Game LXXXVII Thread: Royals at Dodgers

For most Royals fans I think before this road trip started the vast majority would have been fine going 3-3 on it. Some might have even said, "Sweep the Mariners get swept by the Dodgers, watch Moose win the derby, get 'em after the break" or something similar. But after watching the Royals actually sweep the Ms and then revert to early season form against the Dodgers - first having their offense score first but then never again in a loss and then watching the bullpen walk everyone until they lost - I suspect many of you are feeling similar to how I feel right now.

"4-2 sure would have been nice. Is the team done with it's hot streak and preparing to sink into oblivion just after they erased any chance of trading guys before the deadline?"

Today is unlikely to assuage any of those fears.

The Royals, for their part, will be sending their ace out to do battle. Danny Duffy will be making his first start since returning from injury and while he was a tad shaky in his return he settled down quickly and led the team to victory. He's a quality pitcher and a lefty which can only be a good thing in a lineup that features such terrors as Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, and Cody Bellinger. Of course, it has right handed terrors like Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig, too. But switch pitching hasn't taken off, yet, so this is likely the best matchup.

Unfortunately the Dodgers will counter with their own ace and he is simply at a different level than pretty much anyone else's ace. The only season in which he has ever been worth fewer than 4 wins was his rookie season. He has a 2.36 career ERA with FIP, and xFIP to back it up. He has a career WHIP under 1. For his career he allows fewer baserunners than innings. The man is a terror. And he will be facing the very same lineup that has been shut out this season by such luminaries as Jharel Cotton, Trevor Bauer, and Alex Meyer.

Lineups

Royals Today: Merrifield 4, Torres 5, Cain 8, Hosmer 3, Bonifacio 9, Escobar 6, Soler 7, Butera 2, Duffy 1 pic.twitter.com/3lSl4sY8Zg

— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) July 9, 2017

Today's Dodger lineup vs. Royals:
Forsythe 2B
Taylor LF
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Barnes C
Hernández SS
Puig RF
Thompson CF
Kershaw P pic.twitter.com/5crO3x84By

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 9, 2017

It's not going to be an easy win for the Royals, today, but all hope is not lost. If Danny Duffy can really turn on The Duffman maybe the Royals will have another shot at the Dodgers' pen in the eleventh or twelfth innings.