If the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees play again in 2024 after Wednesday night’s series finale from the Bronx, it would be in the AL playoffs, and they certainly might be on a collision course.
The Yanks are favored on the MLB odds for Wednesday.
| Opening MLB Lines Subject to Change: Yankees -143, Royals +121 (total 8) Expert Prediction: Yankees 4, Royals 3 |
Kansas City Royals +121
The Royals lead the American League since the break with a .266 team batting average and rank 2nd in the AL with 5.09 runs/game behind the Yankees (5.16). Kansas City is 75-18 (.806) when allowing 4 runs or fewer, which leads the AL and is the 3rd-best record in MLB. The Royals are 64-7 (.901) when allowing 3 runs or fewer, the best such record in the majors. Their 64 such wins lead the American League and are tied with the Phillies for the 2nd most in MLB, behind the Braves (68). Ê The Royals are 0-18 since the All-Star break when allowing at least 6 runs, and 27-3 when allowing 5 or fewer.
Vinnie Pasquantino
Kansas City remains without its best left-handed power bat in first baseman Pasquantino, who might miss the rest of the season due to a fractured right thumb. After his 2023 campaign was cut short to labrum surgery of his non-throwing shoulder, Pasquantino enjoyed a productive comeback season in 2024 before going down by slashing .262/.315/.446 with 19 home runs, 97 RBI and 64 runs across 554 plate appearances.
Cole Ragans
It’s ace lefty on the hill for KC. Ragans (11-9, 3.33 ERA) picked up the win in last Friday’s 5-0 victory over the Twins, allowing four hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven. When Ragans fanned Royce Lewis with a change up in the third inning, it made him the first left-hander in Kansas City history to record 200 strikeouts in a season. He’s only the fifth Royals pitcher to ever reach that mark, joining a group that includes Zack Greinke (2009), Kevin Appier (1996), Dennis Leonard (franchise-record 244 Ks in 1977) and Bob Johnson (1970).
The quality start was the 18th of the season for Cole, and since the beginning of August he’s posted a 3.23 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 51:16 K:BB over 39 innings. His 204 strikeouts on the year put him third in the majors behind Tarik Skubal’s 208 whiffs and Chris Sale’s 206. Cole Ragans has made a career-high 29 starts and thrown a career-high 167 1/3 innings in his first full season as a Royal. His 3.33 ERA ranks ninth-best in the AL.
“It speaks to a lot of things,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “There’s taking the ball every fifth day. Your stuff has to be good. You have to throw strikes. You have to be competitive. And you have to have that mentality that you can go out and challenge people in the zone. He does that.”
He has not faced the Yankees this year and has thrown just one career innings against them, back in 2023 while Ragans was with Texas.
^New York Yankees -143
The Yankees have clinched their 32nd consecutive winning season (since 1993). That streak is the second-longest such stretch in Major League history, behind only the franchise’s streak of 39 straight winning seasons from 1926-64. The Yankees are 15-4 in their last 19 games vs. Kansas City (entering Tuesday).
DJ LeMahieu
Ahead of Monday’s series opener, the Yankees placed infielder and former batting champion on the 10-day injured list with a right hip impingement. The 36-year-old had put together a modest five-game hit streak prior to landing in the IL, but he wasn’t in store for meaningful playing time at either of the corner-infield spots, with Anthony Rizzo and Jazz Chisholm locked in as starters at first and third base, respectively.
Jasson Dominquez
To take LeMahieu’s roster spot, the Yankees called up top outfield prospect Dominquez. Manager Aaron Boone suggested that fellow outfielder Alex Verdugo is likely to see his playing time take a hit following Dominguez’s promotion from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Boone noted that Aaron Judge will play center field most days, Giancarlo Stanton will be the designated hitter most days, and Dominguez will play “a lot.” Boone had previously stood by Verdugo, even as the veteran outfielder has slashed just .235/.295/.356 in 137 games.
Austin Wells
AL Rookie of the Year favorite and catcher has 13 homers this season, second-most by a rookie catcher in a single season in franchise history, trailing only Gary Sánchez’s 20HR in 2016. Wells’ 3.7 WAR is fourth among MLB catchers. His 10 catcher framing runs are the third-most in the majors.
Luis Gil
It’s AL Rookie of the Year candidate on the mound Wednesday. Gil (13-6) earned the win last Friday over the Cubs, allowing one hit and two walks over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven. Gil’s velocity was down about two mph after his two-week absence due to a back strain, but it obviously didn’t cause him any problems.
7 K Day & The Dub.
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 6, 2024
Presented by @Delta pic.twitter.com/t6H3qbrv4V
“Excellent,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I even thought that last inning might have been his best. Real easy, not having to reach for it. He seemed real sharp to me at the finish, which was encouraging. Overall, six shutouts to get the series going, couldn’t have drawn it up better.”
Gil had 15 missed swings and a 31% CSW in the 89-pitch outing, and seemed to mix in his slider much more than usual. On 89 pitches, Gil threw 47 fastballs and 40 sliders. The rookie generated 15 total swings and misses — seven on fastballs and six on sliders. Gil’s four-seam fastball averaged 95 mph, down 1.8 mph from his season average, but he made up for it with a biting slider while mixing in a change up. Gil said the key to his success is “not a secret.”
“I’ve been saying it all year: pitch execution,” Gil said. “[It’s] really staying within the lane that you’re trying to attack, the zones you’re trying to attack. That’s really it.”
The 26-year-old Gil had allowed seven runs over seven innings in two starts prior to his IL stint. He had also issued 16 walks in his previous 17.1 frames. Overall, Gil sports a 3.24 ERA across 130.2 innings this season, with a 1.16 WHIP and 151:68 K:BB. He has never faced the Royals.
^Royals at Yankees Info
When: Wednesday, 7:05 PM ET
Where: Yankee Stadium
Pitchers (away/home): Cole Ragans/Luis Gil
TV: None nationally
Stream/game day audio: Amazon Prime Video exclusive
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