Probable pitchers and starting lineups, KC Royals vs. Toronto, May 1

The KC Royals and Toronto ring in a new baseball month this afternoon with a Rogers Centre single game. And when the day is done, the clubs will say good bye to each other until next season — the 2:07 p.m. CDT contest is the last time they'll play, at least in the regular season, until next year.

The Royals come into today's matinee game riding the best April in franchise history. Tuesday night's 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays was their 17th of the month and broke the previous April record of 16 shared by the 1989 and 2003 clubs. The win also set today's tilt up as another chance for the Royals to win a series rubber game for the first time this year after the Jays won Monday's opener, and gave Kansas City its 18th win; only 19-game winners Baltimore, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Baltimore, the Dodgers, and the Yankees have won more.

Toronto can win this series by beating KC today, but the Royals' four previous victories have already given them the season series.

What else must fans know about this afternoon's game?

Who are the starting pitchers?

Seth Lugo, whose 4-1 record and 1.66 ERA make him one of the American League's best starters, goes for Kansas City. His four wins have him tied with Toronto's José Berríos, Baltimore's Grayson Rodriguez, and Detroits Tarik Skubal for the AL lead, and his ERA is the league's fifth best. He also has five quality starts and has pitched at least seven innings twice. Today will be the first time he's faced the Blue Jays this season.

Chris Bassitt gets the ball for Toronto for the seventh time this season. Off to a bumpy beginning this year, he's 2-4 with a 5.64 ERA, and has surrendered seven runs once (in 2.2 innings against the Dodgers last Friday), five runs once, and four runs twice. Bassitt is 1-1, 3.82 in six career starts against the Royals.

How is KC Royals starter Cole Ragans doing?

Ragans gave up just a run and struck out nine in 6.2 innings Tuesday night to earn his second win of the season. Preceded as it was by a mound visit from the Royals' trainer, his seventh-inning departure generated some immediate concern.

Per MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers, however, all is likely well — she reported Ragans suffered just a calf cramp.

Who's in Kansas City's starting lineup?

Here's how the Royals will line up:

Who's in Toronto's starting lineup?

Manager John Schneider's lineup loos like this:

How can Royals fans follow today's game?

Bally Sports Kansas City is televising the game. Streaming options are here, and listeners can tune to KCSP-AM 610 Sports Radio in the KC area, or catch the contest on the 50-station Royals Radio Network.

More about the KC Royals