Kansas City @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2011 ) Chi. White Sox 10, Kansas City 5
THE STORY: Bruce Chen takes another crack at his 12th win of the season Friday as he leads the Kansas City Royals into the opener of a three-game series with the host Chicago White Sox. Chen is wrapping up another solid season with the Royals, who resurrected the lefthander's career after he looked like he was on the way out of the majors for good. Chen will oppose White Sox rookie Zach Stewart, who lost to Kansas City six days ago.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSKC (Kansas City), CSN+ (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Bruce Chen (11-8, 4.14 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Zach Stewart (2-5, 4.97 ERA).
Few in the baseball world expected much when the Royals picked up Chen prior to the 2010 season. The 34-year-old had gone 1-13 over his previous three major-league seasons, and didn't pitch in the big leagues at all in 2008. But Chen has been solid over two seasons with Kansas City, going 23-15 with a 4.16 ERA in 46 starts. He has won six of his last nine decisions.
Stewart gave fans a glimpse of his potential with a complete-game one-hit shutout earlier this month, but has been roughed up in two starts since. The 24-year-old has surrendered eight runs on 18 hits over his last two outings, including an abysmal showing against the Royals. He was tagged for five runs on 11 hits over five frames in that one, dropping him to 0-2 in two career starts against them.
ABOUT THE ROYALS (68-88): After posting a respectable 40-41 mark at home, the Royals wrap up the season with six games on the road. Games away from Kansas City have given the club all sorts of trouble - its 28-47 road mark is one of the worst in the majors - but Chicago has proven to be hospitable by comparison. The Royals are 3-3 at U.S. Cellular Field so far in 2010, a major reason why they lead the season series by a 9-6 margin. Despite their success against Chicago, the Royals remain on pace for their ninth 90-loss season in the past 11 years. Kansas City hitters have feasted on Stewart, batting a collective .375 against him. Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas have combined to go 6-for-11 with a pair of home runs off the first-year hurler, while Alex Gordon is 2-for-3 with three walks.
ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (76-80): The South Siders will need a 4-2 record on their season-ending homestand to avoid just their third losing season since 1999. No matter what happens over the final six games of the season, changes could be coming for the disappointing White Sox. Manager Ozzie Guillen will undoubtedly be on the hot seat as his relationship with general manager Ken Williams remains strained, and franchise favorite Mark Buehrle is among those who are set to become free agents at season's end. Chicago has seen plenty of Chen over the years, hitting a collective .241 with six home runs in 170 at-bats against the Panama native. A.J. Pierzynski has had the most success, going 11-for-24 with two home runs and six RBIs.
FINAL PITCH: The Royals are one of four teams in major-league history to have four players with at least 40 doubles (Gordon, Butler, Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera). The 2006 Texas Rangers, 1932 Philadelphia Phillies and 1929 Detroit Tigers are the only other teams to turn the trick.