Gamethread VII - Royals at Tigers

When last we met here the Royals were high off winning on opening day. We parted with the team on a nascent winning streak and hopes high even as the bullpen looked very, very bad. Thing have devolved since then.

The team has now lost four in a row despite an above average offense and a reasonable facsimile of a starting rotation. The bullpen has been horrible but today is a new day and the season has only just started. The Royals are only a pair of games below .500 and two games back in the division race. Maybe the Royals can start to turn things around and gain some ground on their competition.

Jorge López will be pitching today for the Royals. It will be his second start of the season. The first start came with five strikeouts in five innings but also six hits including a pair of home runs as he allowed four run all told. When the bullpen came on the scene they were sure to allow enough other runs to ensure the team was never in it. López’s game stands as the only one in which the Royals never led but our own Alex Duvall points out that it may not have been entirely his fault.

The Tigers counter with lefty Matt Moore. Moore pitched for Texas last year and had a 6.79 ERA in 39 games including 12 starts. This will be his second start of the 2019 campaign and last time out he went seven strong innings, striking out six and allowing only three baserunners, none of whom scored.

Lineups

Notes:

• The temperature will be much warmer than it was Thursday as the teams expect to play in weather in the upper 50s or lower 60s.
• The Royals have been bad but the Tigers are looking to go three games over .500 for the first time in two years, themselves.
• Frank Schwindel gets his second career MLB start. He’s still looking for his first big league hit and he’s rapidly running out of time before many expect him to get demoted in order to add a fifth starter to the roster.