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Royals, Twins Aim to Start New Winning Streaks
Royals’ Recent Performance
The Royals were on a roll with an eight-game winning streak before falling 4-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. “We won a series on the road against a good team,” said Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro. “We’ll take that.”
Twins’ Recent Performance
The Twins had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 6-2 loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
Pitching Matchups
For the series opener, the Royals will start right-hander Alec Marsh. Marsh (4-1, 2.72 ERA) had a strong April, going 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA in five starts. He’s kept up the good work in May, with a 1-1 record and a 2.76 ERA in three starts. In his last outing on Tuesday, Marsh allowed three runs and five hits over six innings in a 10-3 win against the Detroit Tigers. Last year, Marsh faced the Twins once, allowing three runs (two earned) over five innings in a loss.
The Twins will counter with right-hander Joe Ryan. Ryan (3-3, 3.15 ERA) is coming off his best start of the season, having pitched seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits in a 10-0 win against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. “That was sharp Joe Ryan, and he was not going to be denied,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “The way he was throwing the ball, it looked like he wanted the ball in his hands: ‘Out of my way and let me go.’ He did a great job.” Ryan has been dominant against the Royals, holding a 5-0 record with a 1.52 ERA in seven career starts against them.
Key Players
Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. drove in Kansas City’s only run on Sunday with his ninth home run of the season. Witt is on a nine-game hitting streak, batting .368 with four home runs and 13 RBIs. “He’s a generational talent,” Marsh said. “You think you’d get used to it, being around him every day, and then he does something new that you haven’t seen and it’s just ‘wow.’ The wow factor is unbelievable.”
Team Changes
The Royals placed second baseman Michael Massey on the 10-day injured list on Sunday due to a lower back ligament sprain and recalled shortstop Nick Loftin from Triple-A Omaha. Loftin pinch-hit for left fielder MJ Melendez in the seventh inning on Sunday and stayed in the game, going 0-for-2. “We think the world of Nick,” Quatraro said. “We think he’s going to be a really good major league player. The opportunity hasn’t been there yet on a consistent basis, so we’ll see how he mixes in here.”
Conclusion
As the Royals and Twins aim to start new winning streaks, the series opener promises an exciting pitching duel between Alec Marsh and Joe Ryan. With key players like Bobby Witt Jr. and Joe Ryan performing at high levels, this series is set to be a thrilling contest for baseball fans.
