The South Siders are heating up. After winning three of their last four series, the Chicago White Sox finally get a chance to make some noise in the AL Central, opening a three-game set against the Kansas City Royals. It's been a while since they faced a division rival—last month they split a four-game series in Kansas City—but now they're just a game and a half back from the Guardians, and this series is a golden opportunity to close that gap.
Taking the mound to start things off is right-hander Erick Fedde, making his sixth start of the season. Fedde has been solid overall in 2026, posting a 3.79 ERA and a 1.132 WHIP over 38 innings. But there's a catch: he's been struggling with the long ball lately. In his last two starts, both against the Angels, Fedde served up three home runs in one outing and two in the next. The silver lining? Most of those bombs have been solo shots—so if you're a superstitious type, keep knocking on wood. Still, he'll need to keep the ball in the park against a Royals lineup that packs a punch at the top.
Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel García, and Vinnie Pasquantino are the big threats. Pasquantino has had a slow start to the season, but he's been a nightmare for Fedde historically, batting .500 with a 1.064 OPS in 10 career at-bats against him, including a home run. Witt Jr., on the other hand, has struggled mightily against Fedde, managing just a .334 OPS in 12 at-bats. So there's some good news for the Sox faithful, but Fedde will still need to command his pitches and avoid leaving anything over the plate.
On the other side, the Royals are sending right-hander Stephen Kolek to the hill for his second start of the season. Kolek began the year on the IL with an oblique strain but made his 2026 debut last week. In six innings, he allowed three runs on four hits, walked none, and struck out three—good for a 4.50 ERA. His biggest mistake was a middle-inside sinker that didn't break, which Rhys Hoskins crushed for a three-run homer. But Kolek's teammates bailed him out with a pair of home runs of their own, getting him the win. He'll lean on his 94 mph four-seamer and 93.6 mph sinker to try to keep the White Sox bats quiet.
This series is shaping up to be a tight one, and with the division race heating up, every game counts. Fans should be ready for some fireworks.