MLB Picks: Single Game Picks & Props for Thursday, September 24
It's the final Thursday of the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season, and we have five afternoon games with a first pitch of 3:10 p.m. ET or earlier. We also have seven games starting at 6:05 p.m. ET or later, with a handful of games with playoff implications.
Last week in this column, we ended up 2-1 (66.7%, +92), and we nearly went 3-0, but the Twins blew it in 10 innings after a nice comeback. Still, that's 7-2 (77.8%, +515) across the past three weeks. Let's finish up the regular season strong with another winning day, as we look to Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals finishing up under the sunshine. Maybe even pair some of these picks with the Liberty-Coastal Carolina college football game, or the Atlanta Falcons-Green Bay Packers NFL game. Let's get started!
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Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals Best Bets and Predictions
Pick #1: White Sox Moneyline (-125 Fanatics)
The White Sox (81-77) suffered a loss to the Royals (68-90) on Wednesday night, but they remain just one game back of the Cleveland Guardians, who also lost in Boston to the Red Sox. With four games remaining in the regular season, the AL Central Division title remains very much in play.
Chicago saw a three-game win streak snapped on Wednesday, although the offense certainly did its part in the 5-4 loss. Chicago is averaging 7.4 runs per game across the past nine outings, and the Over is 7-2 in that span.
The White Sox still have a tremendous chance to win the division, but they also occupy the final wild-card spot in the American League, three games clear of the Texas Rangers with four games left for both sides. The Baltimore Orioles are still alive, too, sitting 3.5 games back, while everyone else in the hunt for the wild card is eliminated. Chicago and Cleveland appear likely to make the postseason, it's just a matter of who gets to also raise a division title banner.
Chicago has dropped two of the past three games against Kansas City, while the Over is 8-1 in the past nine meetings since April 12. The underdog is 6-3 in the past nine in the series, too.
The White Sox turn to RHP David Sandlin (2-2, 6.29 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) in the hugely important game. On the flip side, the Royals counter with RHP Randy Dobnak (3-4, 3.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP).
Sandlin has allowed 14 runs in just 15 IP in his past three starts across two stints with the big-league club. That includes five earned runs, seven hits and a walk allowed in just four innings in an 11-8 home loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday.
Dobnak is 1-2 with a 5.91 ERA in four starts in September, and he was tattooed by the Pittsburgh Pirates last time out, allowing four runs, seven hits and two walks in just 3 2/3 IP in an 8-5 road loss.
The White Sox are the play, since they have so much more at stake. It's hard to get excited about Sandlin, but the White Sox offense is better, and it will do well against Dobnak, who has been very giving lately.
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Pick #2: White Sox/Royals Over 8.5 Runs (-122 DraftKings)
As mentioned above, the Over is the play here. Sandlin and Dobnak have been extremely giving lately, and we've seen the Over cash in eight of the previous nine meetings between these AL Central combatants since April 12.
That includes the first two games of the series, including a 14-11 win by the White Sox on Tuesday night. The Over is 4-1 in Sandlin's first five starts this season, too, including a 22-1 victory by Chicago at Rate Field on June 26 against Kansas City. Meanwhile, the Royals have cashed in four of the past five games, too. Let's go high.
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Pick #3: Carter Jensen Over 0.5 Runs Scored (-120 Caesars)
Jensen has been red-hot lately for the Royals. He was 3 for 4 with a run scored in Wednesday's game, after going 1 for 4 with a run scored on Tuesday. In fact, he has hit safely and scored at least one run in three consecutive outings.
Jensen has also scored nine runs in the past 11 games, and while notching 16 runs in the past 17 outings since Sept. 2. Let's take Jensen simply to come around to score, especially in a game we feel will be high scoring.
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MLB Picks Recap
- White Sox Moneyline (-125 Fanatics)
- White Sox/Royals Over 8.5 Runs (-122 DraftKings)
- Carter Jensen Over 0.5 Runs Scored (-120 Caesars)
All plays - 1 Unit
