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The cross-state semi-rival St. Louis Cardinals are next up on the docket for the Kansas City Royals. The Cardinals have limped into this split series with a 55-56 record and run the risk of posting their first sub-.500 record since 2007. Of course their Pythagorean record implies a certain degree of bad luck has come their way. It couldn’t happen to a less deserving team.
The game times and pitching matchups are as follows:
- Monday, August 7, 7:15 PM CDT at KC - Carlos Martinez versus Ian Kennedy
- Tuesday, August 8, 7:15 PM CDT at KC - Michael Wacha versus Jason Vargas (L)
- Wednesday, August 9, 7:15 PM CDT at StL - Trevor Cahill versus Mike Leake
- Thursday, August 10, 6:15 PM CDT at StL - Jason Hammel versus Lance Lynn
I-70 Series pitching matchups
| Pitcher | G | IP | K | K% | BB | BB% | ERA | FIP | xFIP | SIERA | fWAR | rWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | G | IP | K | K% | BB | BB% | ERA | FIP | xFIP | SIERA | fWAR | rWAR |
| Carlos Martinez | 22 | 140.1 | 151 | 26.0 | 54 | 9.3 | 3.59 | 3.80 | 3.63 | 3.89 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
| Ian Kennedy | 20 | 107.2 | 92 | 20.7 | 42 | 9.4 | 4.60 | 4.98 | 5.06 | 4.74 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Michael Wacha | 20 | 110.2 | 110 | 23.9 | 36 | 7.8 | 3.66 | 3.47 | 3.66 | 3.95 | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| Jason Vargas (L) | 21 | 125.0 | 92 | 17.9 | 34 | 6.6 | 3.10 | 4.09 | 4.81 | 4.72 | 1.9 | 4.0 |
| Trevor Cahill | 13 | 69.2 | 77 | 25.3 | 28 | 9.2 | 4.13 | 4.13 | 3.62 | 3.85 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| Mike Leake | 11 | 134.2 | 90 | 16.1 | 32 | 5.7 | 3.34 | 3.98 | 3.96 | 4.22 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Jason Hammel | 22 | 125.2 | 96 | 17.4 | 37 | 6.7 | 4.73 | 4.21 | 5.05 | 4.79 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
| Lance Lynn | 23 | 132.2 | 114 | 21.1 | 49 | 9.1 | 3.12 | 4.84 | 4.59 | 4.56 | 0.9 | 2.8 |
It’s hard to look at the pitchers the Royals drew this series without worrying a bit. Each one has been solid if not spectacular this year. Martinez and Wacha have been there strongest starters this year with Wacha turning things around after a brutally unlucky 2016. Wacha is posting the best strikeout rates of his career. Lynn looks to have put everything back together after missing all of 2016 with a butt injury recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Cardinals position players
| Player | Pos | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | fWAR | rWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Pos | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | wRC+ | fWAR | rWAR |
| Tommy Pham | CF | 331 | 14 | 57 | 47 | 15 | .316 | .402 | .512 | .390 | 141 | 3.7 | 4.0 |
| Jedd Gyorko | 3B | 388 | 14 | 40 | 52 | 6 | .273 | .338 | .459 | .337 | 107 | 1.7 | 3.1 |
| Yadier Molina | C | 377 | 12 | 39 | 47 | 7 | .275 | .311 | .424 | .309 | 88 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| Paul DeJong | SS | 222 | 15 | 25 | 34 | 0 | .277 | .302 | .549 | .352 | 116 | 1.3 | 0.8 |
| Matt Carpenter (L) | 1B/2B | 444 | 14 | 59 | 48 | 2 | .246 | .379 | .439 | .354 | 117 | 1.3 | 1.9 |
| Kolten Wong (L) | 2B | 253 | 1 | 31 | 23 | 3 | .289 | .381 | .404 | .331 | 103 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Jose Martinez | 1B/OF | 162 | 7 | 26 | 21 | 1 | .280 | .348 | .483 | .350 | 115 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Greg Garcia (L) | IF | 187 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 2 | .232 | .346 | .316 | .302 | 84 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Luke Voit | 1B | 78 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 0 | .257 | .333 | .471 | .344 | 111 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Randal Grichuk | LF | 293 | 13 | 34 | 37 | 5 | .228 | .280 | .438 | .301 | 83 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Stephen Piscotty | RF | 290 | 6 | 29 | 31 | 3 | .228 | .338 | .355 | .309 | 88 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Carson Kelly | C | 15 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .143 | .200 | .214 | .187 | 9 | -0.1 | -0.1 |
The Cardinals have the 13th-best offensive unit in terms of fWAR with 13.7 wins (the Royals are 19th with 10.8). They’ve slashed .256/.330/.418 with a .321 wOBA and 95 wRC+. Tommy Pham has done nothing but rake this season. Of course, he has a .391 BABIP to thank for much of his success. Paul DeJong has also come out of nowhere to be very good in 58 games, though BABIP (.353) has been a generous mistress to him as well.
Poll
How will the Royals fare against the Cardinals?
This poll is closed
-
10%
Royals sweep
(46 votes) -
31%
Royals take three of four
(134 votes) -
40%
Split
(175 votes) -
12%
Cardinals take three of four
(53 votes) -
5%
Cardinals sweep
(24 votes)
All stats courtesy of FanGraphs and Baseball Reference through action on Saturday, August 5.
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