Ten months later, back to the scene of the crime...
A successful series in Houston finds the Bluebirds in a tie for the division lead with the Orioles, just in time for a visit to where their 2015 season ended. We all remember that game, I'm sure.
The defending champs have fallen on Hard Times though in 2016. Injuries to top players like Mike Moustakas (ACL, gone for the year), Wade Davis (flexor strain), Lorenzo Cain (back now but missed about a month earlier) and Alex Gordon (missed about two months), have forced the Royals to rely heavily on their depth, with very mixed results. Add in the fact that Kendrys Morales, Cain, Edinson Volquez, Yordano Ventura and Chris Young are all having noticeably worse years than in 2015, or that Alcides Escobar continues to transform into Ryan Goins (how'd this guy hit almost .500 in the ALCS again???) and it's no wonder how Kansas City is 51-57, 13-26 over their last 39 games and currently 4th in the AL Central.
But, they're still pesky. Nobody on this team strikes out, they defend well and now-closer Kelvin Herrera still has that untouchable 100mph gas. So you know, lets try to avoid that.
Matchups!
FRI 8:15 -- Liriano (6-11, 5.46*) v. Gee (3-5, 4.66)
SAT 7:15 -- Sanchez (11-1, 2.71) v. Duffy (7-1, 2.98)
SUN 2:15 -- Stroman (8-4, 4.74) v. Ventura (6-9, 4.83)
* - with Pittsburgh
Watch Out For...
Lefty Danny Duffy has probably been the Royals best starter this season, and considering Toronto's weird struggles with southpaws this season it could be one of those days where runs are as scarce as a Sahara water park. (I've been sitting on that one for a while)
Former Blue Jay Watch
Chien-Ming Wang has pitched out of the bullpen for the Royals this season and is 5-0! That's really the only positive thing to say here because the rest of his numbers are... kind of what you'd expect.
Housekeeping
Veteran and good friend of Da Box Mike Green shared it in the Houston thread, but I'll post it here as well: John Lott has a awesome piece on rookie reliever Danny Barnes that is definitely worth a look
Be nice to win a few.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20160805131822587