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Chicago Light-reflective Stockings series preview: The Davidson Express is set to roll over the Royals

By Josh Duggan
MLB: Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros
Between the Y and the M.
Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

These guys again. They’re bad, but they’re not Royals bad.

Game times and pitching matchups are as follows:

  • Friday, July 13 — 7:10 PM CDT — Brad Keller versus James Shields
  • Saturday, July 14 — 1:10 PM CDT — Danny Duffy (L) versus Reynaldo López
  • Sunday, July 15 — 1:10 PM CDT — Some Royal versus Lucas Giolito

All stats courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball Reference

Royals at White Socks pitching matchups

Pitcher G IP K K% BB BB% ERA FIP xFIP SIERA fWAR rWAR
Pitcher G IP K K% BB BB% ERA FIP xFIP SIERA fWAR rWAR
Game 1
Brad Keller 28 60.2 35 14.2 23 9.3 2.52 3.38 4.38 4.62 1.0 2.1
James Shields 20 119.1 85 16.7 47 9.3 4.53 4.60 5.09 5.02 0.9 0.9
Game 2
Danny Duffy (L) 19 106.2 95 20.0 50 10.6 4.89 5.15 5.05 4.82 0.1 0.6
Reynaldo López 18 105.0 75 16.6 47 10.4 3.77 4.61 5.58 5.25 1.1 1.8
Game 3
Heath Fillmyer? (TBA) 4 13.1 5 9.1 6 10.9 3.38 4.70 5.20 5.39 0.0 0.1
Lucas Giolito 18 97.0 57 12.9 57 12.9 6.59 6.34 6.32 6.01 -0.8 -1.0

James Shields has been passable this year. Once one of the top pitching prospects int he game, Lucas Giolito’s 2018 has been a nightmare. Though the strikeouts have yet to materialize at the major-league level, Reynaldo López has found a way to be effective in his first full season in the bigs. No longer having to mess with the minors, López looks to have cut way back on his curveball usage, opting for a slider this year—the first time he’s used the pitch in his big league career. The slider has become his go-to secondary offering, still mixing in a curve and change, though far less frequently than before.

Chicago Pale Hose position players

Name Pos PA HR R RBI SB AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ fWAR rWAR
Name Pos PA HR R RBI SB AVG OBP SLG wOBA wRC+ fWAR rWAR
Tim Anderson SS 349 13 50 37 21 .247 .305 .419 .313 98 1.9 2.1
Yolmer Sánchez (S) 3B 368 5 32 41 9 .260 .310 .413 .312 97 1.2 2.1
Yoan Moncada (S) 2B 371 11 43 40 9 .231 .297 .412 .307 94 1.1 1.4
Matt Davidson DH/CIF 295 14 32 38 0 .220 .332 .444 .337 115 0.9 0.9
Omar Narváez (L) C 160 2 11 14 0 .280 .348 .392 .326 108 0.6 0.4
Kevan Smith C 81 0 9 6 1 .321 .346 .346 .307 94 0.2 0.3
Adam Engel CF 267 2 30 18 10 .224 .280 .311 .263 64 0.1 0.4
Leury García (S) Util 180 3 15 17 9 .271 .307 .371 .297 87 0.1 1.0
Ryan LaMarre OF 109 0 7 8 1 .263 .321 .313 .284 75 -0.1 0.0
Jose Abreu 1B 386 12 42 51 1 .253 .308 .438 .315 100 -0.1 0.0
Daniel Palka (L) LF/RF 221 11 25 29 2 .217 .267 .444 .300 89 -0.4 -0.6
Charlie Tilson (L) OF 116 0 7 11 2 .275 .336 .304 .289 82 -0.5 -0.9

Chicago has amassed a .242/.301/.399 triple-slash with a .303 wOBA and 91 wRC+. That may not look good—it isn’t—but all those marks are still better than the Royals. After a down 2017, Tim Anderson is back to making the extension Rick Hahn signed him to in 2016 look like it was a good idea for his club as he looks to be en route to a 3.0+ WAR season. Matt Davidson has 14 dongs and it seems like he’s hung them all against the Royals.

Poll

How will the Royals fare in Chicago?

This poll is closed

  • 5%
    Royals sweep
    (5 votes)
  • 18%
    Royals take two of three
    (17 votes)
  • 51%
    White Sox take two of three
    (47 votes)
  • 25%
    White Sox sweep
    (23 votes)
92 votes total Vote Now

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