Michael McGreevy (3-5, 2.99) draws Seth Lugo (2-4, 3.86) in game 2, and the matchup is way more interesting than the records suggest. McGreevy has been quietly excellent — 10 of 14 starts allowing 2 runs or fewer — but hasn't picked up a win since May 8. Lugo is making his first start back from the 7-day concussion IL after a 3.1-inning, 44-pitch tune-up against Texas on June 10.
The bigger story heading into Friday is what the Royals look like without Bobby Witt Jr. on the field. Witt homered, singled in a run, and then exited Thursday's 14-6 win with right knee discomfort after a sliding stop at short. He's listed day-to-day and it's the same knee that bothered him earlier this month, which is not the kind of recurring note you want as a Royals fan.
- Day-To-DaySem Robberse SP — Robberse (elbow) has been sent to the Cardinals' Florida Complex League affiliate to begin a rehab assignment.
- Day-To-DayPacky Naughton RP — Naughton will undergo surgery next month to repair the damaged UCL in his left elbow, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
- Day-To-DayVictor Santos RP — The Red Sox traded Santos (undisclosed) and Nick Robertson to the Cardinals on Friday in exchange for Tyler O'Neill (foot), Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
- Day-To-DayIxan Henderson SP — Henderson (elbow) is starting the season on the 60-day injured list at Triple-A Memphis.
- Day-To-DayZack Thompson RP — The Cardinals reassigned Thompson (shoulder) to minor-league camp Monday.
- 15-Day-ILRyan Fernandez RP — Fernandez (back) is on track to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis on Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
- 60-Day-ILRamon Urias 3B — Urias (elbow) returned to St. Louis to undergo an examination on his left elbow, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
- Day-To-DayBobby Witt Jr. SS — Witt went 3-for-4 with a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Nationals.
- Day-To-DayMaikel Garcia 3B — Garcia (hand) remains out of the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Cardinals.
- Day-To-DayAnthony Simonelli SP — no
- Day-To-DayJavier Vaz 2B — Vaz (fingers) has produced a .238/.304/.262 slash line with zero home runs and three stolen bases in 10 games since being activated from Double-A Northwest Arkansas' 7-day injured list April 22.
- Day-To-DayTyson Guerrero RP — no
- 7-Day ILSeth Lugo SP — Lugo (concussion) is expected to be reinstated from the 7-day injured list to start Friday against the Nationals, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILVinnie Pasquantino 1B — Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that Pasquantino underwent surgery Sunday to remove a fractured hamate bone in his right hand and will face a recovery timeline of roughly 4-6 weeks, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.
- 10-Day-ILKyle Isbel CF — Isbel has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 tear of a portion of his left plantar fasciitis.
Even without Witt for a chunk of the night, KC put up a 17-hit, 5-double offensive eruption in the series opener. Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez both went deep, and every one of the first 8 hitters in the order drove in a run. That's a season-best output against a Cardinals club that had just been swept out of a home series by San Diego, dropping the finale 6-1 before getting buried 14-6 Thursday. Three straight losses, 26 runs allowed in 2 of them — the pitching staff needs McGreevy to eat innings.
The Cardinals counter with a lineup that's still 40-33 and 9 games over .500, but the rotation depth keeps getting tested. Sem Robberse is out on a rehab assignment, Ixan Henderson is shelved, and the bullpen has Ryan Fernandez and Packy Naughton sidelined (Naughton is headed for UCL surgery). KC's own pitching staff is worse off — Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic are both on the IL, Alec Marsh is on the 60-day, and closer Carlos Estevez was just transferred to the 60-day IL too.
Add in Vinnie Pasquantino (hamate surgery, 4-6 weeks) and Kyle Isbel (Grade 3 plantar fascia tear) already out for KC, plus Maikel Garcia's hand keeping him out of the lineup, and the Royals are leaning hard on Caglianone, Perez, and whatever they can squeeze out of the back of the order. Beat one of the league's stingiest starters with that group two nights in a row and the rebuild conversation gets louder in a hurry.