CHICAGO -- The Kansas City Royals will try to preserve their slim hopes for the postseason when they open a three-game series against the host Chicago White Sox on Friday night.The defending World Series champion Royals (72-67) have lost five of their past eight contests and trail the Baltimore Orioles by four games for the American Leagues second wild-card spot. Three other contenders -- the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and New York Yankees -- are ahead of the Royals in the wild-card pursuit.A matchup against the underwhelming White Sox (67-72) could help Kansas City gain ground in the standings. The Royals are 9-3 against Chicago this season after winning 12 of 19 games against the South Siders in 2015.Right-hander Yordano Ventura (10-9, 4.22 ERA) will start the series opener for the Royals. The hard-throwing, hot-tempered 25-year-old started the season poorly but has proved to be much better in recent weeks. In his previous six starts, he is 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA.Ventura ignited a bench-clearing incident with the White Sox last season after he exchanged words with outfielder Adam Eaton. However, he showed no signs of losing his composure in his most recent meeting against Chicago on June 12 as he struck out a season-high 10 batters in seven innings to earn the victory. He is 3-3 with a 4.33 ERA in nine career starts against the White Sox.Opposing Ventura will be White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon (6-8, 3.90 ERA), who also has been on a hot streak. The 23-year-old is 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA in his past six outings. He has walked eight and struck out 31 in that span.Rodon has fared well against Kansas City during his brief career. In three starts, he is 1-1 with a 2.55 ERA.Kansas City hopes to have one of its best players back in the lineup to face the White Sox. Catcher Salvador Perez could return after missing a game because of a bruised right wrist. Perez was hit by a fastball Tuesday and sat out Wednesdays series finale against the Minnesota Twins.The four-time All-Star is hitting .254 with 20 home runs and 59 RBI in 122 games this season.Im hoping that hes ready to play, Royals manager Ned Yost told the Kansas City Star before the team traveled to Chicago. Most of the time, you get hit by a pitch and it hurts. But if you get that ball-on-bone sound -- that crunching sound -- its not a good sound.For the White Sox, first baseman Jose Abreu will look to continue his torrid hitting. The Cuban slugger is hitting .447 (17-for-38) with five home runs and 15 RBI during his past eight games. He has boosted his season totals to a .298 average with 23 home runs and 88 RBI in 136 games.Ive been having some ups and downs during this season, Abreu said. I think everybody knows that. But I think fighting through all those stretches (has helped). ... Right now, Im having my best moment in this whole season, and thats part of all my work and all the advice that Ive been getting from different people, especially from the hitting coach.This is a long season. No matter what, how good or bad your first half was, you still have the second half to do better. Thats what Ive been trying to do. New England Patriots Gear . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Patriots Jerseys China . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/ . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. Patriots Jerseys 2020 . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Stitched Patriots Jerseys . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Tennessee defensive tackle Danny OBrien has been placed on a stretcher and carted off the field after being injured Saturday against Texas A&M.OBrien was injured while blocking in the fourth quarter. He remained face down on the field while trainers rushed to his aid. He was on the field for several minutes as players from both teams kneeled. Some fans could be seen crying.OBrien was strapped to a board and placed on the stretcher before being carted off the field.ddddddddddddTennessee officials told CBS that he was moving all of his extremities, but there was no other immediate update on his condition.---APs college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '