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Game CXI Thread: Blue Jays at Royals

Put on your flame retardant clothes.

By Jeremy Greco
John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The Royals reach this day, the seventh of August, looking for their first series victory since the All-Star Break. Still.

The Blue Jays are determined not to allow this and will pitch Marcus Stroman in an attempt to stifle the mostly anemic Royals offense. Stroman's ERA is actually almost as bad as his opposite number's. The primary difference between them lies in the peripheral numbers which all suggest that Stroman should have had more success this year. In his last 6 starts Stroman has been very good four times, mediocre once and horrible once. Including a very good start against KC back at the beginning of July. In two career regular season starts against the Royals he has gone 14 innings allowing 3 runs on 8 hits with 12 strike outs. Of course, in his start against the Royals in last year's ALCS he went six and one-third innings allowing four runs on eleven hits even while taking the win. None of the Royals have hit him particularly well.

The Royals will counter with resident fireballer Yordano Ventura. Ventura did not start the season well, but he's been much better of late. His last three starts have been mediocre affairs but the two before that were not half bad. Perhaps twisting his ankle in Philadelphia helped his mechanics somehow. Yordano has never faced the Blue Jays in the regular season according to baseball-reference.com, though he did have two starts against them in last year's post season. He allowed 4 runs in 10 2/3 innings on 12 hits while striking out 11. He did not receive a decision in either game. ESPN shows that Ventura has allowed home runs to Jose Bautista, Justin Smoak, and Josh Donaldson in his career.

Lineups

The question is, as always on Ventura Day in 2016, will Ventura's fire burn the Royals or their opponent?

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