With eight games to play, the Royals’ elimination number sits at two. Any combination of Royals losses or Red Sox wins adding up to that number will guarantee they stay home. So it could happen tonight. However, the Royals could put it off for one more day if they guarantee themselves a series victory over the Blue Jays following last night’s drubbing.
Justin Shane Bieber will pitch for the Blue Jays. It will be his sixth start for the Blue Jays and of the season. He’s been pretty solid through the first
five with two quality starts and 30 strikeouts to only four walks. He hasn’t completed more than six innings in those games, however, and the Royals abused the Blue Jays’ bullpen last night, so they should have a shot to punish them in the mid-late innings if they play their cards right.
Going for Kansas City will be rookie Noah Cameron. Cameron had an excellent seven-inning, two-run start Sunday against the Phillies in the Royals’ only win in that series. That brought his ERA back down under three for the season to 2.98. Among AL pitchers with at least 120 innings pitched, that ranks eighth, Right in between breakout star Bryan Woo and bounceback ace Jacob deGrom. No matter what happens in his final two starts of the year, it will have been a very successful campaign for Cameron.
That said, Cameron did face the Blue Jays back in Toronto, and it didn’t exactly go well. He allowed four runs in 6.1 innings with only one strikeout and one walk. Of course, he was in line for a quality start when he came out after allowing a runner in the seventh, but Steven Cruz allowed the inherited runner to score while trying to pitch through the injury that sent him to the IL following the game. Steven Cruz only rejoined the team earlier this week and still hasn’t appeared. Here’s hoping if he relieves Cameron today it goes a bit better.
Lineups
Despite being in an 0-for-4 slide, Carter Jensen will serve as the DH and leadoff for Kansas City once again. Michael Massey, who had four hits, including a two-run home run last night, will bat ninth. Mike Yastrzemski has been demoted to the sixth slot after having last night off. Matt Quatraro’s managerial decisions continue to astound.
