Game Ninety-Four: Pittsburgh Pirates at Kansas City Royals

Let’s sweep Bob Nutting’s poverty franchise.

The baseball team from the city of steel will take on the baseball team from the city of fountains tonight at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City took the first two games of this series to secure their first home series victory since early May and will look to complete the sweep tonight.

The Royals will start Kris Bubic. Bubic has hit a bit of a rough patch after a blistering start to the season, posting a 4.88 ERA across his last five starts. His peripherals in that span aren’t much different from his season stats though, and it’s worth noting that three of those five starts came against elite lineups in Arizona, the Yankees, and the Dodgers. Pittsburgh’s offense will represent a significant decrease in quality relative to those units. Bubic last faced Pittsburgh in a relief appearance last September, striking out both of the batters he faced.

The Pirates will counter with Bailey Falter. In his second full season in Pittsburgh, Falter has posted a 3.69 ERA in 18 starts despite having the fourth-lowest strikeout rate among pitchers with at least 90 innings this season. It’s the lowest strikeout rate of his career and is accompanied by the highest walk rate in his career, so it’s a wonder that the results have been as good as they have been. He pitches a ton off his low-90s four-seamer and has had success with his sinker as well, but none of his curveball, slider, or splitter have been effective. Falter has never faced Kansas City.

Tyler Tolbert will make his second career start and his first in center field, batting ninth. By my count, this will be the 39th different outfield alignment that the Royals have started a game with this season.

First pitch: 6:40 pm CDT

Royals lineup