Kansas City @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2013 ) Chi. White Sox 4, Kansas City 3

The Kansas City Royals are no longer in the American League wild-card chase and now play out the string of their first winning season in 10 years when they open a four-game road series against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. Kansas City was eliminated from the playoff race with Wednesday’s 6-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners and has 83 wins with four games remaining. A split would give the Royals their best win total since going 92-70 in 1989.

Chicago (62-96) has the third-worst record in baseball and needs to win at least once in the series to avoid a 100-loss campaign. Designated hitter Adam Dunn has been a major disappointment but has really struggled over the past 5 1/2 weeks, going 12-for-104 (.115) with 51 strikeouts since having a three-hit game Aug. 17. Kansas City was blanked while losing the last two games to Seattle.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (Kansas City), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (14-12, 4.09 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Andre Rienzo (2-2, 5.04)

Guthrie has lost back-to-back outings and has just one victory in his last five starts. He is 2-2 with a 4.63 ERA in four starts against Chicago this season, including a four-hit shutout May 4. Guthrie has allowed 19 of his 28 homers on the road.

Rienzo hasn’t pitched since Sept. 14 after missing his last scheduled start due to a finger blister. He earned his first major-league victory Aug. 21 when he limited the Royals to two runs and five hits over six innings. Rienzo has a 7.32 ERA over his last four outings and has allowed five earned runs in three of them.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox 1B Paul Konerko (knee) plans to play in a series that could be his last in a Chicago uniform.

2. Royals manager Ned Yost has an expiring contract but general manager Dayton Moore expressed his desire to retain Yost on Wednesday.

3. Chicago 2B Gordon Beckham (quadriceps) sat out Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland could miss the opener.

PREDICTION: Royals 8, White Sox 1