Orioles at Royals
Mike Moustakas is warming up and his defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals are starting to take off as they host the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game series. Moustakas is 9-for-20 with three homers in his last five games while the Royals have won three of four to take over first place in the American League Central.
Kansas City has been victorious in seven of nine home contests to start the season and first baseman Eric Hosmer is working on a 12-game hitting streak while reaching base in 24 straight, dating back to 2015. The Orioles lead the American League East despite Friday’s 4-2 loss in the series opener and send Tyler Wilson to the mound against Royals right-hander Kris Medlen. Manny Machado homered Friday for Baltimore to extend his career-high hitting streak to 15 games. Shortstop J.J. Hardy is also off to a solid start after recording two hits Friday and notching his eighth RBI in 14 contests during April.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network; MASN, WJZ (Baltimore); FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Tyler Wilson (0-0, 1.13 ERA) vs. Royals RH Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.38)
Wilson gets his first start of the season and sixth of his career after making three appearances out of the bullpen in the first month of the season. The 26-year-old Virginia product permitted one run on six hits in eight innings of work in 2016 after going 2-2 with a 3.50 ERA last season. Wilson, a former 10th-round pick by the Orioles, is facing Kansas City for the first time in his young career.
Medlen won his first start of the season before allowing two runs (one earned) over 6 1/3 innings against Oakland without being involved in the decision. The 30-year-old Californian, who is 7-2 in two seasons with the Royals, has walked eight batters in 11 1/3 innings. Adam Jones is 3-for-4 with a homer against Medlen, who gave up three runs in six innings to beat Baltimore last year.
WALK-OFFS
1. Baltimore will activate LHP Brian Matusz (back) from the disabled list for Saturday’s game to add depth to the bullpen.
2. Royals OF Jarrod Dyson is 4-for-12 with a pair of stolen bases in his first four games after returning from the disabled list.
3. Orioles DH-1B Mark Trumbo is 8-for-26 during a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .362 in the early season.