<p>The Royals were playing some good ball a couple of weeks ago but now seek to halt a five-game losing skid as they commence a three-game AL Central series with the White Sox Friday night in Kansas City.<br />
Lefty Carlos Rodon, who's already tossed a no-hitter this season, goes for the ChiSox here against Brad Keller and his 8.06 ERA for the Royals. How are we playing this game with our <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/free-mlb-picks&quot; title="Expert MLB Picks">free MLB pick</a>?</p>
<h2>MLB Betting Odds </h2>
<p>Friday's <a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/odds&quot; title="MLB Betting Lines and Odds">baseball betting odds</a> opened Chicago and Rodon at around -155 over KC and Keller, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. Early betting action then slipped the Sox down to -150.</p>
<p>Chicago could also be found getting around +105, giving the run and a half on the run line.</p>
<h2>White Sox-Royals MLB Betting Preview </h2>
<p>Chicago just split two games in Cincinnati, winning Tuesday 9-0 but losing Wednesday 1-0. The White Sox then had Thursday off.</p>
<p>Last weekend the Sox lost two of three games at home to Cleveland. So Chicago is 2-3 over its previous five games.</p>
<p>Kansas City, meanwhile, just got swept four games at home by Cleveland by scores of 8-6 Monday, 7-3 Tuesday, 5-4 Wednesday, and 4-0 Thursday. Last weekend the Royals dropped two of three games at Minnesota. So KC lugs a five-game losing skid into Friday night.</p>
<p>At 16-13 overall, the White Sox sits in second place in the AL Central, just a half-game back of the first-place Indians, with the 16-14 Royals just one game out.</p>
<p>This series is the second meeting between these two teams this season; they split two games back in early April in Chicago. Last year the White Sox took the season series from Kansas City nine games to one.</p>
<h2>Friday's Pitching Match-Up</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/191356&quot; title="Brad Keller Pitcher Logs">Keller</a> is 1/6 on quality starts this season. Basically, he's given two good accounts of himself so far and four not-so-good. Last Sunday, he gave up seven runs, although only two were earned, and two home runs through 4 1/3 innings of a 13-4 Royals loss to Minnesota. Just before that, he held Detroit to two runs through six frames of a 3-2 KC victory. But on the season, Keller has been touched for 20 earned runs on 36 hits and 12 walks through 22 1/3 innings.</p>
<p>The Royals are 3-3 with Keller this year, which is a game better than they should be.</p>
<p>In his most recent start against the White Sox just one month ago, Keller allowed four runs and six hits, including two home runs, through just 3 1/3 innings of a 6-0 Kansas City loss.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/pitcherlog/69198&quot; title="Carlos Rodon Pitching Logs">Lefty Rodon</a> is basically six outs away from being a perfect 4/4 on quality starts this season. Last time out, eight day ago, he held Detroit to one run and two hits through six innings, with one walk and 12 whiffs, in a 3-1 Sox win. And on the season, which for him includes a no-hitter against Seattle three starts ago, Rodon has allowed just two ER and seven hits through 25 innings, with nine walks and 36 strikeouts.</p>
<p>Chicago is 4-0 with Rodon this year, and it should be.</p>
<p>In his most recent start against Kansas City, back in 2019, Rodon allowed two ER through 5 1/3 innings of a 5-3 White Sox defeat.</p>
<h2>Splits With the Sticks </h2>
<p>Chicago is batting .244 against right-handed pitching this season, with a .333 team OBP and a .369 team slugging percentage.</p>
<p>Kansas City is batting .238/.295/.379 against left-handed pitching this season. </p>
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href="https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/matchup/1355741">CWS/KC 5/7/21 Matchup Stats</a></span>
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<h2>The Bullpens </h2>
<p>The White Sox bullpen owns a 4.18 ERA this season, along with a 1.33 WHIP. Chicago relievers have also only thrown a total of 92 2/3 inning this year, the fourth-lowest total in Baseball.</p>
<p>The Royals bullpen sports a 5.17 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP while throwing 115 innings.
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<h2>Totals Report </h2>
<ul>
<li>Unders are 16-13 in White Sox games this season.</li>
<li>Unders are 15-13 in Royals games this season.</li>
<li>Overs are 9-7 in games played at Kauffman Stadium this season.</li>
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