Game Seventy: New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals

Can the Royals salvage a game?

Kansas City will get one last crack at their former archrivals in the Yankees this afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals lost a close one on Monday before being bludgeoned each of the last two nights by New York’s powerful lineup. Kansas City will look to salvage the getaway game today.

Alec Marsh will start for the Royals. After a solid start to the season, Marsh has really struggled of late, posting a 7.41 ERA over his last three starts. The longball has been his biggest problem — after allowing just three homers across his first 43 innings, he has surrendered five in his last 17. That does not bode well against a Yankees team that has hit six home runs in this series. Marsh faced New York in his last start of 2023, surrendering three runs across 4.1 innings.

The Yankees counter with Nestor Cortes. Cortes has posted a solid 3.68 ERA this season with a career low strikeout rate and walk rate. He’s a flyball pitcher that’s difficult to square up as despite a 45.0% hard-hit rate, he’s allowed just a .291 xwOBA. Cortes last faced the Royals on July 30, 2022, allowing two runs in five innings.

First pitch: 1:10 pm CDT

Royals lineup

Yankees lineup