Game CXLVI: Royals v. Twins

One last series against the Twins

The Royals have just two home series’ left on the season, both of them being four-gamers and both of them being against division rivals.

The first of those two begins tonight, as the second place Twins come to town looking to clinch the season series. The Royals will need to win three of four to capture the season series away from the Twins.

Kansas City will send rookie Heath Fillmyer to the mound, who struggled last week in Minnesota, giving up six earned runs in just 2.1 IP. He will look to bounce back in round two and salvage an otherwise rough August and September that has seen him post an ERA north of six.

Minnesota will counter with a rookie of their own, as Stephen Gonsalves will make his 5th start of the season. He started the same game that Fillmyer did last week against the Royals and similarly struggled, giving up five earned runs in just 2.1 IP. In his four starts, Gonsalves has yet to make it past the 5th inning and has given up at least four runs in three of those four starts.

In that fourth start, he gave up just three earned runs but only pitched in 3.2 innings.

Offensively, 44% of the Royals lineup will consist of catchers and shortstops. You can check the receipts on that math if you want. Ryan O’Hearn will get the night off but Adalberto Mondesi will be back at shortstop looking to continue his hot September. In nine games, he has a wRC+ of 143 and is even walking in 5% of his plate appearances.

Here is the rest of the lineups for your reading pleasure.