KANSAS CITY — Riding a five-game winning streak and having taken 10 of their last 13, the Kansas City Royals will try to keep their surge rolling in Game 37 of the season as they close out a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians. A victory in today’s matchup would move Kansas City past Cleveland in the American League Central standings; capturing the series over the weekend could even vault the Royals ahead of the Tigers, who have been operating recently without starter Tarik Skubal.
Manager lineup choices for the contest signal a willingness to mix things up. Vinnie Pasquantino is slotted fifth and Lane Thomas moves into the three-hole, while Topper Caglianone and Michael Jensen have been given the day off with the caveat they could be available for pinch-hitting later. The adjustments reflect Kansas City’s hotter offense in recent weeks, a trend the club will lean on against the Guardians’ lefty starter.
On the mound for the Royals is Cole Ragans, whose 2026 season has followed an inconsistent arc. His most recent outing against Cleveland ended abruptly when Jose Ramírez’s line drive struck Ragans’ hand, and the right-hander has alternated between command problems on the road and flashes of dominance at Kauffman. In his last home start Ragans struck out 11 Angels, but subsequent road outings have seen an uptick in walks and a dip in strikeouts. The central question entering tonight is whether Kansas City will get the Ragans who’s overpowering at home or the one who’s struggled for command away from Kauffman.
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Opposing Ragans will be Guardians left-hander Joey Cantillo, who troubled the Royals when the clubs met in early April. Cantillo has shown the ability to miss barrels, but control has been an ongoing issue—walks have crept into his stat line this season even as he has generally been effective. Kansas City’s lineup, which has found more consistency in recent games, will look to exploit any lapses in free passes and force Cantillo into attack-and-miss counts.
The matchup carries notable roster- and standings-level implications. The Royals’ recent run has largely erased the early-season disappointment that left them scrambling in April, and a win today would be a symbolic and practical step toward the top of the AL Central. With the Tigers dealing with the absence of a key starter and the Guardians vulnerable to a sweep, the three-game set in Cleveland presents Kansas City with an opportunity to reshape the division picture.
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Tonight’s game will therefore be as much about momentum as it is about individual matchups. Royals hitters will test Cantillo’s ability to command strikes, and Ragans’ performance will be scrutinized for signs that he can sustain the strikeout upside he has shown at Kauffman while limiting walks. How those storylines play out will largely determine whether the Royals leave Cleveland with a split or emerge ready to challenge for division control.
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