Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 5/5/2025 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Monday, May 5, 2025

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (+162) Kansas City (-196)

The Kansas City Royals (17-15) will try to beat the Chicago White Sox (8-23) at Kauffman Stadium on Monday. The moneyline on this game has Chicago at +162 while Kansas City is sitting at -196. The over/under has been set at 8.5. The starting pitchers are Shane Smith and Cole Ragans.

As a team, the Chicago White Sox are recording 3.5 runs per outing, which ranks them 25th in MLB. They have earned a total of 109 runs scored while holding a team on-base percentage of .291. The White Sox have recorded 40 doubles as a team and have smacked 25 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accrued 106 RBI's and 215 hits this year, and their average at the plate comes in at .213. Chicago is slugging .329 and have struck out 259 times, while drawing a walk on 106 occasions.

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The White Sox have a team earned run average of 4.04 so far this season (16th in the league), and the staff has struck out 238 batters. White Sox pitchers have allowed 35 home runs and also 133 total runs (15th in the league). They have walked 127 opposing batters and their FIP is 4.67 as a squad over the course of the season. Chicago has given up 235 hits (7.9 per 9 innings) and also 120 earned runs. They have a K/BB ratio of 1.87 and their pitching staff sits with a WHIP of 1.36.

The White Sox have dispatched 103 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 40 runners this year with 35.0% of those players earned a run for their team. They have earned 1 save on the year and have not converted 3 of their 4 chances to save the game. The White Sox bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 25.0% and have come into the game in 13 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 9 holds on the year (30th in MLB). White Sox bullpen pitchers have entered the game with opponents on base 28 times and also have had 25 appearances in high leverage situations.

The White Sox have converted 70.8% of balls hit into play into outs out of 2,403 innings on the field, which has them ranked 12th in MLB. The Chicago Cubs have notched a total of 801 putouts this year, in addition to 255 assists and 24 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .978 which ranks 28th in baseball, and they have turned 28 double plays.

Smith has thrown 32 innings and has earned 26 strikeouts in his MLB career. His earned run average is 2.24 (8 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.090. He has conceded 23 base hits (6.4 hits per nine innings) with 12 free passes. Smith (1-1 career win-loss record) has earned a FIP of 2.21 while he has faced 133 batters in the major leagues.

Kansas City has hit 15 long balls on the year as well as 105 RBIs. They have notched 55 two-baggers, while getting a free base 87 times and putting up 105 runs. The Kansas City Royals have tallied a team on-base percentage of .296 and a batting average of .234 this season. The Royals hold a team slugging percentage of .337 and they score 3.28 runs per contest (28th in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 231 occasions (28th in the league) and have tallied 246 hits.

The Royals have a team WHIP of 1.200 in addition to having a FIP of 3.70 as a pitching staff so far this year. They sit at 10th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 238. The Kansas City pitching staff have given up 110 runs this year while holding an ERA of 3.17 (100 earned runs given up). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.20 (258 strikeouts vs 103 free passes). They have surrendered 28 dingers and they allow 3.48 runs per 9 innings (3rd in MLB).

Kansas City relievers have an inherited score rate of 36.7% out of 30 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 33 times in high leverage situations and on 23 occasions with runners on. With 33 save situations, the Royals have accrued 18 holds and also 4 blown saves. They sit at 7th in baseball with a save percentage of 73.3%, and they have dispatched 98 relievers to the mound so far this season. Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 15 save opportunities and they have walked away with 11 saves.

The Kansas City Royals have gotten 24 double plays and have a fielding rate of .989 (3rd in MLB). The Royals have racked up 296 assists, 13 errors and have earned a total of 853 putouts for the season. Out of their 2,559 innings on the diamond, the Royals have a defensive efficiency of 72.0% (6th in professional baseball).

During his MLB career, Ragans has surrendered 286 base knocks while tallying 409 K's in 352 frames. He has given up a total of 139 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.189 and having a FIP of 3.5. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.08 and he has gone up against 1,456 hitters so far in his pro baseball career. Ragans (19-18 career record) is the owner of a 3.55 ERA while giving up 7.3 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Chicago (+162)

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