White Sox 22, Royals 1: How to Watch Kansas City vs Chicago
Chicago beat Kansas City 22-1 at Rate Field on June 26. Watch Royals vs White Sox on CHSN, Royals.TV, and MLB.TV, full final player stats and game recap.
Chicago beat Kansas City 22-1 in the opening game of a three-game series at Rate Field on Friday, June 26, scoring 22 runs on 23 hits across nine innings. The White Sox, first in the AL Central at 41-38, had the Royals, fifth in the division at 34-48, beaten decisively from the third inning onward, when a 10-run rally put the game out of reach before the halfway point.
How to Watch Kansas City Royals vs White Sox
The series opener was broadcast live in the Chicago market on Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), which is also available via the CHSN app on web, mobile and connected-TV platforms. Kansas City-market viewers could access the game through Royals.TV, the club's regional service.
Out-of-market subscribers can access eligible games through MLB.TV, subject to territorial restrictions and blackout rules.
Games two and three of this series are scheduled at Rate Field on June 27 at 4:10 p.m. ET and June 28 at 2:10 p.m. ET. Broadcast details for those games follow the same regional split: CHSN for Chicago, Royals.TV for Kansas City, and MLB.TV for out-of-market eligibility.
The Third Inning Settled It
Steven Cruz opened for Kansas City and threw 1⅓ scoreless innings before Mitch Spence entered in the second. Spence completed that second inning without damage. Then the third arrived, and Chicago scored 10 runs, including a three-run homer from Miguel Vargas and a three-run shot from Jacob Gonzalez. Spence was charged with 10 earned runs on 8 hits across 1⅓ innings in total, surrendering two home runs and issuing three walks on 53 pitches.
Spence had been recalled from Triple-A Omaha that morning after scheduled starter Stephen Kolek was placed on the paternity list. Cruz handled the opener role, Spence took the bulk innings, and neither got past the third.
Chicago's David Sandlin did the opposite. Recalled from Triple-A Charlotte earlier that day, Sandlin threw six innings, allowing one earned run on three hits, with six strikeouts and three walks. His 91-pitch effort ended with a win, the official pitching decision confirmed by the final box score.
Final Player Statistics, June 26
Chicago White Sox Batters
Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Miguel Vargas (3B) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
Jacob Gonzalez (1B) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 |
Tristan Peters (CF) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 |
Chase Meidroth (2B) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Sam Antonacci (LF) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kyle Teel (C) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Andrew Benintendi (DH) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Colson Montgomery (SS) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Braden Montgomery (RF) | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Junior Perez (CF) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Luisangel Acuña (CF) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Source: MLB Gameday, game 824582
Tristan Peters led all players in RBIs with six, four on a grand slam in the sixth inning and two on an earlier hit. Chase Meidroth went 4-for-6. Five White Sox homered: Vargas, Gonzalez, Peters, Teel and Benintendi. The team finished with 23 hits and zero errors.
Chicago White Sox Pitchers
Pitcher | IP | H | ER | K | Pitches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
David Sandlin (SP) | 6.0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 91 |
Trevor Richards (RP) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
Jordan Hicks (RP) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
Brandon Eisert (RP) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
Source: CBS GameTracker
Kansas City Royals Batters
Player | AB | H | HR | RBI | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bobby Witt Jr. (SS) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Jac Caglianone (RF) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Carter Jensen (C) | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Isaac Collins (LF) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Josh Rojas (3B) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Michael Massey (2B) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lane Thomas (CF) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nick Loftin (2B) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Salvador Perez (C) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kansas City produced just four hits and one run. Bobby Witt Jr., who had been listed as day-to-day with a knee concern the previous day, returned to the starting lineup at shortstop and went 0-for-4 with a walk.
Kansas City Royals Pitchers
Pitcher | IP | H | ER | K | Pitches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steven Cruz (opener) | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 28 |
Mitch Spence (RP) | 1.1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 53 |
Alex Lange (RP) | 0.1 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 26 |
John Schreiber (RP) | 1.0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 26 |
Beck Way (RP) | 1.1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 23 |
Lucas Erceg (RP) | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 15 |
Daniel Lynch IV (RP) | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Tyler Tolbert (2B) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Source: CBS GameTracker
Kansas City used eight arms. The team's collective ERA on the night stood at 23.63, and its pitchers threw 190 pitches over eight innings.
Series Context and Division Standing
Chicago entered this three-game set holding a 5-2 season-series lead over Kansas City, after sweeping the Royals in a May series at Rate Field that extended their winning streak to five games.
Before Friday's first pitch, the MLB standings showed Chicago with a 26-13 home record and Kansas City with a 15-26 road record. The gap between them in the division stood at 8.5 games.
The historical backdrop runs in Kansas City's favour over recent seasons, the Royals went 22-4 against the White Sox across the 2024 and 2025 campaigns, according to an MLB recap of that stretch. Friday's result extends Chicago's 2026 series advantage to 6-2.
Reuters reported on June 24 that Chicago had won 22 of its previous 26 home games before this series began, with Miguel Vargas hitting his 17th homer of the season in that stretch. Friday's homer was his 18th.
Royals Injury and Roster Situation
Kansas City entered Friday with a battered roster. Among those currently unavailable, per the official Royals injury page:
Maikel Garcia (10-day IL, left hand muscle strain) placed on IL June 23
Vinnie Pasquantino (10-day IL, fractured right hamate bone)
Cole Ragans (60-day IL, left elbow impingement)
Jonathan India (60-day IL, labral repair after left shoulder subluxation)
Carlos Estévez (right rotator-cuff strain, currently on IL)
Kris Bubic (15-day IL, left elbow soreness and left shoulder issue)
Kyle Isbel (10-day IL, left plantar fasciitis)
Kansas City also recalled Mitch Spence from Triple-A Omaha on June 26 to compensate for Kolek's absence. Spence, a right-hander acquired from the Athletics in February, took the loss. David Sandlin was credited with the win.
The next game in this series takes place Saturday, June 27, at Rate Field, with first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET.
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