Royals to Beat White Sox as Lugo Faces Schultz

Last year marked my worst season of baseball picks for OutKick. The results were not awful, but I failed to gain traction or hit a hot streak. Now I have connected on five straight non-player prop plays and seven of my last eight. Baseball usually delivers my strongest profits, so I aim to build the bankroll this year.

The Kansas City Royals have disappointed this season at 19-23 overall. They sit 6-13 on the road, losing twice as often as they win.

The team struggles to score, ranking 22nd in runs at 4.1 per game. Their batting average lands 15th in the league, right in the middle.

Pitching has faltered, but Seth Lugo stands out as reliable. Readers of my past posts know I have cashed in on his starts. He stands 1-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over eight outings. Two starts disappointed: one against the Los Angeles Angels, where he gave up seven earned runs in 6.1 innings, and his last, four runs on seven hits in four innings.

Lugo faces the Chicago White Sox for the second time this year. In the first matchup, he pitched 6.1 innings and allowed two runs, one earned. Across 41.1 career innings against them, he never has surrendered more than two earned runs in a game.

The White Sox have surprised early. I live in Chicago, and few fans expected this. They enter at 20-21 but hold a 10-9 home mark. Offseason signee Munetaka Murakami crushes with 15 homers. The lineup hits just .231 overall.

Noah Schultz starts for the White Sox on Wednesday. He goes 2-2 with a 4.68 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. His two home starts covered 10.1 innings with five earned runs allowed. Mechanics worry me after 16 walks in 25 innings. As a fly-ball pitcher, he faces tough conditions in Chicago's windy Guaranteed Rate Field. He has never seen the Royals.

I backed the Royals in Lugo's prior start against the White Sox. They fell 2-0. I go with them again at -120. Schultz fails to impress, and after the Royals' road woes, they won't accept a sweep.

I also take Lugo under 2.5 earned runs at -118. His track record versus the White Sox supports it. A 2-0 Royals win looks solid tonight.