Kansas City hosts New York, aims to build on Keller's strong performance
New York Yankees (32-17, first in the AL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (17-32, fifth in the AL Central)
Kansas City, Kansas; Friday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Yankees: Chad Green (0-2, 12.41 ERA, 2.23 WHIP, 10 strikeouts) Royals: Jakob Junis (3-5, 5.69 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 47 strikeouts)
BOTTOM LINE: The Royals are 10-15 on their home turf. The Kansas City pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.23, Brad Keller leads the staff with a mark of 4.43.
The Yankees are 15-7 on the road. The New York offense has compiled a .257 batting average as a team this season, good for eighth in the majors. DJ LeMahieu leads the team with an average of .329. This is the first meeting of the season for these two teams.
TOP PERFORMERS: Whit Merrifield leads the Royals with 26 extra base hits and is batting .292. Alex Gordon is 9-for-33 with four doubles and four RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.
Gleyber Torres leads the Yankees with 21 extra base hits and has 25 RBIs. Gary Sanchez is 13-for-38 with a triple, four home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games for New York.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 3-7, .245 batting average, 6.21 ERA, outscored by 29 runs
Yankees: 8-2, .264 batting average, 3.96 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs
Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: 60-day IL (hip), Jesse Hahn: 60-day IL (elbow), Brian Flynn: 10-day IL (elbow), Lucas Duda: 10-day IL (lumbar strain), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow).
Yankees Injuries: Luis Severino: 60-day IL (shoulder), CC Sabathia: 10-day IL (knee), James Paxton: 10-day IL (knee), Jordan Montgomery: 60-day IL (elbow), Jonathan Loaisiga: 60-day IL (shoulder), Ben Heller: 60-day IL (elbow), Dellin Betances: 60-day IL (shoulder), Aaron Judge: 10-day IL (oblique), Jacoby Ellsbury: 60-day IL (hip), Troy Tulowitzki: 10-day IL (calf), Didi Gregorius: 60-day IL (elbow), Greg Bird: 60-day IL (foot), Miguel Andujar: 60-day IL (labrum), Giancarlo Stanton: 10-day IL (bicep).
