Game I Thread: Chicago at Kansas City

The Royals play host to their intradivisional rival, the Pale Hoes of Chicago to kick off the 2015 season. While the American League pennant winners had a mixed bag--some might even say middling-to-poor--of an offseason, the South Side Nine spent the offseason aggressively retooling. For instance, today's starting pitcher for Chicago is offseason acquisition Jeff Samardzija. Sure, he's only the Opening Day starter because Chris Sale suffered an avulsion fraction fighting roundhousing an intruder and won't be ready until Chicago's game on April 12, but Samardzija is no slouch.

The Royals will send postseason hero, their one consistent shutdown starter in the postseason, Yordano Ventura to the mound to dispatch of the following lineup:

Your #CWSOpeningDay starters: pic.twitter.com/ISLyHrCQ4R

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 5, 2015

The Royals and Ventura, of course, just came to terms on an extension that makes the sophomore starter a multi-millionaire and gives the Royals club control over the flame-throwing ace (who just passed his physical!) through the 2021 season.

These are your Opening Day Royals, complete with the OBP nightmare atop the order in the one and two spots:

Beautiful Day Lineup: Escobar 6, Moustakas 5, Cain 8, Hosmer 3, Morales DH, Gordon 7, Rios 9, Perez 2, Infante 4, Ventura 1.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) April 6, 2015