Gamethread: White Sox at Royals

Let’s review:

Matt Davidson hit three home runs in his first game of the season, vs. the Kansas City Royals, on March 29.

After two games vs. Kansas City this season, Davidson was 4-for-7 with three homers, four runs and six RBIs, slashing .571/.667/1.857.

In his second series against the Royals, a five-game set, Davidson went 8-for-19 with four homers, five runs, six RBIs, a double and three walks, slashing .421/.500/.947.

So in the first seven games, in which he played every one, Davidson had gone 12-for-26 with seven homers, nine runs, 12 RBIs, five walks, slashing .462/.548/1.308.

The White Sox have played nine games vs. the Royals since those first two series, and Davidson has gone 5-for-19 in five games. On July 31, Davidson tied the all-time club record for homers in a season vs. K.C. (also Albert Belle, 1998, and José Valentín, 2003), with his eighth.

Whoa, whoa, back up, Brett. Davidson went 5-for-19 vs. K.C. in five games ... I thought you said the White Sox played nine games vs. the Royals since Davidson ran up an 1.856 OPS in his first seven games against them?

Yes, dear reader, the White Sox have played nine games vs. division and 2019 draft rival Kansas City since Davidson ran up a 1.856 OPS in seven games against it. Matt Davidson sat for four of those games.

What in the wild, wild world of sports is going on here?

Well, the good news is that Davidson has three games left against the Royals to add to a pretty illustrious season against them (.378/.462/.956).

And if he’s lucky, he’ll get to play in the last two of those games.

That’s right, it’s beyond a lost season, yet it’s apparently more important to play right-handed batting Welington Castillo and DH (injured) lefty Omar Narváez than to let Omar catch and Matty D get some swings in at DH.

Oh yeah, José Abreu is back. That’s why Tyler Danish was pushed off of the 40-man. Nate Jones ain’t coming back this year, unless Rob Scahill gets jettisoned into the void in the last few weeks of the season.

The Royals, who have a secure hold on the No. 2 pick in next year’s draft, run this bucket of beef out to the diamond tonight: