Game thread LIII - Nationals at Royals

It’s another Sunday and another weekend where the Royals will attempt to desperately avoid a sweep at the hands of their opponent. This is the sixth such matchup the Royals have played in this year. Only once has the team managed to successfully avoid their fate. Only twice have they entered Sunday’s matchup without having already guaranteed a series loss. The first time was the finale against the Giants which saw them lose their only shot at a sweep so far this season and then a rubber match against the Angels which they also lost.

In other words, the Royals have yet to win a series on a Sunday and they have allowed their opponent to complete a sweep more often than all other possible series finale outcomes combined.

Today does not feel like an auspicious day to hope for change.

Sure, Daniel Lynch will make his 2023 debut after several impressive starts for AAA Omaha during his rehab. But he’s likely to be on a pitch count and the bullpen hasn’t exactly been lights out. Also, the Royals hitters will have to contend with Washington’s starter, MacKenzie Gore. Gore was a top prospect who had just graduated to the big leagues with the Padres before being shipped across the continent for Juan Soto. His 3.88 ERA is far from perfect, but could easily be enough to deal with an inconsistent Royals offense.

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