First pitch 2:10 p.m. ET
Venue: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
This is the rubber match of a three-game series (White Sox won the opener 14-11 on Tuesday; Royals took Wednesday’s game 5-4). The White Sox remain in the thick of the AL Central race (one game behind the Guardians in some standings reports) and are chasing a playoff berth (first since 2021). The last-place Royals are playing spoiler in their final home games of the season.
Starting Pitchers
White Sox: RHP David Sandlin (2-2, 6.29 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 33 K in 34.1 IP over 7 appearances/5 starts). The 25-year-old has shown flashes (strong early outings) but has been hit hard overall. Recent starts include 4 IP, 5 ER vs. Detroit (Sept. 18) and a scoreless-ish effort at St. Louis. He previously faced the Royals on June 26 and threw 6 solid innings (1 ER).
Royals: RHP Randy Dobnak (3-4, 3.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 48 K in 73.0 IP over 14 appearances/12 starts). Acquired midseason from Seattle, the 31-year-old has been a bright spot with a strong ground-ball profile. Recent form has cooled (3.2 IP, 4 ER at Pittsburgh on Sept. 18), but he has generally limited damage. Limited prior history vs. the White Sox.
Dobnak holds the clear edge in ERA and consistency this season.
Current Weather Forecast (Kauffman Stadium)
Partly sunny to mostly cloudy, high near 75-76°F, east winds around 5 mph. Slight chance of showers later in the evening (20% chance after midnight). Dry conditions expected for the afternoon start with minimal precipitation risk during the game.
Injury Reports
White Sox:
Joey Bart (C, hand) – 10-day IL.
Prelander Berroa (RP, elbow/Tommy John) – 60-day IL.
Tanner Murray (INF/OF, shoulder) – 60-day IL.
Ky Bush (SP, elbow) – 60-day IL.
Brooks Baldwin (OF, elbow) – 60-day IL.
Jordan Leasure (RP, flexor) – 60-day IL.
Mike Vasil (RP, elbow) – 60-day IL.
Tristan Peters (CF) has been day-to-day with a shoulder/rib issue but has recently returned to the lineup.
Royals:
Beck Way (RP, back) – 15-day IL.
Multiple long-term absences on the 60-day IL including Cole Ragans (elbow), Alec Marsh (shoulder), Jonathan India (shoulder), Carlos Estévez (foot/shoulder), Nick Mears (shoulder), Luinder Avila (forearm), Stephen Kolek (flexor), Connor Seabold (lat), James McArthur (elbow), and others.
Both bullpens and rotations are thinned, but everyday position-player lineups remain largely intact.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups / Notable Performers
Miguel Vargas (White Sox, 33 HR, 90 RBI) vs. Dobnak – Power threat who can punish mistakes.
Chase Meidroth (White Sox, .273 AVG) – Hot recent form, including multi-RBI games in the series.
Munetaka Murakami / Kyle Teel / Braden Montgomery – White Sox hitters who have driven in runs recently against Kansas City pitching.
Bobby Witt Jr. / Maikel Garcia / Vinnie Pasquantino / Carter Jensen (Royals) – Garcia had three hits and three RBIs in Wednesday’s win; Witt and Pasquantino remain the offensive catalysts. Jensen has been productive of late.
Sandlin’s prior solid outing vs. Kansas City (June) is a positive data point for Chicago.
Recent Team Forms
White Sox: 5-5 in last 10. High-powered offense (4.8 R/G season, 203 HR) but inconsistent pitching. Came back from 4-0 deficit Wednesday before falling short. Strong playoff motivation.
Royals: 2-8 in last 10 (snapped a five-game skid Wednesday). Offensive output around 4.3 R/G with 164 HR. Home record is respectable (40-37), but overall season has been poor.
Series History (2026)
White Sox lead the season series (approximately 8-4 entering Thursday after splitting the first two games of this set). High-scoring affairs have been common (14-11 and 5-4 in the current series).
Betting Trends
Trends favor the White Sox as the superior team with more at stake, though Kauffman and Dobnak’s solid ERA provide some home underdog value. Overs have hit in recent series games.
Game Odds
Chicago White Sox – 120
Kansas City Royals 8.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, September 23, 2026
