Game CLVI Thread: The Royals of Kansas City versus the Yankees of New York

In a makeup game rescheduled from a rain-out in New York on May 25, the Royals travel to Yankee Stadium III for a one-game tilt. With their playoff hopes being virtually nonexistent, trailing the final wild card spot by 5 ¹⁄₂ games with seven left to play, the Royals will thrust rookie Jake Junis into the fading spotlight tasked with the unenviable duty of facing the playoff-bound Bronx Bombers.

The Yankees will send beefy southpaw CC Sabathia to the bump. Sabathia owns a 3.81 ERA on the season, though his peripherals point to less impressive pitching on the year. His 4.51 FIP, 4.18 xFIP, and 4.51 SIERA all suggest that he’s been helped out by his defense with a likely dose of luck.

The Royals will field the following starting nine:

The Yankees will align themselves thusly:

This game will be a WAR!