MLB Game Preview - Kansas City at Chicago Sox

Tue Sep 10, 2019 8:10 PM EDT

The Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals have all but locked up third and fourth place, respectively, in the American League Central, and neither team has a chance to make the 2019 postseason.

But the divisional rivals have more to play for than simply "playing out the string." Seeing who might be part of your future could be just as important for these two franchises as holding out a slim hope of making the postseason for those that still are alive.

The two clubs start a three-game series Tuesday night in Chicago, with Jakob Junis (9-12, 4.94 ERA) going for the Royals against Ivan Nova (9-12, 4.69) for the White Sox. The two starters share more than similar numbers so far in 2019.

Both are big, sturdy right-handers who are counted upon to eat innings. And despite a big difference in age -- Nova is 32 and Junis is 26 -- they're both among the veteran leaders on their respective staffs.

Nova has established an especially strong relationship with fellow Dominican pitcher Reynaldo Lopez, influencing him more than just on the field. Nova collects $100 from Lopez every time the latter chooses Spanish over English in his postgame media sessions.

Nova, meanwhile, credits Lopez with the success he's had since his early season struggles. Nova had a 5.58 ERA at the All-Star break (after it soared as high as 8.33 in early May). But he had a 0.94 ERA across seven starts between July 22 and Aug. 24. His last two starts weren't very good, but that's a long stretch of success.

"Lopez was really the one," Nova told reporters recently when talking about his turnaround. "After (Don Cooper), my pitching coach, Lopez was really the one that got me going. I went to throw a bullpen and he was right there. He told me I was opening too quick.

"It was something that Coop and everybody else was telling me before, but for some reason, maybe because it was coming from a player and the relationship that we have, I think that helped and I was able to correct. I've got three pitching coaches: Coop, (assistant pitching coach Curt Hasler) and Lopey."

Nova is 0-1 with a 6.60 ERA in three previous starts against the Royals in 2019. In his career, he's 2-2 with a 6.00 ERA in seven starts.

Nova is in the final year of a three-year contract, so his future with the White Sox is less than certain. Junis, on the other hand, definitely is part of the Royals future.

With a very young staff on the major league roster, and the Royals having a glut of top pitching prospects at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, Junis knows he will be leaned on heavily. So outings like his last one, when he gave up three runs in the second inning, then retired 16 of the final 19 batters he faced, are a chance to prove he can be an anchor.

"I gave up three or four hits in a row in that second inning," Junis told reporters. "It cost me three runs, but I was just glad that I settled in after that and kept us in the game."

Junis leads the Royals with 167 2/3 innings. He has gone at least six innings in 10 of his last 11 starts. He's 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA against the White Sox in 2019, and he's 3-1 with a 4.58 ERA in six career starts against Chicago.

--Field Level Media