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Game 151: Royals at Blue Jays

Game two of a 2015 ALCS rematch

By Ryan Heffernon
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

There are 12 games remaining in the 2017 season and, likely, for the Royals team that brought a World Series championship back to Kansas City.

Barring a 2007 Rockies type of run, there will be no postseason play. It is time to be sentimental.

Nothing says sentimental like a rematch of the 2015 ALCS against a team that is going through a similar falling out of contention like the Blue Jays.

Both teams look fairly similar to the 2015 versions, minus a few exceptions, but tonight's contest will feature a pitching matchup that won't look anything like 2015.

Jake Junis will take the mound for the Royals, who has given up three runs or less in seven of his last eight starts. Since Junis found his way back into a broken Royals rotation on August 6, Junis has logged a 3.05 ERA over 44.1 innings, striking out 38 batters and walking just four.

That is good for a 10.00 K/BB, which is the second best mark among major league starters since the All-Star break.

He will be opposed by veteran Brett Anderson, who struggled mightily in six starts for Chicago before being released and signed by Toronto on a minor league deal.

Since then, he has made four starts for the Blue Jays since August 29, none of which he has given up more than three runs. In those four starts, he has a 3.27 ERA, walking just four batters in 22.0 innings of work.

He is also as unfamiliar a foe that the Royals will face this season, having not seen Anderson since August 4, 2010. Anderson got the win in that start, facing off against Sean O'Sullivan. Chris Getz was the Royals leadoff hitter that day and they jumped on Anderson in the first when Getz drew a walk to start the game and scored on a Billy Butler sac fly. They added another run on a Jose Guillen fielders choice to go up 2-0.

Unfortunately, O'Sullivan collapsed in the 6th, giving up four runs in the 6th, capped of by a two-run go-ahead double by Kevin Kouzmanoff. Yuniesky Betancourt also hit a home run in that ball game.

As for today's game, here are your lineups.

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