Royals aim to stay hot at home as they open a four-game series with the Rangers
The Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals enter a pivotal four-game set at Kauffman Stadium with little room for error in the American League wild-card chase. The Royals sit four games back of the Yankees for the AL’s final playoff spot, while Texas trails New York by 5 1/2 games.
Kansas City capped a home sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 6-2 win on Sunday, improving to 13 of their last 18 at Kauffman Stadium. Jonathan India provided a spark with a two-run homer in the seventh inning. “All we can do is keep fighting,” India told FanDuel Sports Network. “That’s all we’re trying to do out here, and collect wins.”
Texas snapped a rough stretch by beating Toronto 10-4 to end a four-game skid in Sunday’s action. Marcus Semien emphasized the urgency, saying, “Every game is the most important game of the season. That’s the way we have to look at it.” The Rangers were swept at home by Kansas City in June by a 16-5 margin, a reminder of the challenge ahead.
Texas is set to start right-hander Jack Leiter (7-6, 3.94 ERA) in the series opener. Leiter is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA over his last five starts, but hasn’t gone six innings in his last three outings, all losses for Texas. In a 3-2 defeat to Arizona last Tuesday, Leiter worked five innings, conceding a solo homer, three other hits and two walks.
Leiter’s lone career start against Kansas City came June 17, a 6-1 loss in which four of the six runs allowed came on three home runs. Salvador Perez homered twice and Bobby Witt Jr. also connected, underscoring the Royals’ power against Leiter. “When you see the slug against him, it’s usually due to mistakes,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.
For Kansas City, Michael Wacha is scheduled to start Monday (7-9, 3.35 ERA). The veteran right-hander has won each of his last four starts and is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in six outings overall. In his most recent turn, Wacha pitched effectively in Kansas City’s 8-5 victory, following a stretch in which he’s allowed a run in each of his last two starts against Texas. Across five career starts against the Rangers, he’s 1-3 with a 3.96 ERA.
Texas features a familiar battler in Semien, who is batting .203 since July 31 and went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer Sunday. He carries a 3-for-9 mark over the last two seasons against Wacha. Rangers outfielder Joc Pederson also has two career home runs against Wacha.
The teams will also monitor the other side of the mound. The Royals will lean on Wacha to continue his strong run, while Texas will look for Leiter to settle into a groove and give the Rangers a chance to swing for big innings.
What to watch
– Starting depth: Wacha has been sturdy for Kansas City, and Leiter will try to extend his recent good form while avoiding the big inning against a Royals lineup that thrives at home.
– Power balance: The Royals have shown life at the plate at Kauffman, with big swings from India and others, while Texas will seek to maximize scoring opportunities against Wacha and the Royals’ bullpen.
– Wild-card pace: Both teams know every game matters as they chase the final playoff spot in the crowded AL.
Summary
This four-game set is a stern test for two teams in the thick of the wild-card race, with Kansas City hoping to exploit home-field advantage and continue its recent run of success at Kauffman Stadium. If Wacha can sustain his late-season form and Leiter can find a rhythm against a disciplined Royals lineup, the series could tilt in either direction as September heats up.
Outlook
A positive note for Kansas City: they’ve been solid at home and have the momentum from a productive homestand. If the Royals can limit the big innings and get timely hitting, they stand a real chance to narrow the gap and keep pushing in the stretch run. For Texas, building a string of wins on the road could reset the wild-card pressure and keep the Rangers in the mix for a late surge.