KC Royals Series Preview: The Boys In Blue Head To The Bronx

The KC Royals continue their road journey by traveling to the Bronx where they’ll face the New York Yankees. After losing two of three in Cleveland hopefully, the Kansas City Royals can bounce back in this four game series. They’ll face a struggling group of pinstripers that is foreign to most of their fans.

Here’s a glimpse into what you can expect when these teams square off at “new” Yankee Stadium this week before Kansas City returns home.

Probable Pitching Match-Ups
Monday, 7:10 pm – Chris Young/RHP (1-4, 5.76) v. Ivan Nova/RHP (1-1, 5.14)
Tuesday, 7:10 pm – Kris Medlen/RHP (1-3, 6.85) v. Masahiro Tanaka/RHP (1-0, 2.29)
Wednesday, 7:10 pm – Yordano Ventura/RHP (2-2, 4.65) v. Michael Pineda/RHP (1-3, 5.73)
Thursday, 7:10 pm – Ian Kennedy/RHP (4-2, 2.13) v. Nathan Eovaldi/RHP (2-2, 4.78)

Comments on Pitching Match-Ups – There’s not a lot to be desired in these pitching match-ups given how small Yankee Stadium plays and the rate the KC Royals schedule starters give up home runs. In addition, the first three Kansas City Royals starters could face trouble should walks continue to plague them in this series.

Game 1: Young was better last time out getting a no-decision versus Washington but still surrendered a home run on a fastball which continues to be an issue for him. Nova is back in NY’s rotation due to CC Sabathia being on the DL currently.

Game 2: Medlen struggled with walks and shotty defense behind him on Wednesday as the Nationals took full advantage getting nine runs, with only six being earned. Tanaka has been the Yankees best starter to date during their 11-18 start to 2016.

Game 3: Ventura now leads the league in walks, he continues to give more free passes than strikeouts which is getting more and more concerning by the start. Pinada like his counterpart is young and has all the ability to figure it out and be a dominant pitcher.

Game 4: Kennedy gave the bullpen seven scoreless innings on Saturday in Cleveland, before the bullpen allowed one run. Eovaldi is familiar to KC Royals fans for starting opposite of Jeremy Guthrie on Memorial Day which didn’t turn out well for our boys in blue.

Series Outlook – Alex Rodriguez is on the DL which probably bums out our fan base a lot, but fear not ex-Royal Carlos Beltran is alive and well. Beltran has four home runs and driven in 12 runs so far this season which is one fewer homer than A-Rod. Starlin Castro who was acquired in the offseason to play shortstop and also has 12-RBI’s early on. With Mike Moustakas on the disabled list it’ll be one fewer lefty bat to take advantage of the short porch in right field. While Moose is out, Eric Hosmer who hit his first career home run in this stadium, figures to take advantage. Given that both teams are struggling who knows how this series ends up but I suspect that when all is said and done it’ll be nice and even.

Prediction – Series split 2-2

2015 Meetings
A season ago New York swept the Kansas City Royals in the Bronx on their way to winning the season series 4-2, later on the KC Royals did take two of three at Kauffman Stadium.

Schedule