The Royals are in a free fall. They've dropped 5 straight, just got swept by Chicago, and the offense managed 2 runs in the finale on Friday. Now they hop a flight to St. Louis at 19-26 and have to stare down a Cardinals club that's been one of the more competent teams in the NL Central.
Noah Cameron toes the rubber for KC carrying a 5.55 ERA, and the trajectory is the part that should worry you more than the number. Cameron opened the year with a couple of sharp starts and has since coughed up at least 3 earned runs in 5 consecutive outings — and that wasn't against the Yankees lineup of legend, that was Tigers, Angels, A's, White Sox. The Cardinals' bats will not feel sorry for him.
Kyle Leahy goes for St. Louis, and he's quietly turned a corner. After getting roughed up early — his ERA was sitting at 5.52 — Leahy has surrendered exactly 1 earned run over his last 10.1 innings, including a scoreless 5-inning gem against the Padres. The 4.31 mark next to his name doesn't tell the story of who's throwing the ball this afternoon.
The market sees what you see. Cardinals are home favorites at -116 on the Pinnacle moneyline, and the EV tilts in St. Louis's direction — the only positive-EV side on the board for this game. DK money and bets are both sitting on the home team too, which is a rare moment of public-and-sharp alignment.
The Royals are also nursing a brutal injury sheet — Cole Ragans still day-to-day with the elbow, Jonathan India done for the year after labrum surgery, Carlos Estevez sidelined with a rotator cuff strain. That's your ace, your second baseman, and a high-leverage arm all unavailable while the team is in the middle of its worst stretch of the season.
- 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
- 10-Day-ILJonathan India 2B — The Royals announced Tuesday that India underwent season-ending surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder.
- 15-Day-ILCole Ragans SP — Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Tuesday that Ragans (elbow) played catch two of the past three days and remains day-to-day, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCarlos Estevez RP — Estevez (foot) was diagnosed with a right rotator cuff strain Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBailey Falter RP — Falter (elbow) allowed no hits or walks with two strikeouts across 1.1 scoreless innings with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
- 60-Day-ILJames McArthur RP — The Royals transferred McArthur (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
- 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-DaySem Robberse SP — Robberse (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals on Monday, which includes an invitation to spring training, 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.
- 10-Day-ILRamon Urias 3B — The Cardinals placed Urias on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with right elbow lateral epicondylitis.
- 15-Day-ILMatt Pushard RP — Pushard (knee) could be activated from the 15-day injured list during the Cardinals' homestand beginning May 15, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
- 60-Day-ILLars Nootbaar LF — Nootbaar (heels) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Palm Beach on Friday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Bottom line: a slumping road team, a hurt bullpen, a starter trending the wrong way, against a home team whose pitcher is finally locked in. If Kansas City wants to break the streak, they're going to have to actually earn it for once.