state legislative process, and the state judiciary system, part of a U.S. Congressionally mandated security cooperation Field Studies Program.

The group took part in a presentation from the Kansas National Guard’s legislative liaison, Lt. Col. Keith Marshall, on its history and current structure.

They then went to the second-floor rotunda to meet Governor Laura Kelly for a picture and hear the governor’s proclamation declaring Thursday as International Officers Day followed by an overview presentation about the Kansas government and a tour of the capitol dome.

The officers also learned about the judicial process by watching a mock trial in the Old Supreme Court Room.

“Our country is 237 times smaller than the U.S.,” said Major Daan Moes of the Royal Netherlands Army. “That means the size of our Army and our defense forces are a lot smaller as well. So, the amount and the skill that things are on are way different. It is a big difference, and it influences a lot of the processes as well. A lot of countries are multi-cultural these days, and we see that presented in our Army as well. So, I think on your diplomatic skills and your cultural skills it brings you a lot.”

The international officers are students of the Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth.

The Kansas Public Affairs office said most officers who attended the college became General Officers in their nation’s militaries, top military service members, and joint Chiefs of Staff. Some have moved on to become Ambassadors, Prime Ministers, Presidents, and even Kings, according to the Kansas Public Affairs office.

“I was really excited to come here because I have a commander, a superior from Armenia who had graduated here and he was always telling me about the great opportunity about the great experience that he had here,” said Major Sarhad Abrahamyan of the Armed Forces of Armenia. “After graduating [the college], I would like to be a more educated officer, [and] have more experience. The one thing I would like to take from here is knowledge.”

David Marshall Bornn, Jr., director of the Field Studies Program within Fort Leavenworth’s International Military Student division, says the program’s purpose is to be transparent with the servicemembers of other nations.

“It is always good for the American people to know that when we give money to these countries, we have decided that we need to have strategic partners around the world,” said Bornn Jr. “That when they come here for their schooling, we are taking the time to provide them with a better understanding of what America really is. Not the Hollywood version or maybe the media version that they are seeing over in their countries. So, it is our job to ensure that when they leave here, they will be able to integrate better American forces, [and] American diplomacy, because they have had a good foundation of what America is and what it may not be, the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

International officers have been attending Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff Officer course since 1894, making 2024 the 130th year international officers have taken part in the college. This year also marks the 70th year the officers have traveled to the state capitol to participate in the program.

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City law enforcement made eight arrests this week involving a theft ring in Kansas City.

According to a Facebook post from KCPD, detectives recovered 34 cars, $10,000 worth of stolen medical equipment, 10 stolen BMX bikes, a golf cart, ski equipment, and numerous stolen license plates linked to several stolen cars.

KCPD did not release the identities of the people arrested or any details on the items found. They also did not say the location of where the items were recovered.

KCPD Property Crimes detectives worked with the City of Kansas City along with the Missouri Highway Patrol on a month-long investigation into the local theft ring.