Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS ACTIVATE KARNS FROM DISABLED LIST
By artoodeetoo
09/10/2018

To the surprise of the media that follow the Royals, right-hander Nathan Karns has been activated ahead of the series with Chicago beginning tonight. He will likely not pitch tonight, but should be available from tomorrow night through the end of the season. He has traveled with the team for the past few weeks, and has had several bullpen sessions in a row where he has not dealt with pain during or after the session.

"Nate's progress has certainly been solid over the past several weeks or so," said manager Ned Yost. "He's been going off a mound in that timeframe, and we're hopeful that he can contribute down the stretch and into next season."

Yost, along with head trainer Nick Kenney and pitching coach Cal Eldred, made the pitch to general manager Travis Greenleaf and team president Dayton Moore to re-activate him and received the go-ahead, since it would involve a roster move to put him back on the 40-man roster. To make room, the Royals designated rookie righty Jake Newberry for assignment, who sported a 9.64 ERA in three MLB appearances.

Newberry, who has all three options remaining, will likely accept an outright assignment to Omaha to help preserve his three MLB options once he clears waivers.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (57-86) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (63-79)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

09/10: RHP Carson Fulmer (8-6, 5.43) vs LHP Danny Duffy (11-11, 4.15)
09/11: RHP James Shields (2-17, 8.32) vs RHP Jake Junis (10-10, 3.85)
09/12: RHP Dylan Covey (0-5, 8.84) vs RHP Trevor Oaks (4-4, 4.27)

GAME RECAPS

September 10th, 2018
White Sox (57-87) 1, Royals (64-79) 3
Winner: Burch Smith (7-1) Loser: Xavier Cedeno (1-4) Save: None

Royals Win in Walk-Off Style

Frank Schwindel's first MLB homerun came at a good time, as he lashed an errant cut fastball from Xavier Cedeno into the Royals' bullpen to send the home fans away happy in a 3-1 victory. The homerun also extended his modest hitting streak to five, as he followed up his three-hit performance at Minnesota yesterday with a game-winning homerun. Danny Duffy didn't factor into the decision, but continued a solid run in the second half with ten strikeouts in six and two-third innings of work. Burch Smith pitched the final two innings while not allowing a baserunner; fanning three to move to 7-1 out of the bullpen in 2018.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Texas (63-81) 1, LA Angels (70-74) 5
Chi. Sox (57-87) 1, Kansas City (64-79) 3
Cleveland (84-60) 2, Tampa Bay (72-71) 3
Houston (90-54) 4, Detroit (62-82) 1
NY Yankees (95-49) 3, Minnesota (66-78) 2
LA Dodgers (80-64) 1, Cincinnati (62-82) 3
Washington (72-73) 2, Philadelphia (72-70) 4 (Final/12)
Miami (52-92) 13, NY Mets (67-76) 8 (Final/11)
Pittsburgh (73-70) 5, St. Louis (74-70) 4 (Final/10)
Milwaukee (80-65) 4, Chi. Cubs (81-62) 7
Arizona (82-62) 5, Colorado (71-72) 6 (Final/12)
Atlanta (78-66) 6, San Francisco (74-71) 13

September 11th, 2018
White Sox (58-87) 6, Royals (64-80) 1
Winner: James Shields (3-17) Loser: Jake Junis (10-11) Save: None

First-Inning Gaffes Sink Kansas City

It was a first inning that catcher Cam Gallagher would soon like to forget; as he was charged with a passed ball, and then a throwing error with two outs that led to a three-run homerun from Welington Castillo, giving the White Sox a 4-0 lead before the Royals even took their first turn at bat, eventually falling in a 6-1 defeat. Jake Junis was charged with just one earned run in a brief outing, throwing just sixty-six pitches before being pulled for forearm soreness. Manager Ned Yost said that it was not serious, but that Junis might get an extra day of rest in the rotation. On a positive note -- Nathan Karns made his first outing of the 2018 season after having his timetable moved up by a week, and tossed one and one-third scoreless innings, allowing one hit and fanning one.

MLB SCOREBOARD
San Diego (67-79) 3, Seattle (68-76) 2 (Final/10)
Toronto (65-78) 1, Boston (89-56) 3
Oakland (75-70) 6, Baltimore (54-90) 5
Texas (63-82) 4, LA Angels (71-74) 5
Chi. Sox (58-87) 6, Kansas City (64-80) 1
Cleveland (84-61) 5, Tampa Bay (73-71) 7
Houston (91-54) 7, Detroit (62-83) 4
NY Yankees (95-50) 0, Minnesota (67-78) 1
LA Dodgers (80-65) 3, Cincinnati (63-82) 5
Washington (72-74) 10, Philadelphia (73-70) 13
Miami (53-92) 4, NY Mets (67-77) 2
Pittsburgh (73-71) 4, St. Louis (75-70) 5
Milwaukee (80-66) 2, Chi. Cubs (82-62) 8
Arizona (82-63) 6, Colorado (72-72) 8
Atlanta (78-67) 6, San Francisco (75-71) 9

September 12th, 2018
White Sox (58-88) 2, Royals (65-80) 4
Winner: Trevor Oaks (5-4) Loser: Dylan Covey (0-6) Save: Brandon Maurer (3)

Oaks Fans A Dozen; Royals Double Chicago Up

With a dozen strikeouts and no walks in seven and one-third innings of work, Trevor Oaks left the field to a standing ovation in the eighth before the Royals eventually went on to win by a 4-2 score. Whit Merrifield delivered a 4-for-4 performance, including extending his career-high in doubles by one, and drawing a free pass. Brian Goodwin and Adalberto Mondesi also went 2-for-4 each, with Goodwin slugging his second homerun as a Royal in addition to stealing a base, while Mondesi doubled in the eighth. Brandon Maurer surrendered a leadoff homerun in the ninth, but settled in and got the last three outs in a row for his third save.

MLB SCOREBOARD
San Diego (68-79) 9, Seattle (68-77) 4
Toronto (66-78) 7, Boston (89-57) 3
Oakland (76-70) 7, Baltimore (54-91) 4
Texas (63-83) 2, LA Angels (72-74) 4
Chi. Sox (58-88) 2, Kansas City (65-80) 4
Cleveland (85-61) 6, Tampa Bay (73-72) 2
Houston (92-54) 6, Detroit (62-84) 2
NY Yankees (96-50) 2, Minnesota (67-79) 1
LA Dodgers (81-65) 6, Cincinnati (63-83) 1
Washington (73-74) 10, Philadelphia (73-71) 9 (Final/10)
Miami (54-92) 2, NY Mets (67-78) 1
Pittsburgh (74-71) 5, St. Louis (75-71) 3
Milwaukee (80-67) 2, Chi. Cubs (83-62) 4
Arizona (83-63) 9, Colorado (72-73) 6
Atlanta (78-68) 2, San Francisco (76-71) 3

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
09/10: Seattle 3B Kyle Seager suffers minor injuries in car accident; not expected to miss significant time
09/10: Angels RHP Jim Johnson to miss remainder of season with elbow fracture after taking line drive
09/10: Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller's career in doubt after elbow arthritis diagnosis; will miss rest of 2018 season
09/10: Goldy, Trout named NL, AL Players of the Week
09/11: Rays veteran RHP J.D. Martin out for season with shoulder inflammation
09/12: Arizona places All-Star lefty Patrick Corbin on 10-day disabled list (sore elbow)

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MINNESOTA TWINS (67-79) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (65-80)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

09/13: RHP Jose Berrios (10-8, 3.38) vs RHP Ian Kennedy (4-8, 4.34)
09/14: RHP Michael Fulmer (0-4, 7.00) vs RHP Brad Keller (6-8, 3.57)
09/15: RHP Ervin Santana (8-12, 5.01) vs LHP Danny Duffy (11-11, 4.05)
09/16: RHP Jake Odorizzi (4-7, 4.89) vs RHP Heath Fillmyer (3-3, 4.65)

GAME RECAPS

September 13th, 2018
Twins (68-79) 4, Royals (65-81) 2
Winner: Jose Berrios (11-8) Loser: Eric Stout (1-1) Save: John Curtiss (1)

Late Back-to-Back Homeruns Send K.C. to Defeat

Chris Carter and Eddie Rosario went back-to-back off 2019 bullpen hopeful Eric Stout as the Twins rallied over the Royals, sending them to a 4-2 defeat. It sullied an otherwise nice outing for Ian Kennedy, as he threw just eighty pitches in a six-inning start, fanning six while allowing just one run. Kansas City scored both of their runs in a two-run third inning, with an RBI double from Whit Merrifield, and a sac fly off the bat of Salvador Perez. Shrugging off a poor outing against the Royals in Minnesota, Jose Berrios went seven and one-third innings, fanning four while allowing just two runs.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Oakland (77-70) 4, Baltimore (54-92) 3 (Final/12)
Seattle (69-77) 10, LA Angels (72-75) 6
Minnesota (68-79) 4, Kansas City (65-81) 2
Toronto (66-79) 1, Boston (90-57) 2
Chi. Cubs (84-62) 7, Philadelphia (73-72) 2
Miami (54-93) 4, NY Mets (68-78) 5
Arizona (83-64) 2, Colorado (73-73) 3
LA Dodgers (82-65) 5, St. Louis (75-72) 1

September 14th, 2018
Twins (68-80) 2, Royals (66-81) 4
Winner: Brad Keller (7-8) Loser: Michael Pineda (0-5) Save: Richard Lovelady (3)

Royals Return Favor With 4-2 Victory

Brad Keller allowed just two runs over seven innings, fanning four as he was the main driver in Kansas City's 4-2 victory over Minnesota to even their four-game series. Keller has now nearly evened his overall record, raising it to 7-8. Four different Royals drove in runs, with Adalberto Mondesi driving in a run with a triple, and Cam Gallagher going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Michael Pineda went seven innings for the Twins, allowing four runs while striking out just one with three walks. Richard Lovelady picked up his third save, striking out two in a 1-2-3 inning.

MLB SCOREBOARD
NY Mets (69-78) 9, Boston (90-58) 8
Detroit (62-85) 2, Cleveland (86-61) 3
Oakland (77-71) 3, Tampa Bay (74-72) 5
Chi. Sox (59-88) 3, Baltimore (54-93) 1
Seattle (70-77) 3, LA Angels (72-76) 2
Arizona (84-64) 9, Houston (92-55) 5
Minnesota (68-80) 2, Kansas City (66-81) 4
Toronto (66-80) 3, NY Yankees (97-50) 15
Washington (73-75) 2, Atlanta (79-68) 3
Miami (54-94) 1, Philadelphia (74-72) 10
Pittsburgh (75-71) 9, Milwaukee (80-68) 3
Cincinnati (64-83) 3, Chi. Cubs (84-63) 2 (Final/10)
LA Dodgers (82-66) 1, St. Louis (76-72) 11
Colorado (73-74) 2, San Francisco (77-71) 3
Texas (63-84) 3, San Diego (69-79) 17

September 15th, 2018
Twins (68-81) 3, Royals (67-81) 4
Winner: Danny Duffy (12-11) Loser: Ervin Santana (8-13) Save: Tim Hill (5)

Danny Duffy's Dirty Dozen Victories

With seven innings of two-run ball, Danny Duffy reached a dozen victories with a 4-3 decision over the visiting Twins. He fanned five and walked none over his seven innings of work in a tidy 102 pitches, and dropped his ERA to 3.99 as his second-half success continued. Offensively, the Royals did all of their damage in the first inning, scoring four runs off starter Ervin Santana before he bowed out with an apparent upper-body injury after getting just two outs. Frank Schwindel hit his second homerun of the season as the big blow, while Ramon Torres and Cam Gallagher each collected RBI in the opening frame.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Chi. Sox (59-88) @ Baltimore (54-93) -- PPD
NY Mets (70-78) 3, Boston (90-59) 1
Detroit (62-86) 4, Cleveland (87-61) 7
Oakland (77-72) 1, Tampa Bay (75-72) 5
Seattle (71-77) 8, LA Angels (72-77) 5
Arizona (84-65) 3, Houston (93-55) 4 (Final/10)
Minnesota (68-81) 3, Kansas City (67-81) 4
Toronto (66-81) 0, NY Yankees (98-50) 6
Washington (73-76) 1, Atlanta (80-68) 6
Miami (55-94) 14, Philadelphia (74-73) 2
Pittsburgh (76-71) 3, Milwaukee (80-69) 1
Cincinnati (64-84) 1, Chi. Cubs (85-63) 4
LA Dodgers (83-66) 8, St. Louis (76-73) 6
Colorado (74-74) 4, San Francisco (77-72) 2
Texas (63-85) 4, San Diego (70-79) 6

September 16th, 2018
Twins (69-81) 5, Royals (67-82) 4
Winner: Jake Odorizzi (5-7) Loser: Jorge Lopez (0-1) Save: Addison Reed (10)

Danny Duffy's Dirty Dozen Victories

Minnesota raced out to a 5-0 lead after three innings thanks to homeruns from Max Kepler and Miguel Sano, but the Royals chipped away with three runs in the fourth, and a single tally in the eighth. Addison Reed came in for the ninth, and pitched a perfect inning to slam the door as the Twins snuck away with a 5-4 win. Whit Merrifield paced the Royals' offensive attack with two hits and a stolen base, his 24th of the season. Jorge Lopez got the start, and while he struck out six in five innings, he allowed five runs, six hits, and two walks.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Chi. Sox (59-89) 4, Baltimore (55-93) 5 (G1)
Chi. Sox (60-89) 6, Baltimore (55-94) 4 (G2)
NY Mets (70-79) 1, Boston (91-59) 3
Detroit (62-87) 0, Cleveland (88-61) 9
Oakland (77-73) 2, Tampa Bay (76-72) 3
Seattle (71-78) 2, LA Angels (73-77) 3
Arizona (84-66) 3, Houston (94-55) 7
Minnesota (69-81) 5, Kansas City (67-82) 4
Toronto (66-82) 1, NY Yankees (99-50) 5
Washington (73-77) 0, Atlanta (81-68) 13
Miami (56-94) 6, Philadelphia (74-74) 2
Pittsburgh (76-71) 3, Milwaukee (80-69) 1
Cincinnati (65-84) 5, Chi. Cubs (85-64) 4
LA Dodgers (84-66) 2, St. Louis (76-74) 1
Colorado (74-75) 6, San Francisco (78-72) 8
Texas (64-85) 6, San Diego (70-80) 2

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
09/13: Houston clinches post-season berth; joins Yankees as only teams to clinch
09/14: MLB suspends Yankees SS Didi Gregorius (four games) and Blue Jays RHP Joe Biagini (six games) for bench-clearing incident
09/15: Astros clinch AL West; secure likely #2 seed
09/16: Baltimore 1B Chris Davis hits 300th career homerun in 6-4 loss to White Sox

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

2019 PAYROLL OUTLOOK
By artoodeetoo
09/17/2018

With the season winding down, our attention can turn to next season's roster; and what kind of payroll that Kansas City could have next year. The 2018 payroll is a little over $100 million, with a projected $109M payroll in 2019. However, I expect that to go down in 2019 absent David Glass suddenly deciding to be a little less stingy with the pocketbook, as the Royals have a lot of younger pieces playing big roles. There are only two (well, one) departing free agents -- the Royals will be paying Lucas Duda's salary the remainder of the season; but Alcides Escobar remains with the team, and becomes a free agent at season's end.

Also, Jason Hammel and Wily Peralta also have upcoming team options that will surely be turned down, as Hammel's ($12) and Peralta's ($3M) options won't figure into the salary numbers for next year, possibly freeing up some additional cash for extensions or free agency depending on what ownership wants to do. There are also some arbitration-eligible non-tender candidates, although it's hard to tell at this point who those might be.

Brandon Maurer seemed to be one of those candidates early on after a rough April and a brief demotion to Triple-A in May, but has been solid ever since with a 2.41 ERA since the beginning of July. Maurer also has the biggest projected number on the roster, projected to make $3.4M in arbitration. Given last year's semi-ugly arbitration with him, they're probably going to have to go over that significantly to keep him if they wish.

There are other options that have emerged in the bullpen that won't have arbitration attached to them that could endanger Maurer's status as well. For example, Burch Smith emerged as a big-time strikeout artist in 2018, fanning seventy-one hitters in just 52 1/3 innings of relief work, notching a 3.96 ERA in that span. Nathan Karns, another arb-eligible reliever, along with Jesse Hahn could play a role in 2019. Hahn's and Karns' projected arbitration salaries combined ($2.3M) don't match Maurer's projected figure, although Maurer doesn't have the injury history of the latter two.

Jorge Soler and his $4M salary figure are going to come into play in the coming weeks, as he's still recovering from a toe injury. With all of the young outfield depth with the club, Paulo Orlando at thirty-three might be nearing the end of his Royals' tenure, but he's one of the few they have that can play all three outfield spots pretty well, and can still run. Plus, he still has an option to use, even at his more advanced age. Another interesting arbitration case will be Cheslor Cuthbert, who has a Fangraphs projection at $2.2M despite just eighty-four PA in 2018. His final two weeks of the season will be crucial as he comes off the disabled list today, and will likely play every day to see what they have for next year.

With all of that said, even if they decline Hammel's and Peralta's options, and non-tender a player or two; don't expect the Royals to be huge players in free agency for any of the bigger names on the market. They have possible extensions they should consider for in-house names such as Whit Merrifield and Jake Junis, and they already have big contracts with Salvador Perez, Alex Gordon, Danny Duffy, and Ian Kennedy that don't come off the books for multiple years in some of those cases.

The Royals reportedly tried to shop Kennedy prior to the deadline (and his injury), but did not get a lot of traffic. If he closes out the season with a few more strong starts and stays off the disabled list, he may re-generate some trade interest with a pitching-needy club after the free agency period sorts itself out later in the winter. However, even if he closes strong, the club would probably have to eat a decent portion of his remaining deal to move him.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (67-82) @ PITTSBURGH PIRATES (76-72)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

09/17: RHP Jake Junis (10-11, 3.82) vs RHP Trevor Williams (4-3, 3.08)
09/18: RHP Trevor Oaks (5-4, 4.01) vs RHP Ivan Nova (6-10, 4.18)
09/19: RHP Ian Kennedy (4-8, 4.19) vs RHP Chris Archer (12-11, 4.33)

GAME RECAPS

September 17th, 2018
Kansas City (67-83) 3, Pittsburgh (77-72) 6
Winner: Keone Kela (6-3) Loser: Eric Stout (1-2) Save: Nick Burdi (7)

Four-Run Eighth Key In Royals' Defeat

Jordy Mercer homered off Eric Stout as part of a Pittsburgh four-run eighth inning as the Pirates doubled up the Royals by a 6-3 count. It was the second consecutive rough outing for the left-hander, as his ERA ballooned to 6.75. After delaying his start by one day, Jake Junis went just five innings, throwing ninety-four pitches while allowing two runs on just two hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. Whit Merrifield and Brett Phillips each had a trio of hits to pace the Royals' offense; with one of Merrifield's hits going for two bases, giving him 40 doubles on the season. Former Texas Ranger Keone Kela picked up the victory in relief for Pittsburgh, while Nick Burdi corralled the save.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (69-81) @ Detroit (62-87) -- PPD
Toronto (67-82) 12, Baltimore (55-95) 1
Seattle (71-79) 1, Houston (95-55) 2
Tampa Bay (76-73) 3, Texas (65-85) 5
Kansas City (67-83) 3, Pittsburgh (77-72) 6
Washington (74-77) 3, Miami (56-95) 1
NY Mets (71-79) 9, Philadelphia (74-75) 6
St. Louis (76-75) 7, Atlanta (82-68) 8 (Final/12)
Cincinnati (65-85) 3, Milwaukee (82-69) 7
Colorado (76-76) 4, LA Dodgers (85-66) 8 (Final/10)
Chi. Cubs (86-64) 2, Arizona (84-67) 1
San Francisco (78-73) 0, San Diego (71-80) 4

September 18th, 2018
Kansas City (68-83) 4, Pittsburgh (77-73) (Final/13)
Winner: Nathan Karns (1-0) Loser: Dovydas Neverauskas (7-3) Save: Burch Smith (3)

Kansas City Wins It In Bakers' Dozen Innings

A throwing error in the 13th by Adam Frazier allowed pinch-runner Ramon Torres to score from second base, giving the Royals a 4-3 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Burch Smith pitched a scoreless bottom of the frame to pick up the save, his third. Nathan Karns gave the Royals two solid innings of relief, picking up his first victory of 2018. Rosell Herrera and Brett Phillips each went 2-for-6, and Herrera, Cheslor Cuthbert, and even starting pitcher Trevor Oaks all had RBI singles. Oaks went six innings, scattering seven hits and a walk with one strikeout, but did not figure into the decision.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (70-81) 9, Detroit (62-88) 2 (G1)
Minnesota (70-82) 0, Detroit (63-88) 3 (G2)
Boston (92-59) 4, NY Yankees (99-51) 3
Toronto (68-82) 11, Baltimore (55-96) 7
Chi. Sox (60-90) 2, Cleveland (89-61) 3
Seattle (72-79) 7, Houston (95-56) 5
Tampa Bay (76-74) 3, Texas (66-85) 11
LA Angels (73-78) 0, Oakland (78-73) 17
Kansas City (68-83) 4, Pittsburgh (77-73) 3 (Final/13)
Washington (75-77) 6, Miami (56-96) 4
NY Mets (71-80) 8, Philadelphia (75-75) 10
St. Louis (76-76) 4, Atlanta (83-68) 8
Cincinnati (66-85) 8, Milwaukee (82-70) 5
Colorado (74-77) 4, LA Dodgers (86-66) 5 (Final/11)
Chi. Cubs (86-65) 1, Arizona (85-67) 15
San Francisco (79-73) 1, San Diego (71-81) 0

September 19th, 2018
Kansas City (69-83) 3, Pittsburgh (77-74) (Final/13)
Winner: Ian Kennedy (5-8) Loser: Chris Archer (12-12) Save: Brandon Maurer (4)

Kennedy, Kansas City Blank Pittsburgh

Ian Kennedy spun six and two-third innings of shutout ball, scattering three hits and three walks with six strikeouts as the Royals used three pitchers combined to shut Pittsburgh out, 3-0. As they've done for the series, Rosell Herrera and Brett Phillips led the charge offensively, each collecting a pair of hits; with Herrera driving in a pair of runs. They had just enough offense to overcome a strong effort by Chris Archer, who fanned ten Royals in six innings, allowing just two earned runs and one walk. Kansas City is now just a game-and-a-half out of second place in the division, although the second-place team in Minnesota still sits twenty games behind the Indians, and the Royals are still double-digit games back in the wildcard standings.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Minnesota (71-82) 3, Detroit (63-89) 1
Boston (93-59) 11, NY Yankees (99-52) 0
Toronto (68-83) 3, Baltimore (56-96) 4 (Final/10)
Chi. Sox (60-91) 0, Cleveland (90-61) 5
Seattle (72-80) 1, Houston (96-56) 2 (Final/15)
Tampa Bay (76-75) 6, Texas (67-85) 7
LA Angels (73-79) 5, Oakland (79-73) 7
Kansas City (69-83) 3, Pittsburgh (77-74) 0
Washington (75-77) 6, Miami (56-96) 4
NY Mets (71-81) 3, Philadelphia (76-75) 6
St. Louis (77-76) 5, Atlanta (83-69) 0
Cincinnati (66-86) 1, Milwaukee (83-70) 2
Colorado (74-78) 1, LA Dodgers (87-66) 8
Chi. Cubs (87-65) 10, Arizona (85-68) 3
San Francisco (79-74) 4, San Diego (72-81) 5 (Final/10)

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
09/17: Astros' Correa, Phils' Herrera earn Player of the Week honors
09/17: Boston clinches playoff spot; setting up potential Yanks-Sox ALCS
09/17: Junior Circuit claims top four spots in new Power Rankings
09/18: Astros place SS Carlos Correa on 10-day disabled list (wrist); expected to return for postseason
09/18: Dodgers sign RHP Michael Mariot to pro-rated one-year deal
09/19: Phillies activate RHP Aaron Nola from disabled list
09/19: Seattle activates OF Ichiro Suzuki from disabled list

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS MAKE MINOR MOVES
By artoodeetoo
09/20/2018

In the wake of the retirements of Northwest Arkansas pitching coach Steve Luebber and hitting coach Leon Roberts in the last week, the Royals have moved quickly to fill those spots; hiring former MLB southpaw Dennys Reyes to fill the pitching coach role, and long-time MLB assistant coach Joe Vavra to serve as the team's hitting coach.

Both signed one-year contracts, but the amounts were not disclosed. Generally, aside from a few exceptions, minor-league coaching contracts are for one season.

Vavra is no stranger to minor league coaching, although it's been nearly two decades since he served in the minors in any capacity. Vavra will fulfill his duties as Detroit's quality control coach through the end of this season before taking the role. He'll also serve as a hitting coach in the Arizona Fall League this upcoming season.

Reyes formerly pitched for the Royals back in the early 2000's, splitting time between the rotation and bullpen. After his last year in MLB in 2011, he took a one-year break before catching on with several teams in the Liga Mexican Baseball League, playing one year for Mexico City, and two with Tijuana before officially calling it quits. This will be his first coaching job at any level.

On the player front, the Royals signed minor-league left-hander Jerry Vasto to a minor-league contract. Vasto, 26, made thirty-one appearances for the Cubs' Double-A affiliate in Knoxville, Tenn., sporting a 3.23 ERA and fanning thirty-eight in 30 2/3 innings. He made one appearance for the Iowa Cubs, pitching one and one-third scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB STANDINGS UPDATE

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (69-83) @ DETROIT TIGERS (64-88)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

09/20: RHP Brad Keller (7-8, 3.51) vs RHP Kyle Funkhouser (0-6, 6.91)
09/21: LHP Danny Duffy (12-11, 3.99) vs LHP Francisco Liriano (7-9, 5.26)
09/22: RHP Jake Junis (10-11, 3.82) vs RHP Michael Fulmer (10-13, 4.64)
09/23: RHP Trevor Oaks (5-4, 3.94) vs LHP Matt Boyd (7-7, 5.09)

GAME RECAPS

September 20th, 2018
Kansas City (69-84) 5, Detroit (64-89) 9
Winner: Joe Ortiz (5-3) Loser: Jesse Hahn (0-2) Save: Joe Jimenez (27)

Tigers Pull Away Late

Scott Barlow entered the game in a 5-5 tie with two outs in the eighth; but before he could get the final out of that inning, four runs crossed the plate and the Royals went on to fall 9-5 to the host Tigers. Whit Merrifield doubled as part of a three-hit game, including a stolen base; and Adalberto Mondesi also went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a stolen base. Brad Keller didn't factor into the decision, but didn't have his best stuff. He was tagged for five runs in five and two-third innings, scattering five hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Jesse Hahn was charged with one run in one and two-third innings, taking the loss to fall to 0-2.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Chi. Sox (60-92) 2, Cleveland (91-61) 9
Boston (93-60) 1, NY Yankees (100-52) 2
Kansas City (69-85) 0, Detroit (65-89) 2
LA Angels (74-79) 4, Oakland (79-74) 2
Tampa Bay (77-75) 7, Toronto (68-84) 3
Francisco (81-75) @ St. Louis (78-78) -- PPD
NY Mets (71-82) 2, Washington (76-77) 3
Cincinnati (67-86) 6, Miami (56-97) 4
Philadelphia (77-75) 6, Atlanta (83-70) 4

September 21st, 2018
Kansas City (69-85) 0, Detroit (65-89) 2
Winner: Francisco Liriano (8-9) Loser: Danny Duffy (12-12) Save: Joe Jimenez (28)

Tempers Flare As Royals Drop Second Straight

Kansas City's offense was rendered impotent by Francisco Liriano, scattering three hits and a walk with seven strikeouts as they shut the Royals out 2-0. Hot tempers took over early the game. Royals rookie Frank Schwindel was tossed in the second inning for touching an umpire while arguing a strike call, and along with Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario, Royals starter Danny Duffy was tossed for a brief bench-clearing brawl after Duffy drilled him in the back on a 3-0 pitch in the sixth. The incident appeared to take Duffy by surprise, as Candelario rushed the mound and Duffy's teammates dashed to the center of the diamond to help break up the fracas.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Seattle (72-81) 1, Texas (68-85) 8
Boston (93-61) 2, Cleveland (92-61) 3
Chi. Cubs (87-66) 2, Chi. Sox (61-92) 9
Baltimore (56-97) 1, NY Yankees (101-52) 9
Kansas City (69-85) 0, Detroit (65-89) 2
LA Angels (74-80) 7, Houston (97-56) 8
Tampa Bay (77-76) 1, Toronto (69-84) 6
Minnesota (71-83) 4, Oakland (80-74) 5
San Francisco (81-75) @ St. Louis (78-78) -- PPD
Milwaukee (84-70) 7, Pittsburgh (77-75) 5
Chi. Sox (60-92) 2, Cleveland (91-61) 9
NY Mets (71-83) 5, Washington (77-77) 11
Cincinnati (67-87) 2, Miami (57-97) 6
Philadelphia (78-75) 4, Atlanta (83-71) 0
Colorado (74-79) 5, Arizona (86-68) 6
San Diego (72-82) 6, LA Dodgers (88-66) 8

September 22nd, 2018
Kansas City (69-86) 2, Detroit (66-89) 4
Winner: Michael Fulmer (11-13) Loser: Jake Junis (10-12) Save: Alex Wilson (1)

Tigers Clinch Series Win; Royals Lose Third Straight

Jake Junis struggled early, allowing three earned runs in the first three innings before settling in to allow four earned runs over six and one-third innings. However, his offense failed him by scoring just a pair of runs, as the Royals couldn't find their bats in a 4-2 defeat. Brett Phillips, who has been red-hot as of late, collected two more extra-base hits in this contest, a double and a triple, and also scored a run. Whit Merrifield was 1-for-4 with an RBI single and a stolen base, and the only other RBI on the Royals' end was Ryan O'Hearn's sixth-inning sac fly.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Seattle (73-81) 8, Texas (68-86) 2
Boston (93-62) 3, Cleveland (93-61) 4
Chi. Cubs (88-66) 16, Chi. Sox (61-93) 8
Baltimore (56-98) 1, NY Yankees (102-52) 8
Kansas City (69-86) 2, Detroit (66-89) 4
LA Angels (74-81) 7, Houston (98-56) 8
Tampa Bay (78-76) 7, Toronto (69-85) 2
Minnesota (72-83) 7, Oakland (80-75) 5
San Francisco (80-74) 7, St. Louis (77-77) 2 (G1)
San Francisco (81-74) 10, St. Louis (77-78) 3 (G2)
Milwaukee (85-70) 7, Pittsburgh (77-76) 0
Chi. Sox (60-92) 2, Cleveland (91-61) 9
NY Mets (71-84) 3, Washington (78-77) 10
Cincinnati (68-87) 15, Miami (57-98) 4
Philadelphia (78-76) 0, Atlanta (84-71) 9
Colorado (74-80) 2, Arizona (87-68) 6 (Final/11)
San Diego (72-83) 3, LA Dodgers (89-66) 5

September 22nd, 2018
Kansas City (69-86) 2, Detroit (66-89) 4
Winner: Trevor Oaks (6-4) Loser: Matt Boyd (7-8) Save: Richard Lovelady (4)

Kansas City Salvages Final Game Of Series

Trevor Oaks continued making his case for holding a lofty spot in the Royals' 2019 rotation, allowing just two earned runs over seven innings as the Royals secured a 4-2 victory over Detroit, capping off the season series between the two teams. Oaks scattered eight hits, fanned seven, and didn't walk a batter to move to 6-4 on the 2018 campaign. Cheslor Cuthbert hit a sacrifice fly as part of a two-run first inning, and then hammered a two-run blast off Matt Boyd in the third inning, giving the visitors a 4-0 lead at the time. Cuthbert was 1-for-3 with three RBI in all, and Whit Merrifield continues to put up impressive extra-base hit numbers, stroking another pair of two-base hits as part of a 2-for-4 day. Backup catcher Cam Gallagher also collected a pair of base hits in going 2-for-4.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Seattle (73-82) 2, Texas (69-86) 9
Boston (93-63) 6, Cleveland (94-61) 6
Chi. Cubs (89-66) 8, Chi. Sox (61-94) 5 (Final/13)
Baltimore (56-99) 4, NY Yankees (103-52) 5
Kansas City (70-86) 4, Detroit (66-90) 2
LA Angels (75-81) 6, Houston (98-57) 1
Tampa Bay (78-77) 2, Toronto (70-85) 4
Minnesota (73-83) 9, Oakland (80-76) 2
San Francisco (81-75) 2, St. Louis (78-78) 4
Milwaukee (85-71) 3, Pittsburgh (78-76) 9
Chi. Sox (60-92) 2, Cleveland (91-61) 9
NY Mets (71-85) 3, Washington (79-77) 5
Cincinnati (68-88) 1, Miami (58-98) 2
Philadelphia (79-76) 9, Atlanta (84-72) 5 (Final/11)
Colorado (74-81) 1, Arizona (88-68) 4
San Diego (73-83) 4, LA Dodgers (89-67) 0

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
09/20: Twins place 1B Joe Mauer (herniated disc) and 1B Logan Morrison (hamstring strain) on 10-day disabled list; both retroactive to 09/19/2018
09/21: Braves RHP Devan Watts placed on 10-day disabled list, retroactive to 09/20/2018 (hamstring strain)
09/21: Indians activate OF Michael Brantley from disabled list
09/22: Royals' Duffy, Tigers' Candelario suspended one start and four games by MLB respectively
09/22: Royals 1B Frank Schwindel suspended three games for 'ump bump' following strike call
09/22: Arizona places RHP Zack Greinke on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to 09/21/2018 (rotator cuff strain)
09/23: Washington activates RHP Stephen Strasburg from the disabled list

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (70-86) @ CINCINNATI REDS (68-88)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

09/25: LHP Eric Skoglund (2-5, 6.02) vs RHP Luis M. Castillo (10-9, 4.88)
09/26: RHP Ian Kennedy (5-8, 3.96) vs RHP Matt Harvey (13-8, 3.30)

GAME RECAPS

September 20th, 2018
Kansas City (70-87) 0, Cincinnati (69-88) 2
Winner: Joe Ortiz (5-3) Loser: Jesse Hahn (0-2) Save: Joe Jimenez (27)

Castillo, Reds Baffle Royals Again

Luis Castillo has been a thorn in the side of the Royals this year, as he posted seven shutout innings in a 2-0 Reds victory. Castillo also held the Royals to just one run in Kansas City back in June, striking out nine and walking just two. This time around, he scattered three hits and three walks, fanning eight. On the other side, Eric Skoglund pitched well; spinning five shutout innings while on a pitch limit of seventy-five, fanning five while walking none with five hits allowed. Joey Votto scored both Cincinnati runs in the contest, both coming on sacrifice flies. Jesse Winker scored him in the sixth off southpaw Eric Stout, while Tucker Barnhart brought him home in the eighth against Richard Lovelady.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Houston (99-58) 6, Toronto (71-86) 12
NY Yankees (104-53) 7, Tampa Bay (79-78) 6
Baltimore (57-100) 3, Boston (94-64) 6
Cleveland (95-62) 5, Chi. Sox (62-95) 4
Detroit (67-90) 7, Minnesota (73-84) 3
Oakland (81-77) 3, Seattle (74-83) 5
Texas (69-88) 1, LA Angels (77-81) 3
Kansas City (70-87) 0, Cincinnati (69-88) 2
Atlanta (84-73) 5, NY Mets (72-85) 9
Miami (60-98) 6, Washington (79-79) 5
Pittsburgh (80-76) 4, Chi. Cubs (89-68) 0
Milwaukee (86-72) 1, St. Louis (79-79) 3
LA Dodgers (90-68) 4, Arizona (89-69) 7
Philadelphia (80-77) 10, Colorado (75-82) 4
San Diego (73-85) 6, San Francisco (83-75) 8 (Final/10)

September 21st, 2018
Kansas City (69-85) 0, Detroit (65-89) 2
Winner: Francisco Liriano (8-9) Loser: Danny Duffy (12-12) Save: Joe Jimenez (28)

Kennedy Shines Again; Royals Secure Series Split

In their final road contest of the year, the Royals picked up a 6-2 victory over Cincinnati, splitting the season series with the Reds at two wins apiece. Ian Kennedy again threw a solid outing, as he went six innings, allowing just one earned run (two total), walking two, and striking out two. Cheslor Cuthbert swung the big stick, going 3-for-4 with a homerun to lead off the second, a double, and a single. Brian Goodwin also launched his fourth homerun of the season, and his third with the Royals since coming over in late July. Kansas City begins their final homestand of the year tomorrow night, a four-game series with Cleveland before the season ends.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Houston (99-59) 5, Toronto (72-86) 6 (Final/16)
NY Yankees (105-53) 5, Tampa Bay (79-79) 3
Baltimore (57-101) 1, Boston (95-64) 2
Cleveland (96-62) 2, Chi. Sox (62-96) 1
Detroit (67-91) 7, Minnesota (74-84) 9
Oakland (81-78) 4, Seattle (75-83) 5
Texas (69-89) 7, LA Angels (78-81) 8
Kansas City (71-87) 6, Cincinnati (69-89) 2
Atlanta (84-74) 2, NY Mets (73-85) 5
Miami (61-98) 7, Washington (79-80) 3
Pittsburgh (81-76) 5, Chi. Cubs (89-69) 4
Milwaukee (86-73) 0, St. Louis (80-79) 2
LA Dodgers (91-68) 6, Arizona (89-70) 4
Philadelphia (81-77) 3, Colorado (75-83) 2
San Diego (73-86) 3, San Francisco (84-75) 6

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
09/24: Diamondbacks activate LHP Patrick Corbin from disabled list
09/24: Boston transfers RHP Joe Kelly to 60-day disabled list (elbow inflammation)
09/24: Arizona clinches playoff berth
09/25: Astros' Gurriel, Jays' Stroman suspended four games and one start for role in bench-clearing incident
09/26: Cardinals' Mikolas tosses first career no-hitter in 2-0 victory over Milwaukee

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

CLEVELAND INDIANS (96-62) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (71-87)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

09/27: RHP Trevor Bauer (9-10, 4.04) vs RHP Brad Keller (7-8, 3.74)
09/28: RHP Corey Kluber (19-6, 3.66) vs RHP Jake Junis (10-12, 3.88)
09/29: RHP Danny Salazar (10-6, 4.23) vs RHP Trevor Oaks (6-4, 3.84)
09/30: RHP Carlos Carrasco (15-8, 4.70) vs LHP Danny Duffy (12-12, 3.99)

GAME RECAPS

September 27th, 2018
Cleveland (96-63) 4, Kansas City (72-87) 6
Winner: Brad Keller (8-8) Loser: Trevor Bauer (9-11) Save: Burch Smith (4)

Sixth-Inning Slam Stops Indians

It remains to be seen if infielder Ramon Torres is on next year's squad, but at least he has a great memory to take with him in case he's not, as he drilled his first career grand slam in the Royals' 6-4 victory over Cleveland to open the last series of the 2018 season. Alex Gordon also homered in this one, a two-run shot in the third off Trevor Bauer for his 18th homerun of the season. Brad Keller got the victory, allowing four earned runs in six and one-third innings, the only black mark being a three-run homerun by Yan Gomes in the seventh, but otherwise pitched a solid game. The loss was just Cleveland's second in their last fourteen games; and also ensures that they won't hit the 100-win mark, as they needed a sweep of the Royals to reach 100 exactly.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (96-63) 4, Kansas City (72-87) 6
Toronto (73-86) 9, Chi. Sox (62-97) 0
NY Yankees (106-53) 2, Tampa Bay (79-80) 1
Houston (100-59) 16, Baltimore (57-102) 6
Detroit (67-92) 2, Minnesota (75-84) 12
Texas (70-89) 1, Seattle (75-84) 0
Philadelphia (81-78) 0, Colorado (76-83) 7
Atlanta (84-75) 2, NY Mets (74-85) 6
Pittsburgh (82-76) 6, Chi. Cubs (89-70) 1

September 28th, 2018
Cleveland (97-63) 6, Kansas City (72-88) 2
Winner: Corey Kluber (20-6) Loser: Jake Junis (10-13) Save: None

Kluber Dominates For 20th Victory

Corey Kluber became the second American League pitcher to reach the 20-win mark, as he used a pair of three-run innings to propel his Indians over the Royals by a 6-2 score. Rosell Herrera went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Salvador Perez hit his 14th homerun of the season, both in the fourth inning. Jake Junis allowed three runs in six innings, fanning six with no walks while scattering seven hits, but it wasn't enough in the end as his record fell to 10-13 on the season. New acquisition Rafael De Paula surrendered a three-run homerun in the eighth inning, but fanned two in his first action since being claimed off waivers from the Reds.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Oakland (81-79) 2, LA Angels (79-81) 7
Cleveland (97-63) 6, Kansas City (72-88) 2
NY Yankees (107-53) 4, Boston (95-65) 2
Houston (100-60) 2, Baltimore (58-102) 3
Toronto (73-87) 1, Tampa Bay (80-80)
Chi. Sox (62-98) 1, Minnesota (76-84) 5
Texas (70-90) 3, Seattle (76-84) 6
Pittsburgh (82-77) 2, Cincinnati (70-89) 5 (G1)
Pittsburgh (82-78) 0, Cincinnati (71-89) 7 (G2)
St. Louis (81-79) 2, Chi. Cubs (89-71) 1
Atlanta (84-76) 2, Philadelphia (82-78) 5 (Final/10)
Miami (62-98) 5, NY Mets (74-86) 4 (Final/11)
Washington (80-80) 7, Colorado (76-84) 3
Detroit (67-93) 2, Milwaukee (87-73) 3 (Final/11)
Arizona (90-70) 10, San Diego (73-87) 1
LA Dodgers (91-69) 1, San Francisco (85-75) 3

September 29th, 2018
Cleveland (98-63) 7, Kansas City (72-89) 3
Winner: Nick Goody (6-2) Loser: Tim Hill (3-5) Save: None

Indians' Late Surge Sinks Kansas City

The game sailed along until the late innings; when the Indians scored two in the eighth and five in the ninth prior to the Royals mounting a mini-comeback with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, in the end ultimately falling 7-3 to Cleveland. Trevor Oaks and Danny Salazar were locked in a pretty tight pitcher's duel, with neither pitcher allowing a single earned run in their outings. Oaks scattered five hits and a walk with five strikeouts over six and two-thirds, while Salazar went six innings, scattering three hits and fanning seven, but walked four Royals' hitters. Now at 72-89, the Royals will try to avoid their first 90-loss season since 2012, when they went 72-90.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Oakland (81-80) 4, LA Angels (80-81) 6
Cleveland (98-63) 7, Kansas City (72-89) 3
NY Yankees (107-54) 2, Boston (96-65) 3 (Final/13)
Houston (100-61) 6, Baltimore (59-102) 7
Toronto (74-87) 6, Tampa Bay (80-81) 5
Chi. Sox (62-99) 3, Minnesota (77-84) 6
Texas (71-90) 6, Seattle (76-85) 0
St. Louis (81-79) @ Chi. Cubs (89-71) 1
Pittsburgh (82-79) 4, Cincinnati (72-89) 5
Atlanta (85-76) 3, Philadelphia (82-79) 1
Miami (62-99) 0, NY Mets (75-86) 6
Washington (81-80) 4, Colorado (76-85) 3
Detroit (68-93) 8, Milwaukee (87-74) 2
Arizona (90-71) 2, San Diego (74-87) 4
LA Dodgers (91-70) 4, San Francisco (86-75) 8

September 30th, 2018
Cleveland (99-63) 6, Kansas City (72-90) 3 (Final/16)
Winner: Oliver Drake (7-2) Loser: Jason Hammel (6-8) Save: None

Royals Drop Marathon Game In Season Finale

In the top of the 16th, Michael Brantley sent the majority of the sparsely-populated crowd scrambling for the exits with his three-run homerun off Jason Hammel to propel Cleveland to a 6-3 victory in the curtain-dropping game of the season. Before Bradley Zimmer slugged a three-run shot in the fifth to tie the game, Whit Merrifield gave the Royals a 3-0 lead back in the third inning with his 20th homerun of the season, breaking his career-high that he set last year, and becoming the second Royals player in team history to hit .300, hit 40 doubles, 20 homeruns, five triples, and steal 20 bases in the same season. The legendary George Brett hit .329, stroked 40 doubles, 20 triples, and 23 homeruns in 1979; but stole only seventeen bases. Carlos Beltran was the only other Royal to pull off the feat, doing so in 2002.

MLB SCOREBOARD
Oakland (81-81) 3, LA Angels (81-81) 12
Cleveland (99-63) 6, Kansas City (72-90) 3 (Final/16)
NY Yankees (107-55) 4, Boston (97-65) 10
Houston (101-61) 6, Baltimore (59-103) 4
Toronto (74-88) 2, Tampa Bay (81-81) 5
Chi. Sox (62-100) 4, Minnesota (78-84) 7
Texas (71-91) 1, Seattle (77-85) 4
St. Louis (82-79) 8, Chi. Cubs (89-72) 2 (G1)
St. Louis (82-80) 2, Chi. Cubs (90-72) 3 (G2)
Pittsburgh (83-79) 10, Cincinnati (72-90) 6
Atlanta (86-76) 5, Philadelphia (82-80) 4
Miami (62-100) 3, NY Mets (76-86) 4
Washington (82-80) 10, Colorado (76-86) 5 (Final/10)
Detroit (68-94) 0, Milwaukee (88-74) 4
Arizona (91-71) 2, San Diego (74-88) 1
LA Dodgers (92-70) 10, San Francisco (86-76) 4

MAJOR NEWS/INJURIES/TRANSACTIONS
09/27: Royals claim RHP Rafael De Paula off waivers from Cincinnati
09/28: Seattle places OF Ben Gamel on 10-day disabled list (torn thumb ligament)
09/29: Twins activate 1B Logan Morrison from disabled list
09/30: Braves designate LHP Sam Freeman for assignment
09/30: Braves, Cubs clinch tight division races
09/30: Red-hot Angels win eighth straight game; force one-game playoff with Oakland

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

SEPTEMBER IN REVIEW

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB FINAL STANDINGS UPDATE

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

WILDCARD PREVIEW
By MLB News Wire
10/02/2018

AMERICAN LEAGUE WILDCARD
LOS ANGELES ANGELS (82-81) @ BOSTON RED SOX (97-65)

Date/Time: October 4th, 8:05 CST
Pitching Matchup: RHP Matt Shoemaker (7-4, 4.75) vs LHP Chris Sale (15-6, 3.23)

Fresh off a thrilling run in the final ten or so days of the season, the Los Angeles Angels clipped the A's 3-1 yesterday in a one-game playoff to win their eighth straight game, and simultaneously stunning Oakland, who seemingly had the upper hand over the Rays and Angels for the second wildcard spot in the season's final days.

But they won just two of their last ten games, including just one of four from Minnesota, one of three from Seattle, and then were swept by an Angels team that was 5 1/2 games out of the second spot just nine days ago -- with the key game being Wednesday, when the Angels were down 6-3 to the Rangers after four-and-a-half innings, before battling back to take a 7-6 lead after seven. Texas tied it up in the eighth, but Ryan Schimpf electrified the home crowd with a solo homerun to re-take the lead, and the Angels went on to win the game 8-7.

Three days later, Justin Upton walked the Angels off with a two-run homerun off Jeurys Familia, just a half-inning after Cam Bedrosian surrendered the go-ahead homerun (at the time) to Matt Joyce. All Oakland had to do was get three outs to clinch the wildcard, but Upton had other plans. The next day, the Angels pounded a listless A's squad 12-3 to force the one-game playoff, which the Angels went on to emerge victorious in. They'll face AL East runner-up Boston in Thursday night's matchup.

"It's just a testament to the never-give-up vibe of this team," said All-Star outfielder Mike Trout. "We've seen teams in the past that get hot in September, and then carry that momentum into the postseason. Cleveland did it last year, Kansas City a few years before that, and Colorado before that. We just believed in ourselves that we could get here, and now we've done it."

It's the first foray for the Angels into the playoffs since 2014, when they were swept by the aforementioned Royals in the ALDS. They go into the Wildcard matchup with the Red Sox hurting for depth in pitching, with Tyler Skaggs, Garrett Richards, and Alex Meyer all on the disabled list with arm injuries. Boston is also down two major contributors, with David Price and Mookie Betts unavailable for tomorrow's game.

NATIONAL LEAGUE WILDCARD
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (88-74) @ ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (91-71)

Date/Time: October 3rd, 8:05 CST
Pitching Matchup: RHP Chase Anderson (6-11, 5.12) vs LHP Robbie Ray (12-7, 3.04)

The NL Wildcard game features a pair of unlikely teams; two teams who weren't expected to make a lot of noise in their divisions for the upcoming season. Milwaukee found itself in the thick of the race in July, and made two big moves at the trading deadline to pick up third baseman Mike Moustakas from the Kansas City Royals, and reliever Joakim Soria from the White Sox.

They also grabbed a second baseman with some pop from Baltimore in Jonathan Schoop, who OPS'ed .806 with ten homeruns in forty-five games with Milwaukee. However, they had to send Jonathan Villar and a couple of prospects in return to nab him. They also had to give up a promising outfielder in Brett Phillips to acquire Moustakas, with Phillips going on to have a solid half-season with Kansas City.

That said, they still had to hold off a late surge from San Francisco, who finished just two games back of the Brewers in the wildcard race. Key in that race was Milwaukee's 4-2 record against the Giants in 2018, including a home sweep of them from September 7th through the 9th. They won those three games by a combined four runs.

On the other side, Arizona won ninety-one games and finished just one game behind the Dodgers for the division title. They got off to a poor start in 2018, going just 12-16 in the first two months (March & April). However, they went 79-55 over the final four months, the best record in the NL over that time.

In early June, they signed Robbie Ray to a four-year contract extension in early June, and it appeared to pay off in a big way as Ray went 12-7 with 256 strikeouts, second-best only to Jacob deGrom of the Mets, who recorded 258. He'll go against Chase Anderson of the Brewers, who has not faced the Diamondbacks this season. Their top starter, Zach Davies, faced the Diamondbacks once this season, back in May, and tossed five scoreless innings against them, but would be pitching on just three days of rest.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

WILDCARD ROUND

10/03/2018: Milwaukee 1, Arizona 6
10/04/2018: LA Angels 2, Boston 6

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

DIVISIONAL ROUND

10/05/2018: Arizona 5, LA Dodgers 2
10/06/2018: Arizona 3, LA Dodgers 4
10/08/2018: LA Dodgers 6, Arizona 5
10/09/2018: LA Dodgers 9, Arizona 5

10/05/2018: Atlanta 7, Chi. Cubs 12
10/06/2018: Atlanta 5, Chi. Cubs 3
10/08/2018: Chi. Cubs 3, Atlanta 7
10/09/2018: Chi. Cubs 7, Atlanta 0
10/11/2018: Atlanta 5, Chi. Cubs 0

10/06/2018: Boston 7, NY Yankees 4
10/07/2018: Boston 7, NY Yankees 5
10/09/2018: NY Yankees 3, Boston 0
10/10/2018: NY Yankees 1, Boston 8

10/06/2018: Cleveland 4, Houston 1
10/07/2018: Cleveland 6, Houston 10
10/09/2018: Houston 8, Cleveland 0
10/10/2018: Houston 6, Cleveland 3