MLB Baseball
2026-04-09 - Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : Major League Baseball
Thursday 9th April 2026 - Scheduled 7:40pm EST
12:40am (British Time)
Preview
April is not the time of the season when the Major League Baseball teams will be concerned about early season form, but this is the time when rhythm has to be built up that will pay dividends later in the season.
New faces will be looking to make an early impact and Anthony Kay has returned to the Major League in good form for the Chicago White Sox (4-8) after a couple of years away in Japan. He has thrown over 4 Innings in each outing in 2026 and Anthony Kay has allowed a total of four runs and six Hits.
The first appearance was in a start, which is the first Anthony Kay has made in the Major League since 2021 and he was used a long reliever in the second when entering the game in the Second Inning. The production at the mound will give the Chicago White Sox confidence as they look for Kay to put in a big performance in the bid to avoid losing a fifteenth straight games at the Kansas City Royals (5-7).
Bigger expectations are being managed in Kansas City with fans hoping the team will be able to push the Detroit Tigers in the race for the American League Central Division.
Both teams will enter this game looking to pick up the form- the Royals have lost the last two series played, while the Chicago White Sox were just swept by the Baltimore Orioles to fall back to four games below 0.500.
Having Anthony Kay go to the mound for a third time already in 2026 will give the White Sox some belief, although he was roughed up the one and only time he faced the Kansas City Royals. That was back in 2021 when a member of the Toronto Blue Jays as Kay allowed five runs in a little over 3 Innings thrown against them, but the pitcher will feel a lot more experienced now.
The Royals are going to counter with veteran Seth Lugo who has begun this season with a 1-0 record and 1.59 ERA from two starts made. Recent years have suggested a declining production from Lugo, but he remains a solid part of the Kansas City rotation and has thrown over 11 Innings in the two starts made.
Seth Lugo will take confidence from the 3-0 record from five career starts against this Divisional rival and he has limited the Chicago White Sox to five Earned Runs in those previous starts. Last season Seth Lugo finished with a 0-0 record in two starts against the White Sox having contained them to three Earned Runs in almost 12 completed Innings.
The Royals have won six of the last seven games against the Chicago White Sox overall.
Prediction
Both starters have made positive starts to the new Major League season and the Kansas City Royals will be looking to continue the dominance of this American League Central rival at home.
Anthony Kay has to be respected for the start made to his return to the Major League, but the Royals may still have just enough firepower to win and beat the Run Line set.
The Pick :
Kansas City Royals 5-2 Chicago White Sox
