Game thread XXI - Happy Ragans Day!

The Royals ace takes the mound in what should be a fantastic matchup

If early-season MLB had schedule shifting such as exists in the late-season NFL, this game would definitely have been shifted to a national broadcast.

Think about that for a moment. The Royals and Orioles are two of the best teams going in MLB right now. Tonight’s starting pitchers, Cole Ragans and Corbin Burnes, have a pedigree of being good and have both been fantastic this season for teams they did not play for at the start of last season. Both teams feature young superstar shortstops in Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson along with exceptionally talented backstops in Adley Rutschman and Salvador Perez along with a whole host of talented young players just looking to break out.

This has all the hallmarks of a heavyweight bout between two teams that not only appear to be contenders now but could easily remain contenders for years yet, assuming their front offices can make the correct moves to build around their young studs.

Maybe you think I’m overhyping this, and maybe I am. We still aren’t even a quarter of the way through the season and any number of things could still derail the year for either team. But the Royals have a chance, tonight, to take a series from a team that won their division last year and looks absolutely competitive this year. I’m stoked to watch this one and I hope you are, too. Should be some really good baseball played tonight.

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