Ex-Royals Outfielders Helped Lead White Sox To Opening Day Victory
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The 2025 season is officially underway. Unfortunately, the Kansas City Royals were on the losing end on Thursday, as they fell in their season opener against the Cleveland Guardians by a final score of 7-4 in 10 innings.
Cole Ragans wasn't terribly sharp, going five innings and allowing three earned runs. Angel Zerpa allowed a three-run homer in the top of the sixth and spoiled Ragans' opportunity to secure an Opening Day win.
However, elsewhere in Major League Baseball, some former Royals got a chance to be on the winning side. Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor helped the Chicago White Sox to a victory.
"It's been four seasons since Benintendi and Taylor became Royals and ended up winning 2021 Gold Gloves. The club shipped Benintendi to the New York Yankees at the 2022 trade deadline and Taylor to the Minnesota Twins that winter," Mike Gillespie of FanSided wrote.
"Both now play on Chicago's South Side, and both helped the White Sox pound the Los Angeles Angels 8-1 on Opening Day. Benintendi's three-run homer, which scored Taylor, highlighted a five-run Chicago eighth that put the game out of LA's reach. Taylor went 1-for-3 in his first game with the Sox."
The White Sox are prepared for another tough year, but Benentendi and Taylor both helped them knock their first win out of the way on Thursday.
Benintendi was acquired from the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2021 season and later was traded to the New York Yankees. Taylor also spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons in Kansas City.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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