Game Seventy-Four: Kansas City Royals at Texas Rangers

The roof probably won’t be open today.

The Kansas City baseball team that sometimes wears powder blue takes on the Arlington baseball team that sometimes wears powder blue tonight at Globe Death Life Field. Having won last night’s game, Kansas City can win the series with a victory tonight.

The Royals will send Kris Bubic to the mound. With his performance this season as well as Cole Ragans’s injuries, Bubic has emerged as the staff ace. With a 1.92 ERA/2.55 FIP in 13 starts, he is firmly part of a crowded AL Cy Young discussion. He’ll look to keep quiet a Rangers offense that ranks 26th in baseball with an 87 wRC+ as a team. Bubic last faced Texas in June of 2022, allowing seven runs (four earned) in 4.2 innings.

Texas will counter with their own lefty in Patrick Corbin. From 2021-2024, Corbin made 126 starts as the worst pitcher in baseball, posting a 5.71 ERA/4.99 FIP. While his peripherals haven’t improved much, he has somehow produced a 3.66 ERA in 12 starts for the Rangers. His sinker/slider mix has been much better at limiting hard contact this season after getting pummeled for most of this decade prior. Perhaps the Royals can be the first team to score more than three runs against him this year. Corbin last faced Kansas City in his last start of 2024, surrendering four runs in 5.1 innings.

Jac Caglianone is not in the starting lineup for the first time since being called up. Mark Canha will start in right field for the first time this month. This will be the first time this season that the Royals have used a starting outfield of Canha, Kyle Isbel, and Nick Loftin.

First pitch: 7:05 pm CDT

Royals lineup