Yanks Go Yard Radio Show: Yankees-Royals Preview (8/29-8/31)

On last night’s episode of the Yanks Go Yard Radio Show, we looked ahead to the Yankees final series in the month of August against the Royals

At the beginning of last night’s Yanks Go Yard Radio Show, I started off by talking about the New York Yankees (67-62) winning two out of three against the Baltimore Orioles this past weekend. Despite the Yankees winning the series and Gary Sanchez continuing to dominate (6-for-12, two home runs, five RBI’s against the O’s), they only gained one game in the Wild Card standings.

Right now, the Yankees are 3.5 games behind the Orioles for the second Wild Card spot. Tonight, they begin a three game series against the defending World Series Champion Kansas City Royals (68-62) at Kauffman Stadium. New York beat the Royals two out of three games back in May at Yankee Stadium.

Ned Yost’s team is much different now than when the Yankees played them three months ago. In the month of August, the Royals are 19-7 and they have won 11 of their last 14 games to pull within three games of the second Wild Card and 5.5 games behind the Indians in the AL Central.

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This month, the Royals are ninth in the American League in runs scored, Despite being in the middle of pack team wise, first baseman Eric Hosmer has 20 RBI’s this month and leads the team in RBI’s for the year (78). Two other players to watch on offense are left fielder Alex Gordon (seven home runs this month) and catcher Salvador Perez (team leader in home runs for the season with 20).

Kansas City is back in the race largely because of the success of their starting rotation. Since the All-Star Break, Danny Duffy is 7-1 with a 2.90 ERA over his last nine starts and both Ian Kennedy and Yordano Ventura have yet to lose a game in August. Since the break, the Royals have the third lowest ERA in the American League (3.62).

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In the bullpen, the team is still without closer Wade Davis (strained flexor tendon), but Kelvim Herrera has nine saves in as many chances since the break and Matt Strahm has been a good surprise for the Royals (0.68 ERA in ten games).

To talk more about the Royals, my guest on last night’s Yanks Go Yard Radio Show was John Viril, the editor of Kings of Kauffman. John gave his take on the Royals recent success and talked about some of the struggles Kansas City has had at the leadoff spot. Here are some of the other topics we discussed:

• What’s been the key for Duffy in the second half?
• When will the Royals get Davis back in the bullpen?
• Pitching Matchup Breakdown
• Michael Pineda’s start pushed back to tonight from Sunday
• Dillon Gee (tonight’s Royals starter) pitched well against the Yankees back in May
• Masahiro Tanaka (tomorrow’s Yankees starter) has 34 strikeouts to one walk in his last five starts
• Why it’s been a disappointing season for Edinson Volquez (tomorrow’s Royals starter)
• Luis Cessa (Wednesday’s starting pitcher) showing good signs in the starting rotation
• Kennedy has just two wins at home going back to late June
• Yankees hitters to watch: Didi Gregorius and Brian McCann
• Royals hitters to watch: Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain
• Will the Royals make the playoffs? Why or why not?

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