TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION TUESDAY, AUGUST 2ND
#976 CHICAGO with Giolito (-168) over Kansas City with Keller at 8:10 PM EST
Coming off a pair of huge upsets over the Bronx Bombers and Pale Hose, the Royals will hit a brick wall here. Chicago is now 3.0-games back in the AL Central and the ChiSox need this division victory badly.
Taking the mound for the home team will be right-hander Lucas Giolito. With 18 starts in the bank this year, No. 27 was tapped for 55 earned runs and 107 hits in 96.1 innings. Giolito fanned 108 and walked 36 on his way to a 6-6 record with a 5.14 ERA. Revenge will be on Lucas’ mind too. Back on May 18th, Giolito faced Kaycee and allowed two earned runs and seven hits in 5.0 frames. Lucas whiffed seven, walked two, and failed to earn a decision in the Royals 6-2 victory.
Hitting the hill for the road team will be right-hander Brad Keller. So far this year, No. 56 has started 19 games and been clipped for 50 earned runs and 102 hits in 107.2 innings. Keller struck out 73 and walked 40 on his way to a dismal 5-11 mark with a 4.18 ERA. Pitching at night has been a problem for Brad too. Under the lights, Keller has been crushed for 34 earned runs and 67 hits in 63.1 frames. That shakes down to a 3-7 mark with a 4.83 ERA.
Plenty of team trends line up on this key release. Chicago has inked wins in 41 of its last 56 when facing a foe that holds a team won/loss percentage less than .400 and six of its last eight when playing on Tuesday. On the other side of Guaranteed Rate Field, Kansas City has fallen in 20 of its last 28 in the second game of a series, 160 of its last 238 as a guest fighting a right-handed starter, and five of its last six after scoring two runs or less.
Clinging to a dismal 23-29 record in the Windy City, the White Sox know they must crank their game up a notch at home in order to have a shot at winning the division. Take Chicago with Giolito. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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