Royals vs Athletics Game 70 Gamethread

The not-Sacramento Athletics bring Brent Rooker to town.

The 34-35 Kansas City Royals are happy to see the Yankees leave town and welcome the 26-44 Athletics. At one point earlier this season, the Athletics were showing some scrappy, feisty play and were threatening the Mariners and Astros in the AL West. But they have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games, like the Royals, and have faltered.

The Athletics send Luis Severino to the mound, by far their most expensive player with a $20 million salary this year. Over 83 innings and 14 starts, Severino has pitched to a 3.73 FIP but 4.77 ERA due to a low strand rate. He has limited homers very well despite essentially being a pitch-to-contact guy as he ages in his 30s. In a park like Kauffman, hopefully that plays to the Royals’ advantage.

The Royals will send Michael Wacha, whose strikeout, walk, and homer rates are strikingly similar to Severino’s (3.63 FIP, just a shade below Severino’s). However, Wacha has a much better strand rate, leading to his 3.01 ERA looking much better than Severino’s.

In their continual search for offense, the Royals are starting Nick Loftin in LF and John Rave in RF, along with CF regular Kyle Isbel. Loftin has hit admirably in his 37 plate appearances, sporting a .303/.351/.545 line for a 141 wRC+. He has low K% and he’s not being held up by an absurd BABIP, but it’s such a small sample size. We’ll see there.

John Rave, on the other hand, has really not impressed in his MLB action, striking out 36% of the time. That won’t play. Jac Caglianone starts at DH as he is still searching for his first home run (and first walk). The people are hungry for his first dinger…I think the place will go nuts if he finally gets it tonight.

The Royals will also induct Alex Gordon into their Hall of Fame tonight.

Game time is 7:10pm US Central at Kauffman Stadium. You can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City or listen on the Royals Radio Network.

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