Two baseball games to distract you from the trade deadline
After last night’s rainout, the Royals get a pair of games against the rival just ahead of them in the playoff race, whether they still seek the division or would settle for a Wild Card, the path goes through the Cleveland Guardians.
The first game, a makeup for yesterday, will feature Michael Wacha and his changeup against Gavin Williams. Wacha has been pretty good for the Royals this year. He’s given up a total of only two runs across 11 innings in his last two starts. The last time he saw Cleveland was all the way back during his first start of the year, when he gave up one run in only four innings and ended up taking the loss in a 6-2 defeat.
Gavin Williams has been pretty good for the Guardians this year, himself. He has struggled with his command but gotten outs when the moment calls for it. His last start was a gem against the Athletics; he struck out 11 while allowing only a single run in seven innings. His last start against the Royals was also his first of the season. He allowed two runs in five-plus innings but earned a no-decision when Paul Sewald gave up a pair in the seventh.
Kris Bubic and Tanner Bibee, their respective teams’ aces, with the expected aces both still on the shelf, will get the nightcap. Bubic had a rough stretch starting in mid-June against the Yankees which saw him sport a 4.86 ERA (though a 3.39 FIP) in six starts leading up to the break. He had a bounce-back against the Marlins coming out of the break when he threw five shutout innings in the Royals’ sole win in that series. Bubic has faced the Guardians once, in Cleveland, when he took the loss while allowing three runs, two earned, in six innings.
Bibee hasn’t been as good this year as in the past two, with a 4.27 ERA. He has a 5.35 ERA over his past six starts, allowing five runs or more in half of them. He looked just fine against the Royals to start the season, though, going 5.2 scoreless innings and picking up a win.
Lineups
Let’s try this again.
Despite being a righty, Gavin Williams has reverse splits. Either no one told manager Matt Quatraro or he knows of some other important stats that make lining up four lefties in the bottom of his order make sense, for the opener.
Outside Ramírez and Manzardo, the Guardians’ lineup is not particularly scary, with Steven Kwan slumping lately. Though he did hit a pair of dingers on Thursday. Let’s start the day with a win!
Don’t forget today is a doubleheader. The second game will be broadcast on Fox.