First pitch is 6:10 PM CT at Great American Ball Park, with Stephen Kolek (3-1, 3.48) trying to steal the rubber game for a 23-38 Royals team that's been getting punched in the mouth for two weeks. Chase Burns goes for Cincinnati at 7-1 with a 1.96 ERA, and Pinnacle has the Reds at -147 on the moneyline with a total of 8.5.
Kolek's last time out was a 5-inning, 4-earned-run loss in Texas, which more or less sums up the Royals' road trip. Burns, meanwhile, struck out 8 over 5.1 innings against the Mets in his last start and has been carrying this rotation while Hunter Greene works his way back. If Kansas City's plan involves out-slugging him, that plan needs a backup.
Tuesday night had to sting. The Royals were 3 outs from stealing a series after Monday's 9-2 beatdown, then Will Benson tied it with a solo shot in the 9th and Blake Dunn walked it off in the 10th. That's how Cincinnati gets to 31-29 — bailing themselves out late and letting Burns clean up the next day.
- Day-To-DayMaikel Garcia 3B — Garcia (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's contest in Cincinnati.
- 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 — Ragans (elbow) resumed playing catch Monday, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILNick Mears RP — Mears (2-3) was tagged with the loss in relief Friday against the Mariners after allowing two runs on one hit and one walk over one inning.
- 15-Day-ILKris Bubic SP — Bubic (elbow) is still dealing with general left arm fatigue, MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayConnor Burns C — no
- Day-To-DayJosh Staumont RP — The Twins reinstated Staumont (calf) from the 15-day injured list Friday and optioned him to Triple-A St. Paul, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILElly De La Cruz SS — Reds manager Terry Francona said Monday that an MRI on De La Cruz's right hamstring showed between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 strain, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
- 10-Day-ILJose Trevino C — Trevino (hamstring) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Friday, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILKe'Bryan Hayes 3B — Hayes is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
- 15-Day-ILEmilio Pagan RP — Pagan (hamstring) underwent an MRI exam Friday that showed positive results, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILPierce Johnson RP — Johnson threw a scoreless seventh inning in Tuesday's win over the Phillies to pick up his fourth hold of the season. He struck out two while allowing a walk.
- 15-Day-ILRhett Lowder SP — Lowder (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
Both dugouts are working short. Elly De La Cruz is on the IL with a Grade 1-to-2 hamstring strain, which is the kind of bat you cannot replace, and the Reds are also without Greene, Rhett Lowder, Ke'Bryan Hayes, and Jose Trevino. Kansas City's list is uglier — Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic out of the rotation, Carlos Estevez and Nick Mears out of the pen, Jonathan India done for the year, and Maikel Garcia missing another game with a hamstring.
The number that matters: Burns has a 1.96 ERA and the Royals are 23-38. The under at -119 makes sense on paper given his form, but Kolek has been steady enough that if Cincinnati's banged-up lineup goes quiet again, this thing can stay tight into the late innings. Just don't expect Kansas City to put up another 9-spot.