Series Preview: Cleveland Indians set for four-game series with Royals

The Cleveland Indians will wrap up their seven-game homestand by hosting the Kansas City Royals for four games this week.

After winning their third straight series, the Cleveland Indians will look to build their momentum when they host the last-place Kansas City Royals for a four-game series starting Monday evening.

The Indians are 4-2 against the Royals so far this season as the four-game set will conclude the two teams’ matchups for the rest of the season.

Cleveland enters the series 25-15 on the season with 20 games to play. They trail the Chicago White Sox by just a half-game in the AL Central standings and would hold the No. 4 seed in the AL postseason if the season ended today.

The Royals meanwhile, have struggled as expected this season as the team continues to rebuild. Kansas City is just 14-27 on the season, which is the fourth-worst record in all of baseball.

Despite this, the Royals have given some contenders fits this season as they swept the Minnesota Twins back in August and will look to continue playing spoiler in Cleveland.

Here’s a closer look at the four upcoming matchups between the Indians and Royals and who will be on the mound for both clubs.

Monday Sept. 7, 6:10 p.m. EST

Probable Starters: Brad Keller (3-1, 1.93 ERA) vs. Zach Plesac (2-1, 1.33 ERA)

Zach Plesac will draw his second start since returning from the teams’ alternate site in the series opener Monday.

Plesac pitched against the Royals in his return to the rotation on Sept. 1 and tossed six innings, allowed four hits, one run and struck out six as he earned his second win of the season.

The lone Kansas City runoff Plesac came via Hunter Dozier, who hit a solo home run. He became just the second current Royal to take the Indians right-hander deep, joining Jorge Soler, who holds a career .273 average in 11 at-bats head-to-head against Plesac.

Both Nicky Lopez and Cam Gallagher have also had success against Plesac as Gallagher is batting .500 in three at-bats while Lopez is batting .400 in five at-bats.

As for the Royals, they’ll send their ace Brad Keller to the mound. Keller dominated the Royals on Aug. 31 as he tossed 6.1 innings, allowed just one run and struck out four. He did not earn a decision despite the tremendous start, but Kansas City would go onto win the game.

Not many Indians have had much success against the Royals right-hander outside of Jose Ramirez, who is batting .300 in 10 at-bats off Keller while the lone active Cleveland batter that has taken him deep is Tyler Naquin.

Tuesday Sept. 8, 6:10 p.m. EST

Probable Starters: Jakob Junis (0-1, 4.32 ERA) vs. Triston McKenzie (2-0, 1.69 ERA)

Triston McKenzie will make his fourth career start in Tuesday’s matchup with the Royals and for the first time in his career, will face off with an opposing time for the second time within a week.

McKenzie shutout the Royals over six innings of work on Sept. 2 as he tossed six innings, allowed three hits, did not surrender a walk and struck out six. Those hits were by Dozier, Alex Gordon and Ryan McBroom.

With Mike Clevinger now in Cleveland, McKenzie is an official member of the Indians starting rotation and will look to prove himself worth an opportunity of starting a postseason game for the Tribe come October.

Kansas City will send 27-year-old right-hander Jakob Junis to the mound. Junis matched up with McKenzie on Sept. 2 and allowed two runs in four innings of work in his first loss of the season.

Several Indians have had their way with the Cleveland right-hander, including Francisco Lindor, batting .500 with four home runs and 12 RBI’s in 34 at-bats, Carlos Santana, batting .438 in 16 at-bats and Naquin who is batting .474 with two home runs in 19 at-bats.

Wednesday Sept. 9, 6:10 p.m. EST

Probable Starters: Danny Duffy (2-3, 4.83 ERA) vs. Carlos Carrasco (2-3, 3.43 ERA)

Carlos Carrasco will get the ball in game three of the Indians four-game set with the Royals. After a rough start to the season, the veteran right-hander has started to find his groove.

Carrasco put together his second straight quality start in his most recent outing as he held the Brewers to just one run over six innings in a game the Indians bullpen would later blow.

Several Royals have experience against the 33-year-old Venezuelan import, including Whit Merrifield, who is batting .429 with a home run and five RBI’s and Gordon, who has taken Carrasco deep three-times.

Kansas City will also send a veteran to the mound in the form of 31-year old southpaw Danny Duffy. Duffy pitched against the Indians on opening day in a start that saw him allow two runs over 4.1 innings and take a loss.
In his last outing, he was beat up by the Chicago White Sox as he surrendered six runs, seven hits, five walks in six innings of work.

Manny Indians have quality numbers off Duffy, including Santana, who is batting .474 with two home runs and six RBI’s in 19 at-bats, Lindor, who has two home runs in 26 at-bats and Roberto Perez, who is batting .300 in 10 at-bats.